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An interview with Nicolás Martínez Ala ...
An interview with Nicolás Martínez Alarcón
Posted by Mariana De Niz, on 13 December 2022
MiniBio: Dr. Nicolás Martínez Alarcón is a postdoctoral fellow at Fundación Ciencia y Vida, where he studies various aspects of the biology of neurodegeneration. Within the lab of Dr. Maria Soledad Matus, he is also a junior group leader co-mentoring various students and forming his independent research line. Nicolás did his early studies at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, in the lab of Dr. Felipe Court, involving collaborations with the lab of Dr. Felipe Barros in Center of Scientific Studies (CECs, Valdivia). It was in these labs where he was first introduced to microscopy. Nicolás has an extremely versatile career, with a holistic view of what the scientific role involves including outreach, scientific communication, innovation, and public policy. He is also heavily involved in gender equity initiatives and firmly believes in removing socio-economic and gender barriers to the profession of science.
I think this of course can only be seen in retrospect. I have realized I was a very curious child. I always wanted to know what was behind the obvious or the visible. I would put apart radios, mix all sorts of liquids in my house, detergents, etc. – anything I would find and see what changes would take place. Me and my family, we are from humble origins, so this sort of interest wasn't exactly potentiated at the time into a scientific training or something of the sort, but the role of my teachers was key. I had teachers, especially in junior high school, who managed to explain exciting concepts of Biology in a way that was engaging and inspiring. I remember in particular the lectures in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and their connection to genetics. Although all this was inspiring, the decision to become a scientist wasn't an easy one for three main reasons: 1: I had a huge range of interests and was skilled for several disciplines in school – I was skilled at learning languages, I wanted to be a writer, I also loved music, poetry, dance – so, truly, it wasn't an early or easy decision. For example, besides studying my degree, I also studied two languages and participated in a professional artistic project.
2: Perhaps because of my socio-economic and cultural background I had zero clue about what it is to be a researcher, so I started my degree in biological sciences out of a genuine interest in the scientific ideas. But I had no mental map of where this career would lead me as a professional. Zero clue. I feel the need to highlight this because there might be other young scientists in the same situation, where this orientation is totally lacking. To have a mental map of your possible projections influences motivation and decision-making. And 3: Around the 3rd year of the BSc degree in Chile you have to start doing practicals in labs. For me, half-way through my first year I really wanted to experience participating in a lab. So I spoke to a professor who later became my PhD supervisor – Dr. Felipe Court, and I insisted that I didn't want to wait another 2 or 3 years to start in the lab. He welcomed me to his lab, and around this time I started attending lab meetings. So I held my first pipettes when I was 17 years old. Dr. Felipe Court at the time was just starting his own lab – perhaps he was still very young and naïve and thus received me, a young student who knew absolutely nothing  Another thing I want to highlight that made all the difference for me during my upbringing is that I received a lot of support and affection from my family as a child. As a neuroscientist I must acknowledge how important this is for one's success and self-confidence. Despite being from a low socio-economic background, I know that this affection and support from my family was significant to my future performance. I really want to point this out as a key message in my interview. The neurobiological development of the child brain that leads to intellectual independence is directly linked to the affection and treatment peoples receive during childhood. This emotional stability precedes the intellectual performance, and of course later one can pave one's own path, but this precedence of stability is key.
You have a career-long involvement in neurophysiology, image analysis and microscopy. Can you tell us a bit about what inspired you to choose these paths?
Since I was a child, I was always interested in the concepts around neurons and the brain. Once I did my practicals I confirmed that this world of neurosciences was fascinating to me. I think the environment where one develops one's career deeply influences one's choices. The lab members at the place where I started my career were very friendly and welcoming and thus it guided me well through this process. About microscopy, this interest came much later, as a need to answer my own questions about biology. My early research line focused on local mechanisms of homeostasis in neurons – this includes events and processes happening at the synapses or axons, things happening far away from the cell body, in very specific regions which have specialization on their homeostatic processes. By focusing on this, I was trying to assay events on the microscopic scale.
I also must add that while I was in that lab, in addition to being taught the technical aspects of microscopy, my supervisor and other members of the lab also emphasized the importance of learning about the history and principles of these techniques. So, I learned about Ramon y Cajal, about the findings of Golgi, about how different buffers, dyes, reporters, lenses, objectives were found and/or developed. It was impactful to learn about this. I also had the chance to work with histologists and technicians who had a vast amount of knowledge related to microscopy, and sample preparation. I feel that a lot of what I now know and do in practical terms, my criteria, I acquired it from my colleagues at the technical platforms. I was able to share a lot of time with them, and this also made me fall in love with microscopy as a job to dedicate part of my life to. I´m emphasizing that the personnel in facilities are essential for and plays a pivotal role for the work we do. Summarizing my career path, I did my PhD at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile with Dr. Felipe Court as supervisor and Dr. Felipe Barros as my co-supervisor. During my PhD I went to the south of Chile, to the city of Valdivia, where our country has a high-tech research center called Centro de Estudios Cientificos. I did some microscopy over there too: Dr. Felipe Barros' expertise is nervous system metabolism studied trough FRET nanosensors, and we used these tools to explore the local metabolism of axons.
Now I'm working at Fundacion Ciencia y Vida as a postdoc where I have governmental funding for my postdoctoral research under the sponsoring of Dr. Maria Soledad Matus. There Dr. Matus sponsored me to participate of their research lines. Currently, I'm studying the role of the Integrated Stress Response pathway over the morphofunctional integrity of axons and synapses. It has been very exciting to have the opportunity to propose an ambitious project and actually have access to multiple genetic models and technologies. I invite people interested to put an eye on the work that Fundación Ciencia y Vida produces, with a particular focus on the publications that will emerge from Dr. Matus' lab, which no doubt will transform the way we understand the stress responses of neurons. An important part of this research is based on microscopy, so I'm still learning every day, what is needed for the current questions of our research group. I consider the opportunity of working at Fundación Ciencia y Vida as a turning point on my career because it's a place with the highest research standards and an open perspective to the many aspects of science such as outreach, basic science, applied studies and connection with the community.
They call this "Science 360°" and I feel very lucky because it matches with my diversity of professional interests.
Can you tell us a bit about what you have found uniquely positive about becoming a researcher in Chile, from your education years?
Chile has talented researchers, men and women who combine teaching skills with their intellectual work, under a collaborative spirit. It's not hard to find this philosophy within research communities in our country. That's a first positive thing, to be in places full of talented people. Its motivating. Probably, one interesting challenge is to generate the conditions and coordinate the efforts of these research communities on general transversal goals aligned with the interest of our country's development.
Chile is a developing country and therefore there are a lot of things to solve. Personally, I have a very positive view of these challenges as motivation sources. Among them, we need to improve the recognition and support that is given to people who generate knowledge, the right appreciation to these people and the roles they play in society. For me this is a challenge – it's an enterprise that I can join. These kind of convening initiatives are exciting for young researchers, and they give an ultra-meaning to our work, beyond academia. On this respect, Chile is having important political changes and social reflections that have happened both, within the scientific community and in our society. I think as researchers we must do a critical introspection and evaluation of what we can and must do, beyond our work at the bench. This realization gave me a guidance about which path I could follow as a researcher (considering both bench work and beyond – my service to the community as a whole). I consider this realization coming from challenges, which expands our roles, a positive aspect of becoming a researcher in Chile. It builds professional and personal abilities, and it demands a high level of commitment.
Another opportunity to do better is to diversify our field of action as researchers and extend it into outreach, public policies, economy and also to establish dialogues with our colleagues from the humanities and other disciplines. My opinion is that there is a huge room for improvement especially for scientists to propose or participate in interdisciplinary initiatives. Chile´s socio-economic and cultural spaces have complex problems that must be confronted with a broad range of disciplines working together. It's a perfect environment to young professionals, to learn new things, to connect disciplines, and to discuss the relevance of being a multi-disciplinary academic with the younger ones. Challenges are perfect places for people with energy and ideas. I've tried to make the most of it in all these different "divisions". For example, during my career in Chile I have had the experience of the canonical academic pathway, but also to participate of innovation projects with interesting results. Beside I have had the opportunity to be part of dialogues about science policies – most recently, about the possible modifications to our Constitution, and I will continue to do so. Scientific research is also tightly related with education accessibility, particularly neuroscience can be a fundamental player on the design of educational policies for accessibility to education on neurodiversity. Neuroscience can complement education diagnosis and criteria; neuroscience can suggest priorities and pedagogical practices. In this context, I have also had the opportunity of participating and propose initiatives of scientific engagement with schools and teachers' organizations. Regarding accessibility to early education, to put it simple Chile has three types of schools based on their fundings sources: "colegios estatales" which are free of charge and state funded, "colegios particulares subvencionados" which have a specific vision and the state gives them funding to address specific areas of projects, and "escuelas privadas" – private schools. For several reasons, there is a direct relationship between where you study (which of the three systems) and where you end up studying after the school, your working positions, and how much you earn, statistically. In general, people graduating from private schools tend to have access to top tier universities and tend to earn more. This is a big problem, related with the social instability we have experienced in the last years. Researchers can play many roles on the analysis, discussion, mitigations, and solutions for these inequalities.
Also, Chile has a tremendous potential for research based on local initiatives in our regions. This is another opportunity for improvement in which young scientist can participate. There is excellent science happening at universities and research centers throughout our country, with unique topics and perspectives. So, we can also participate directly or indirectly on the urgency of decentralizing our science. There are diverse environmental, social, and cultural phenomena happening everywhere that you can take as a basis for your professional career. At the end, all these challenges are intermingled, and when researchers asses them, communities are grateful. It comes to my mind how some of the researchers how have been awarded with National Sciences prizes have focused on scientific questions that are related with social challenges, such as the reality experienced by small groups of fishermen and the language complexity displayed by people of poor backgrounds. Later, some of this knowledge has led to the promulgation of certain laws. However, it would be optimal to have a body of laws particularly oriented to articulate local scientific research with local challenges and to promote evidence-based decision making.
Additionally, in the last decade Chile has become an interesting place for international capitals related with STEM and software, among others. So, there are growing opportunities to have a local career with potential interesting outcomes for people oriented towards innovation too.
Finally, I would like to point out that Chilean researchers perform their activities with the highest standards and there are growing international collaborations, so either you choose to develop your career locally or go abroad, it can be opportunities for experiencing vanguard.
Based on your previous answer, how did you realize that as a scientist, there was a chance to give back to society?
My mum is a teacher, so interest on social work has always been present in my life. This has more to do with my family and my upbringing, than with my education as a scientist. I think my background and my family, and the environment I grew up in, led me to develop a sense of commitment and empathy towards other people. I highlight this, because many of the aspects one has a researcher come from places beyond career training: some of them come from very personal experiences and interests. Young people should know that our mind works as a synthetic system, so many abilities and interests you have outside sciences will make part of your personality as a researcher. The books you read, movies you watch, dances you like, sport you practice, arts you enjoy, and general interests will modulate you as a scientist and this is very good.
Back to the point, I feel motivated about supporting anyone who wants to explore becoming a scientist, even if all I can do is a small part. I have had lots of trouble saying "no" to people who wish to join my research line. I have several anecdotes – I can share one with you: I'm about to become the thesis co-supervisor of a young student I met in the Uber – he was my Uber driver once and he asked me what I was doing as a career. I told him I was a scientist. He told me he had studied a technical degree, but that he had always been interested in research. A smart guy. I gave him my number, and we are currently planning his thesis project. I think the interest in science is everywhere and we should be supportive of one another. In Chile there's a phenomenon in general, where a lot of students in the science and technology fields come from middle and low classes, a high proportion of them are girls and women. The Ministry of Education has made research on this, with such interesting findings. It is something interesting to analyze further and to address with concrete policies. Science is interesting for young people with economic challenges. If you connect that with the fact that investing on science and innovation is key for the human and economic development of our country, we have a critical point there. This cannot be overlooked by people in decision-making positions, both in the public field and for private investors looking to make contributions or as interesting targets to their capitals.
Can you tell us a bit about your day-to-day work as a postdoc at the Faculty of Medicine and at Fundación Ciencia y Vida?
I'm in a transition position at the moment. I am doing my postdoc, but I have had a chance to establish a semi-independent line of research in the lab of Dr. Maria Soledad Matus – she allowed me to establish a line which didn't previously exist on the lab. We study the potential roles of a homeostatic pathway called the Integrated Stress Response on the morphofunctional integrity of axons and synapses at peripheral and central neurons. So now I participate of student's training, and co-supervision.
Fundación Ciencia y Vida is a research center which is financed by Chilean government's funds called Fondo Basal – they finance centers for a period of 10 years as a macro-project. Ciencia y Vida has a unique approach within the context of Chilean academia, which they define as 'Science 360'. With this approach, they cover, within the same umbrella, basic science, applied science, translational science, scientific communication, and the relationship with the general community. They try to make the scientific career very integrative. This is the spirit of the organization where I execute my everyday work.
About my day to day, it depends on the stage of every particular project I'm involved in. At the beginning of my postdoc, I would spend most of the time at the microscopy room or at the bench. Now I also play a role in teaching and supervising students, having meetings with them, reviewing their work (projects, texts, figures, experimental designs). So now I do this in addition to being at the microscope, helping at the microscopy facility, doing data analysis, and doing bench work. I try to always catch up with students – even just to chit chat every day, to see how they're doing and how everything is going. Another part of the day is reading and writing, which is fundamental to be in touch with the latest references of our research lines and to generate our owns manuscripts. Our group leader encourages us to look for excellence in all the scientific work we are engaged in, so a careful revision of formatting and contents must be done.
Additional to these tasks, I also try to spend time everyday just thinking. This is fundamental and was emphatically transmitted to me by my mentor Dr. Jaime Alvarez Marin. To analyze my own thinking pathways, and their potential flaws. To really focus on one of the research questions we're addressing, I analyze the methods we are using, the theoretical background of what we're investigating, and other things that might be essential for the project. This introspective space is also important for creativity and to make room for the commonly overlooked place of intuition over science. To me, an optimal day-to-day performance as a researcher means combining a strict, careful, and technically elegant execution of the scientific method, with the fluidic open flight of a flexible thinking.
Did you have many opportunities to interact with other Latin American groups, outside of Chile?
I'd love to say yes, but in reality, not so much. I think because as and undergrad I joined a lab which was just being set up, in general the collaborations were mostly local (with other Chilean researchers). Later, I also decided that I would favor collaborations with other Chilean scientists, but recently this idea has been "under review", especially after the workshop I attended in Uruguay called "Imaging Latin America" which was a joined venture with the imaging team from Janelia. There, they funded us Latin American scientists to attend, and I had the chance to interact with many other scientists from the region. This was a fascinating experience which brought together scientists with similar interests, similar ages, career stages, and objectives. This experience allowed me to grasp the potential of connecting with other scientists in Latin America, to progress together. Also, I was recently invited to present my work at the Argentinian Society of Neurosciences in a workshop for Young Investigators. This shed light on the value that other people on the region are giving to our scientific work. So I'm starting to explore the possible connections with the Latin American research community. But there's a long way to go: talking about microscopy facility management, in Chile at least, technologies are often administered in micro-environments with each institute controlling its own microscopes. I think the aim of the host team of Institut Pasteur Montevideo, who organized the Latin America Bioimaging workshop is to promote this expansion of networks within our countries and throughout the region.
How did you find out about the course 'Imaging Latin America' which took place in Uruguay as a joined venture between Janelia and IP Montevideo, and how did you enjoy it?
I think this course has been one of the most enriching professional experiences in my career. There was great validation of what I had learned during my education in Chile, and appreciation of the work we have been developing over here. I felt that our work was valued. In addition to this, I learned a lot of new things: I was able to understand some critical aspects about the optics of different types of microscopes. I learned about new image analysis methods I wasn't aware of. A lot of this knowledge had an immediate application on the research we are developing on Fundación Ciencia y Vida. I hope to also transfer this knowledge through training colleagues and students, so this course will have an impact beyond particular research topics and it will update the environment around microscopy on our institution.
Above all, what was great was the possibility of networking – the people I met over there is a great asset. I met participants from Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, and Uruguay – I hope I'm not forgetting any country. Organizers prepared the course at a thorough level and you could see this in all the details: it was clearly something that took months to organize in order to convey the topics and all the themes we discussed during this course. The hosts from Institut Pasteur Montevideo gave us access to the frontier technology they have over there with such a kind treatment and pedagogy that was ideal to learn. It was not only a great experience on an academic level, but also on a human level – they made sure we ate wonderful local food every day 🙂 it was a fantastic experience. I think this, together with LABI is an initiative that will significantly improve connections between Latin American scientists doing microscopy. Furthermore, it will promote the establishment of new local cultures of professionalized microscopy in different organizations. I am very sure this networking will foster new long-lasting collaborations. It was a real honour for me to be in the first generation of the Imaging Latin America initiative. 🙂
Beyond the specific techniques and topics of the course, a major concept about which I thought during the Latin America Bioimaging course is the following. Perhaps it's rather a question: How much of our regional and national incomes depend directly or indirectly on processes where microscopy participates?I haven't found literature about it. The critical analysis of this questions and its many possible outputs has haunted me since then, and my intuition is that the answers can open economic, social, academic and political arguments to increase efforts in promoting optical technologies in our developing countries. I don't want to be excessively speculative, but there are clinical procedures, industrial procedures, engineering, hardware design, clothing design, microbiology, crystallography, and an eternal list of applications for microscopy. Additionally, there are all the necessary data processing capacities, which promote the generation of all sort of coded algorithms with potential applications in other areas. To me, the answer could strongly suggest that we should be putting more efforts into upgrading the optical technology we manage and how we manage it. and into producing our own optical technologies.
As a Chilean scientist, did you have any challenges working abroad?
I have not lived abroad 🙂 I have done my entire career in Chile.
Who are your scientific role models (both Chilean and foreign)?
I have a very self-demanding and holistic view of what a scientist can be – communicators, scientists, people dedicated to science policies, researchers, so it's a hard question to answer: few people do it all.
For a more conventional answer, if I had to choose people whom we all know, I've always felt a lot of admiration for the work of Santiago Ramon y Cajal, based on the historical relevance he had in the description of neuronal biology and the huge step it meant to realize that neurons were individual units in a web, rather than a syncytium. To a great extent, thanks to this histological realization we started to think about signal transmission between neurons. He received the Nobel Prize. Cajal´s work opened a junction between the comprehension of function and structure that led to a very significant leap in neuroscience. There was a publication called "Reticularismo o neuronismo?" by him which I think is very telling regarding this. I'm very interested in the history of neuroscience, and so I consider him a role model.
Probably, all the fundamentals of neuronal structures have been already described. However, one can look at the work of Cajal and understand how impactful it is to propose simple questions, and how influential it can be on the future of science. I use this as a mantra: simple, obvious unanswered questions hide milestones. There's another scientist whom I consider an inspiration, whose name is Rita Levi Montalcini – she was an Italian Nobel Prize winner who made important discoveries on neuronal signaling. She found that neurons exist in an environment where they secrete and exchange chemical signals that allow them to sustain their homeostatic processes. She was a leader in her field, a fantastic neuroscientist, a woman in a time of war in Europe, and a woman scientist in an era when it was even more challenging in terms of gender balance, and the vast amount of literature she left behind, sharing her experience as a researcher. Also, she was involved in the politics of her natal country, Italy. We have a small library in the lab, and my students read her books: El Elogio de la Imperfeccion, Atrévete a Saber, Tu futuro, Cronología de un Descubrimiento, where she gives good advice to young investigators. I think as a neuroscientist, this is what I could say. My opinion is that Chile needs public intellectuals of this magnitude. We had them on the past, and they constructed our cultural identity.
As a Doctor in Physiology, and in a deeper intellectual track, I've always been fascinated with the work of Ludwig von Bertalanffy who was a European mathematician, philosopher, biologist, etc., who first brought about the notions of systems theory, which is the basis of physiology. I'm also fascinated by the work of the Russian mathematician and physicist Nicolás Rashevsky, who was the first person who did mathematical descriptions of biological processes in the cell in particular. He published in the 1970s, several pieces of work which I always make reference to, where he proposed predictive models on how, because of the shape and size of neurons, this would necessarily result in specific regions with differential diffusion dynamics. This is in line with the work I do, which shows that different regions of the neuron indeed have different processes and play different roles in neuronal homeostasis. In the context of microscopy, I can think of Roger Tsien, because of his work on reporter proteins such as GFP – this has changed our world. A lot of the things I do today in my work, I wouldn't be able to do without all the work from people like him.
In Chile, we have had the honor of participating from the heritage of two neuroscientists: Dr. Humberto Maturana and Dr. Francisco Varela, both of whom developed the concept of autopoiesis, and also further expanded the theory of systems biology. Finally, perhaps I couldn't nominate this in a particular frame, but Chile is facing a revolution in terms of gender balance and the acceptance and integration of all genders. I admire young people who are dedicated to and are even spearheading this revolution. If young people are reading this, I'd like to tell them that these changes and this fight are extremely important. We have students who belong to all groups of genders in Chile, and many of them are very vocal. For me this is worthy of admiration, and it's equally important to me as a researcher, as it is to discover new biology. People who are pushing change in all aspects, are modifying the destiny and the future of our community.
What is your opinion on gender balance in Chile, given current initiatives in the country to address this important issue. How has this impacted your career?
I see this from a lot of points of view, both personal, and based on studies I have read due to my involvement in various initiatives and facets of science. However, I think these questions can be better addressed by women researchers. I've read reports that document the existence of sexist educational practices in Chile, and within this context, the effect of this in scientific knowledge acquisition in girls and boys. Several authors suggest a sexist tone in the Chilean educational system – and the gender differences arise already at very young age. It has been documented that girls have the same sense of curiosity towards the processes in nature as boys, but they feel more anxiety when expressing these types of ideas. Something about our education system causes detriment in the expression of these ideas by girls. I think this is something urgent to address. Otherwise, we start already at a very young age with a significant gap. There are also studies focusing on slightly older students, showing that it's mostly women who want to pursue a scientific career, and this numerical majority does not correlate with numbers of woman who obtain PhD degrees and higher academic positions in Chile. There are more men than women graduating with PhDs. The gender ratio between deans in faculties of science is 1:10 – there are 5 female deans, and 55 males. The percentage in PIs in the different areas of knowledge also shows a difference between men and women at this level, also shows this: it's 40% women, 60% men at least. So, at decision-making and power positions there is still a difference. Beyond numbers, people who produce knowledge build our culture. Male-dominated work environments tend to be static in terms of gender composition. People on these types of positions also appear as role models for younger generations. So, a feminist narrative of science is needed to be discussed publicly. Academia has been reviewing this trough the work of many feminist philosophers. I think it's important to take a look at this kind of literature. On a local perspective, I think that female Chilean researchers from humanities and natural sciences can articulate a powerful group. I recommend readers to have a look at the work of "asociación de red de investigadoras" de Chile.
Gender disparities are bigger if you focus on the area of science innovation. One could assume that in this area, compensation is much better than in academic science, therefore it would be more attractive to women pursuing better compensation and job stability, but the proportions of men and women in top leadership levels in this area also shows a lot of imbalance. So, we have a massive challenge in this respect. The Chilean Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge, and Innovation (addressing gender equity) was recently founded, so what I have seen is mainly this kind of diagnosis and new proposals to address gender imbalance in this area.
About how this topic impacted my career – it impacts me directly because it allows me to recognize and react to the existence of these differences. Now I understand a lot better that a portion of what I have achieved is due to this gender imbalance which is advantageous to men. I think we can all do something to address this within our own environment. I try to address this in my own group – for example now I am much more aware of micro-misogyny (microaggressions done by men): how many times men speak during meetings, for how long, if they interrupt women, and other things that perhaps sound small but are impactful for people from genders who face the disadvantage (i.e. that they cannot express themselves, or cannot even have access to PhD education). Another very relevant aspect of this gender disparity is beyond the access of women to become researchers, but women as relevant targets for the study of their particular needs and characteristics. I have a friend, Dr. Claudia Muñoz from Universidad de Chile, who is currently working in a model for a metabolic cardiac pathology that is particularly aggressive to women. This gender related clinical problem, had been obliterated by the experimental designs which do not consider potential sex differences. Examples as this one are common. Based on this, I think we as biological science researchers should at least discuss a certain criterion about when to replicate your experiments in both sexes is recommended.
Moreover, now I work for a researcher who is a woman, Dr. Soledad Matus. To have her as a sponsor is a constant depiction of the capacities of women as leaders in science. Before, I had always worked for men as heads of lab and working now for a woman has been an enriching experience for me. We live and learn, and we learn and grow. One thing I always tell my female students that because I'm a male researcher, I am limited in what I can transmit to them of what the experience as a researcher is – I always suggest to them that they speak with female PIs who are at more advanced stages of their careers, and who can transmit different experiences. In this context I'd like to mention in particular another investigator – perhaps mixing this with the previous question on who my role models are I've had the pleasure of working with a young Chilean researcher, Jennifer Alfaro, who is one of the most accomplished people I know. She studied in the public education system and decided to pursue a scientific career. She is now a successful leader in the context of scientific innovation, she works as a director of a biotech company here in Chile, having surpassed the gender imbalances that I mentioned before in the science innovation area.
You mentioned earlier on, the impact of socio-economic background on you and your scientific career. Can you expand on the importance of this?
I think there's no direct selection on a personal basis based on your background, but the effect of socio-economic background on the quality of your education and the opportunities you have access to is very noticeable and evident. The result of this is that people in leadership positions within the scientific community tend to come from a homogeneous background. For example, to study a science degree you must take an admission test, and you must reach a certain score. It's been documented how people who study in some types of school -correlated with specific ranges of family incomes – obtain a certain range of scores. Basically, a relation between income and accessibility to higher degrees of education. Despite public policies that ensure free university education, students that come from lower incomes, in general terms have different performances and greater difficulties in the first years of their degrees. I have had the opportunity of noticing this phenomenon as a teacher and mentor of several undergrad courses of biological sciences. Another component I observed and experienced personally, is that the amount and quality of information about scientific careers that is accessible to students from low-income backgrounds is insufficient. Also, for someone who wants to move up the socio-economic ladder, by dedicating themselves to science, it's a risky bet in Chile, given the amount of time that you have to dedicate to obtain a degree and post degrees before actually improving your income and the comparatively low incomes you receive regardless. Families from lower socio-economic backgrounds tend to have more debt, specially women, and so families tend to look for solidity and certainty in their career options– in this respect scientific careers in Chile are not perceived as the top choices at all. There are opportunities for improvements in this respect.
Electron microscopy is something fascinating – it allows us to see things we cannot see by light microscopy. Seeing electron-dense objects allows a resolution that's otherwise unachievable. It also fascinates me for how long this technology has been useful. I think this type of microscopy is also emotionally related to me: during my undergraduate degree I had a mentor, who often sat with me at the microscope and taught me the theoretics and practical tips to obtain excellent images of electron microscopy (EM). In my very first paper, I did lots of EM. I have still in my mind the images of axonal microtubules, axons, myelin, axonal mitochondria, etc.
Afterwards, during my PhD I was trained in FRET. and I was fascinated by the physical concepts behind the transference of energy between fluorophores and how this became a fundamental tool for science. This was also an opportunity to comprehend something very relevant to every microscopist: there is a path beyond being a user of microscopes, and becoming a tool-developer for microscopy. This simple idea can enrich your perspectives as a microscopist. I internalized this during my PhD internship at the Center of Scientific Studies (CECs) in Valdivia, where I worked under the supervision of Dr. Felipe Barros. He showed me not only the practical use and rationale of FRET sensors, which we used to study neuronal metabolism, but also how a research group dedicated to developing genetic tools for microscopy worked. It's a different type of focus to propose the specific goals of your projects, with a tremendous impact on the biological questions you can ask to the tool you have developed, later. I try to transmit this rationale that I took from my internship with Dr. Barros to the students I'm in touch with now: to propose improvements and modifications for the protocols, techniques, and technologies we have, that would enable us to transition between being users and developers.
During my PhD thesis I explored the effect of a drug called Metformin, which is used on diabetic patients, on the neurotoxicity related to cancer chemotherapy. It's a bit verbose and difficult to understand, but in brief, cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy, suffer as a secondary effect, dysfunction, and degeneration of the peripheral nervous system. This side effect causes patients to feel pain, and doctors tend to stop anti-cancer medication prematurely, impacting the life prognosis of patients. Currently, there is no successful treatment against this side effect of chemotherapy. So, during my PhD I hypothesized on the potential effects of Metformin on chemotherapy neurotoxicity on the nervous system. To this goal, one aspect was to document the effect of Metformin on chemotherapy toxicity over the sensing neural structures. Particularly, the toxicity chemotherapeutics have over intraepidermal nerve fibers inside the skin, which transduce and transmit sensory information related to temperature and touch.
I remember the specific place and day at the Biological Sciences faculty at Universidad Católica de Chile, when I observed the staining of intraepidermal fibers of animals treated with chemotherapy or Metformin in an epifluorescence microscope. I saw that chemotherapy eliminated the nerve endings as expected but samples from animals co-treated with Metformin had a tremendous level of preservation. This correlated with the data I was producing with sensory tests. So, I found evidence that Metformin not only preserves sensory structures but also sensory function in animals, which became the main topic of my doctoral thesis. This was truly very exciting for me, because up to then I had had lots of predictable results – I think this tends to happen when you're working in someone else's theoretical framework, but this hypothesis was something that came from me, and to see this result was fascinating. It's an indescribable feeling.
What is an important piece of advice you would give to future Chilean scientists? and especially those specializing as microscopists?
I'd say – be open minded to imagine different paths as a researcher. You can potentially be a science communicator, investigating in a lab, a science politician, a lecturer, a more traditional academic. Another suggestion – and something I did not so when I was younger – is that you should find out what are the career progression possibilities with all these various paths: find out if you have to move to a different country, at what age you should take different steps and so on. For students pursuing a PhD degree (or thinking about this decision) I'd like to say that beyond the research topic you choose, the group you choose to join will have an enormous impact and influence on your future career. So, find out, for example, where are the alumni of the labs you're interested in, now. What are they doing? What's the employability of the program you're pursuing? Where in the world, are the alumni working now, and what positions do they hold? Does this coincide with your life plans? I don't think many of us did this analysis when we were younger and chose a PhD program. So, I think it's an important piece of advice.
As a microscopist, my advice is don't waste the opportunity to learn from the members of platforms (technicians). Many of the things I now know are due to my colleagues at technical platforms. Finally, I'd tell all young researchers to spare no tool when it comes to doing research and generating your hypotheses. Our job is focused on the scientific method, but I'd share a little secret: a lot of the ideas that have arisen in my mind during my career have their inspiration in other fields like painting, poetry, architecture, design, social problems. Keep an open mind and expand your wings as wide as possible. See things from multiple perspectives. Enrich your mind and put a lot of rigor in the application of the scientific method. I have found this combination of open-mindedness and rigor, most useful in my career, and I hope it's useful for anyone reading this too.
Where do you see the future of science and microscopy heading over the next decade in Chile, and how do you hope to be part of this future?
I think that in the future, our tasks as Chilean scientists will become more complex. Thus, we will have to put great efforts to achieve the scientific community agendas, particularly due to economic instability. I also believe that, we have important opportunities for improvement in probably three main lines: social legitimacy, increasing the value society gives to people who produce knowledge and how people perceive their quality of life in relation to the scientific research done in our country. Also, to couple the diversity of research lines that the scientific community performs, with the human and economic development model of our country. Probably a third one would be to adapt our practices and research topics to the changes imposed by environmental challenges.
I also think that the ideas we have previously discussed of different scientific profiles will become more prominent in plan.
Additionally, I think private universities will continue to invest in innovation-oriented science and it's likely that in the future Chile will have a stronger focus in scientific innovation than in basic research. I think this is a normal stage in a country's path for bigger economic growth. This represents an additional challenge for basic science researchers. Later on, it will hopefully equilibrate. At least this is what I have read regarding the trajectories of scientific funding of countries on their path to development, which first invested heavily in innovation, and only later basic research played a more prominent role, once the country's economy had reached a more stable status. I think Chile is entering this process now.
I think it's important that we enter the next decade with a clearer idea and projections of what are the main strategic meta-research targets for our country, based on a pragmatic criteria that could combine the natural resources we have, our local challenges and global interests. When I say this I'm thinking on big themes such as renewable energies, also in human, animal and microorganismal biodiversity as a base for innovation and additionally, wellness as a concept where care, aging neuroscience, mental health and tourism could participate. In this changing panorama, I think I'll continue to focus on basic research, because fundamental questions will keep being valuable and I don't think I have real talent for something else. But ways in which I hope to contribute I want to participate in the discussions about education and bridging the gaps between social and scientific policies in Chile. I would also want to potentiate the agency of public intellectuals. This is something that existed before the dictatorship in Chile. There were intellectuals who had great relevance in the development of Chile in various areas. An example is Gabriela Mistral. one of the Chilean Nobel Prize winners. I think there is a lot we can do. Also, I hope to play a role as a mentor of younger scientists. I also think I can contribute to scientific development: I would like to construct networks to facilitate the entrance of technologies that are currently non-existing in Chile, particularly microscopy and optical technologies. Finally, my personal interest is to produce basic and applied science on the tremendous potential that the knowledge about peripheral neurons has to contribute to the understanding of age-related neurodegeneration, genetic based diseases, and also as an interesting field for the innovation in human-electronics interphases.
I don't have an unequivocal answer because I hope to be able to participate in all these various aspects.
Beyond science, what do you think makes Chile a special place to visit and go to as a scientist?
Chile is a unique country because it is a place with a huge diversity of cultures and landscapes. We have several hotspots of biodiversity and of cultural diversity, not only current, but also from the historical and geological past. So, if you are a researcher from the humanities or the natural or exact sciences, you will find in Chile a place of great interest. Within the same country we have enormous natural diversity, we have deserts, salt flats, intertidal, rich underwater environments, Valdivian jungle – which is unique in the world, and the central zone. Also, the social and political processes happening in Chile might be interesting to people coming from the field of sociology or other humanities. Additionally, the Chilean language is also very unique- there are studies showing that the biggest modifications to the Spanish language have happened here in Chile which is something interesting to learn about.
Chile has also an interesting combination of traditions and modernity. If you visit the right places you can find traditional folklore, indigenous culture, indigenous innovation and international status quo in terms of technologies.
Finally, what it is interesting about Chile is the people. Violeta Parra was told in Geneva during an interview, that she was a poet, musician, documentalist, potter, etc -and she was asked if she had to choose one of these professions, what would she choose. She replied she would abandon everything and she will choose to stay with the people, because it's the people who inspired her to do all other activities. I completely feel her point, and this radical answer has guided me through my career, and that is why I have explored so many distinct aspects of the scientific career. The people around me inspire me to do all this. I would invite foreigners to come to Chile because of the people.


when we believe things we see things when we dont believe, we dont see anything. very simple if we chose to see it as such. but the real thing to consider is what do you believe, then consider this, do you really believe. because most don,t they only believe when it is convenient. belief is never convenient but always qork that is time filling and consuming.


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Kesehatan dan Gizi panduan membantu untuk menjaga dan meningkatkan kesehatan Anda. Our Group Train Instructors lead a gaggle of individuals by a collection of movements and exercises using music as the idea of rhythmic train. Right here at East Coast Fitness we provide many types of health actions from Step Aerobics, to cardio, yoga, Pilates, cycling, and many more.


Developer Bloom says all UAE projects on schedule for delivery.
Abu Dhabi-based developer Bloom Properties has confirmed that all its projects currently under construction are on track for scheduled delivery.
The developer revealed that work is progressing at a steady pace across various Bloom developments in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
These developments include Bloom Heights and Bloom Towers in Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) and Stella Maris in Dubai Marina in Dubai, as well as Park View and Soho Square mixed-use developments in Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi.
Sameh Muhtadi, CEO of Bloom Holding, said: "Bloom is keen to provide its local and international investors with regular updates on the ongoing construction activities.
The developer noted that the main works of Bloom Heights and Bloom Towers are scheduled for handover in Q1 2020 and Q3 2020 respectively.
Located in the Dubai community of JVC, Bloom Heights will comprise 686 residential units while Bloom Towers will feature three towers with a total of 944 units.
Bloom said it has also commenced the main construction of its flagship Stella Maris development. Taking shape in Dubai Marina, the development will comprise 313 high-end residences while work is also underway on Bloom's mixed-use developments in Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, with Park View on track for handover in Q4 2018.
The main construction of Soho Square, another development in Saadiyat, is in full swing, Bloom said, and the development which will offer more than 300 units, is set for completion in Q1 2019.
Bloom added that it is gearing up for the launch of Abu Dhabi's first EDITION hotel at Bloom Marina, scheduled for completion by the end of 2018.


PFW in Progress 3/29: Rob Gronkowski's Movie Role; Do the Patriots Need to Draft a QB?
In this edition of PFW in Progress we discuss Rob Gronkowski's latest movie role, Robert Kraft's comments on the need to draft a quarterback and a wide variety of other offseason topics.
In this edition of PFW in Progress we discuss all the Patriots news coming out of the NFL Owners Meetings in Orlando, FLA with Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick both speaking to the media. Send in your questions for the next show to webradio@patriots.com.
PFW in Progress 3/22: Have the Patriots Improved This Offseason?
In this edition of PFW in Progress we discuss the top stories coming out the 2018 NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Plus, we bring you the latest on Rob Gronkowski, Malcolm Butler and more.


text:
Ministry Interior of Turkey
Presidency of Migration Management
Central Organisation
Provincial Organisation
Institutional Identity
Privacy, Use and Copyright
Migration Board
Migration Projects
Migration Process
Kırlangıç Magazine
Regular Immigration
Stateless Persons
Irregular Immigration
International Protection
Conditional Refugees
Subsidiary Protection
About Temporary Protection
General Principle of Temporary Protection
Temporary Protection in the Law
Temporary Protection in EU
Temporary Protection in Turkey
Mass Influxes
Combating Human Traficking
About Harmonization
Harmonization Activities
Up-to-Date Statistics
Entrance and Exit
Irregular Migration
Victims Of Human Trafficking
Removal Centers
Contact to Presidency
Central Organization
Contact to Provincial Organisation
The Budapest Process
The Prague Process
The Almaty Process
The Bali Process
The Hague Process
The Rabat Process
Global Forum on Migration
The Migration Policy Board established by Article 105 of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection No. 6458 dated 04.04.2013, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Interior; held five meetings on 15 February, 26 April, 16 November, 28 December 2017 and 20 February 2018.
With the transition to the Presidential Government System, the Migration Policy Board repealed with the Decree no. 703 was restructured under the name of "Migration Board" with the Presidential Decree No. 17 published in the Official Gazette dated 13 September 2018.
The Migration Board was added to subparagraph (h) of the 1. Paragraph of Article 522 of the Presidential Decree no. 1. Relevant article "Migration Board is responsible for determining Turkey's migration strategies related with the foreigners and following the coordination and implementation; and is chaired by the Minister of Interior and consists of representatives from ministries, institutions and establishments determined by the Ministry of Interior. The Board shall convene upon the call of the Minister of the Interior." is in force and obligatory.
The Migration Board held its first meeting with its new structure on 21 November 2018 under the chairmanship of the Minister of Interior. The Migration Board held its meetings with its new structure on 21 November 2018, 24 January 2019, 12 July 2019, 19 September 2019, 18 December 2020, 15 September 2021 and finally 9 June 2022 under the chairmanship of the Minister of Interior.
In line with the duties assigned to itself primarily, the Board made decisions on;
Starting the preparations for the creation of the migration strategy document,
Adoption of "Turkey's Harmonization Strategy Document" and "National Plan of Action",
Making arrangements for the issues within the scope of its duty regarding residence permits in various boards.
Also, the Migration Action Plan, which sets forth the current situation in the field of migration in detail, was presented to the board members.
Address: Çamlıca Mahallesi 122. Sokak No:4 Yenimahalle/ANKARA
© 2022 Presidency of Migration Management

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Last edited by Zolozil
Monday, May 4, 2020 | History
2 edition of Bordering on Trouble found in the catalog.
Published August 18, 1994 by Earthscan Publications Ltd .
Development - Economic Development,
Sociology, Social Studies,
History - General History,
Contributions Andrew Maguire (Editor), Janet W. Brown (Editor)
Get free homework help on John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath: book summary, chapter summary and analysis, quotes, essays, and character analysis courtesy of CliffsNotes. In John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, Tom Joad and his family are forced from their farm in the Depression-era Oklahoma Dust Bowl and set out for California along with thousands of others . A book for the beach: American Gods by Neil Gaiman This grand tale of ancient gods struggling to survive in today's USA has a chilly setting but provides a .
பஞ்ச் நீடில் - மாற்று முறை! Punch Needle Tips and Tricks in Tamil | Punch Needle Tutorial in Tamil - Duration: நீங்களும். But Floyd W. Rudmin is dead serious when he discusses the subject in Bordering on Aggression, a book examining motives, plans and means by which the US could, if it was so inclined, take military control of Canada. The first myth that Rudmin destroys is the so-called long-standing friendship between the two countries.
More life reflections from the bestselling author on themes of societal captivity and the catharsis of personal freedom. In her third book, Doyle (Love Warrior, , etc.) begins with a life-changing event."Four years ago," she writes, "married to the father of my three children, I fell in love with a woman."Author: Terry Alford. Borderline personality disorder is an illness marked by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, self-image, and behavior. These symptoms often result in impulsive actions and problems in relationships. People with borderline personality disorder may experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that can last from a few hours to days.
Some ancestry and kindred of Meade Ashley Spencer
Endogenous pyrogens in the mammalian central nervous system
The French Religious Wars 1562-1598 (Essential Histories)
1880 census, Humphreys County, Tennessee
Blue Book of Junior College Athletics
American history, American television
Status of basic and enhanced 9-1-1 deployments
Plan for steel re-nationalisation
The trail of the screaming teenager
Assessing the arguments for urban mass transportation operating subsidies
Training in counselling & psychotherapy
Concepts of personality
Three piano pieces. Op.12
Bordering on Trouble Download PDF EPUB FB2
Bordering on Trouble Resources and Politics in Latin America [Maguire, Andrew] on *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Bordering on Trouble Resources and Politics in Latin AmericaCited by: 6. Bordering on Trouble: Resources and Politics in Latin America [Maguire, Andrew, Brown, Janet Welsh] on *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers.
Bordering on Trouble: Resources and Politics in Latin AmericaCited by: 6. Additional Physical Format: Online version: Bordering on trouble. Bethesda, Md.: Adler & Adler, © (OCoLC) Document Type: Book: All Authors / Contributors. Latin America's pursuit of growth and stability is impeded and threatened less by economic and political factors than by resource and environmental mismanagement and by population pressures, according to the contributors to this volume, who urge firm backing from the U.S.
in the solution of such transnational challenges. The emphasis is on the Caribbean nations, the. The Best Kind Of Trouble is the first book in the Hurley Boys series by Lauren Dane.
This is my first book by this author and she was able to completely envelop me with her writing. This is the love story of Paddy (Patrick), a rock star and Natalie, a librarian/5. Borderline personality disorder (BPD), also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), is a mental illness characterized by a long-term pattern of unstable relationships, distorted sense of self, and strong emotional reactions.
Individuals often engage in self-harm and other dangerous behavior. Those affected may also struggle with a feeling of emptiness, fear Complications: Suicide.
In Bordering Fires, the first anthology to combine writing from both sides of the Mexican-U.S. border, Cristina Garc'a presents a richly diverse cross-cultural conversation.
Beginning with Mexican masters such as Alfonso Reyes and Juan Rulfo, Garc'a highlights Bordering on Trouble book voices such as "the godfather of Chicano literature" Rudolfo Anaya Brand: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
bordering Sentence Examples. The settlements bordering on the Indian reservations had experienced more or less trouble with the Sioux for several years, - In the latter half of the 2nd century this book enjoyed a respect bordering on that paid to the writings of the New Testament.
TROUBLE IS A FRIEND OF MINE is a very over-the-top book. The personalities are large, the plot is fast paced, and the interweaving tales of sordid crime are TROUBLE IS A FRIEND OF MINE is an incredibly fitting title.4/5. Patience Cavanaugh has lost hope in romance. The man she yearned to marry is dead and her dreams are gone with him.
Now she is consumed with restoring a dilapidated boarding house in order to support herself. Despite Patience's desire for solitude, Jedediah Jones, the local marshal with a reputation for hanging criminals, becomes Author: Maggie Brendan.
Poet Ocean Vuong's debut novel is a shattering portrait of a family, a first love, and the redemptive power of storytelling. On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is a letter from a son to a mother who cannot read.
Written when the speaker, Little Dog, is in his late 20s, the letter unearths a family's history that began before he was born - a history whose epicenter is rooted.
The Book of Revelation is perhaps the most mysterious book in Sacred Scripture. And there has been much speculation about it --some of it bordering on off-the-wall, but some of it serious and scholarly.
The following is the forward and a portion of a chapter from a forthcoming book which, in my view, falls in the latter category.
A maritime border is a division enclosing an area in the ocean where a nation has exclusive rights over the mineral and biological resources, encompassing maritime features, limits and zones.
Maritime borders represent the jurisdictional borders of a maritime nation and are recognized by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Maritime borders exist in the context of.
ISBN: At the heart of ancient Palestine is the region known as the Shephelah, a series of ridges and valleys connecting the Judaean Mountains to the east with the wide, flat expanse of the Mediterranean plain.
It is an area of breathtaking beauty, home to vineyards and wheat fields and forests of sycamore and terebinth. It is Brand: Little, Brown and Company. Trouble is an intense, Kellerman shows promise in his second novel, pulling the reader into the story immediately with his edgy, bordering-on-humorous writing style.
The medical slang and nuances of life as a medical student were well positioned throughout. The first part of the book moves at a rapid pace, setting up the story and. This article is about everyday bordering in the UK and its relationships with contemporary politics of belonging. We view everyday bordering and the ways it has developed as a result of recent Immigration Acts in the UK (especially and ) as a major technology of control of diversity and discourses of diversity in the UK which has promoted as well as been Cited by: So the Carlists it was, and they were very welcoming, if highly informal, bordering on lax, in their organization.
From here, Mine Were of Trouble is personal narrative of Kemp's experiences. For the most part, the Spaniards were glad to have him fighting with them, though sometimes he was the target of suspicion from military bureaucrats.
The Trouble When Jane Becomes Jack Shane Caya, right, found fulfillment in making the transition from a woman to a man. But it meant the end of a relationship with his former lesbian partner, : Paul Vitello. The book is aided by the strangely sweet love story at its core—her relationship with her husband, law professor Cass Sunstein (and Barack Obama's initial disapproval of the match), is a joyous.
But a series of damning reviews and federal reports suggest corruption is underreported inside the nation's largest law enforcement agency. At a time when presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump is calling for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border — and his erstwhile rivals in the Republican Party say more boots on the ground will solve the nation's border.
Buy Book Amazon; Apple Books that majestic command resulted from a dedication to his instrument bordering on obsession (the young Vaughan would often fall asleep with his hands around his.Dexter Morgan isn't exactly the kind of man you'd bring home to your mum. At heart he's the perfect gentleman: he has a shy girlfriend and seems to lead a quiet, normal life bordering on the mundane.
Despite the fact that he can't stand the sight of blood, he works as a blood-spatter analyst for the Miami police.
In the new Secret, Book, and Scone Society novel from New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams, the rain in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, has been relentless -- and a flood of trouble is about to be unleashed.
ekinanaokulu.com - Bordering on Trouble book © 2020


Hi kids, hope you all are well! Do you have many friends at school or in colony? Have you ever thought why do we need friends? We love our friends, isn't it? But then what when s/he does something wrong, and we start fighting or stop talking for many days?
Sounds amazing! Isn't it? YES! Computers, now a days, are our best friends. Why and How?
The Computer, an electronic device, can be a good friend to different people. Meaning, a friend who can speak in any language, can solve any problem, can play with us, provides information and many more..!
He can sing also, can tell us stories, can teach us also! Amazing!
what is a computer then?
Yes, it it is an electronic device that have a CPU the brain, A mouse (not that actual mouse but looks like a mouse), A monitor to interact with you live. These are the basic components a Computer must have.
what is the need to use a Computer?
Well, imagine of a friend who will play with us, help us doing our home works and projects, tell us stories. But when needed he will help our mom in cooking delicious foods for us, will help our father in making his jobs, assignments, projects etc.
That sounds quite funny and in reality there is no such person found on Earth till now except the Computers! It can do anything mentioned above.
Computer can play music - i.e it can sing.
It can play movies - i.e it is able to tell even show stories.
It has many interesting games loaded - i.e Computer can play with us.
Has many tutorials - like Encyclopedia - so it can help us making our projects and assignments as well as can teach us.
Similarly, it can teach our mom the delicious recipes to cook for us!
All of the above is TRUE in all terms, we just need to to think different!
It never ever is going to leave us alone, except being a sweet and intelligent friend for ever!
I hope I'm able to make you understand why this electronic device of the Artificial Intelligence is so important to us. We'll learn more interesting factors about the Computers in the next resources. Till then, learn differently and surprise everyone in your circle.
This is a great and very exciting resource as it examines the importance of the computer either as a friend and as an enemy.
The computer has really make life easy for students as it aided their studies. Computer is a friend and not an enemy to students.


So if your dad is a silver fox then… Well, don't be surprised if you go after another one. Older Men Embody the "Male Gaze" Another theory is brought up by Kerri Sackville in the Sydney Morning Herald.
The Hollywood stock market (HSX) share Russell Crowe (RCROW), issued in 1998, 40 Years True Blue, In November 2012 the South Sydney Rabbitohs confirmed that Russell Crowe was selling his 37.5 percent stake in the club.
Dating After 40 8 Tips For Dating Men Over 50. By Lisa Copeland • January 30, 2015 don't place demands on how he must be or what he has to do in order to date you. men weren't given a Dating Rulebook with their divorce papers either. So be kind to them and understand that as scared as you feel about dating, most of them are too.
Family Law Specialists Sydney Family relationships are among the most sensitive, rewarding and important in our lives but, the truth is, they are not always easy. According to the Bureau of Statistics, nearly 40 percent of Australian marriages end in divorce.
Richard Debenham in Vienna (A): Between Velvet Divorce and the Sydney Olympics Between Velvet Divorce and the Sydney Olympics Access to case studies expires six months after purchase date.
Where Do I Meet Single Men If I'm In My 40s? I'm now 60, divorced at 40. Since my divorce, I met one "eligible" bachelor who died of a sudden heart attack soon after asking me to marry him. Fortunately, I've had my career and friends to keep me busy. Sassy Sailor on Why Would a Younger Woman Want to Date a Much Older Man?
The Federal Circuit Court of Australia (also known as the Federal Circuit Court) was established at the end of 1999. Obtain proof of divorce. Federal Law Search. View general federal law cases on-line. FCCA 3696 Published date: 21 Dec 2018. Nguyen v Minister for Immigration & Anor  FCCA 3790 Published date: 21 Dec 2018.


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2017 BRITs reaches biggest audience ever following digital expansion
by Daniel Gumble
March 10th 2017	at 3:59PM
This year's BRIT Awards reached its biggest audience to date by expanding its digital partnerships, with the event receiving 445 million post-show views across all platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Vevo, Shazam, Tumblr and, musical.ly.
The 2017 outing saw Apple Music offer audio and video highlights of the live performances, while Facebook Live garnered 4.8 million views as Capital FM DJs George Shelley and Lilah Parsons hosted a live look at the build up to the show. Post-event Facebook video views were up 47% on the previous year, including highlights from the show, red carpet clips and acceptance speeches.
Meanwhile, YouTube live-streamed the event for a fourth consecutive year, reaching one million viewers. YouTube sensation Caspar Lee hosted the Stream, which was available to viewers online outside the UK. Lee also interviewed stars on the Red Carpet. In addition to this, BRITs grew its international reach this year, producing bespoke content for in South America and Italy.
Elsewhere, following the success of her photo portraits in 2016, Mary McCartney created an exclusive Instagram video portrait studio backstage, capturing the likes of Rita Ora, Emeli Sandé, Katy Perry, Maisie Williams, Ellie Goulding, Little Mix and The 1975.
The BRITs once again teamed up with Twitter to create bespoke emojis for this year's performers, as well as a Twitter Sticker pack available exclusively from the morning of the show. Little Mix were the most tweeted about performers, with The 1975 taking the most-tweeted #BRITs moment as quotes from critics were displayed on-screen as they performed. The #BRITs emoji was used over 2.6 million times since its launch when the 2017 nominees were announced.
Snapchat covered show with a dedicated Story. Total viewers this year passed 12 million, up from nine million in 2016. The story featured Snaps from performers, nominees, guests and the audience, as well as content from Snapchat producers on the ground at The O2 Arena.
Social video community, musical.ly provided coverage of the event for the first tim, delivering content live from the red carpet. Furthermore, the BRITs partnered with Tumblr for a user-generated-content campaign, which tapped into fan-art communities. This partnership drove an over 121% increase in engagement around the awards show on the platform.
Gifs created by Giphy on the recently-launched BRITs channel received a whopping 112 million views, both on Giphy itself and via partners including Facebook and Twitter.
There was a 34% increase in users Shazaming the show, with the most Shazamed moment being The Chainsmokers and Coldplay performance, while there have been 27 million views to-date of BRITs performances on Vevo and YouTube. Ed Sheeran's collaboration with Stormzy alone has hit 8.1 million views so far.
Dorothy Hui, chair of the BRITs digital committee, said: "This year's initiatives were designed to give the audience the opportunity to further engage and personalise their experience with the show on the platform(s) of their choice. Our goal was to let fans experience the highlights and the emotions from BRITs 2017 alongside their favourite artists — we are thrilled to have been able to bring them along for this journey."
Giuseppe De Cristofano, digital director, BPI and BRIT Awards, added: "The BRITs continues to develop into a valuable platform for British music thanks, in part, to an integrated digital campaign. This strategy is fast-extending the reach of the Awards across international audiences, enabling global music fans to engage with British artists through their preferred social platform."
Shazam,
Brits,
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2017 BRIT Awards
RCA revealed as biggest streaming label of 2020
ERA: Streamed digital entertainment revenues surged during 2020 lockdowns


Anytime there's a season change, I always look to find the few pieces I should be buying and wearing to give my wardrobe a quick update. In the look in this post, I've incorporated 3 of my favorites for Summer 2017: two-tone denim, a statement top, and a retro oval cat eye pair of sunnies. The statement top and two tone denim skirt, are both from Azalea SF, and since It's officially Spring, ALMOST Summer, of course I'm sporting these fun orange sunnies from Made Eyewear. This year in particular, this one shape I've been seeing literally EVERYWHERE, and I'm really digging them for any style right now. If you're any A-list celebrity, you're wearing this sunny shape, hey Gigi and Bella!
This is one of my favorite trends right now. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you already know I love my denim, and this is such a fun take on my favorite wardrobe staple.
I've been loving statement tops a lot right now, and specifically ones with over stated sleeves. This one is so flattering and wraps around the body which gives it a great look with a pair of skinny jeans or a skirt like I've worn in this post. See below some statement tops I'm loving that you can wear similarly all Summer long, and well into Fall!
In this post, I've opted for a pair of sunglasses from MADE Eyewear in a fun punchy orange (They're called the Jamie - you can find them here). There's something about this pair that is so retro chic, and it's a different take to the standard cat eye shape. The oval rounded cat eye is really versatile and works on basically any face shape, which is a major perk. Here I've link a whole bunch of styles and interpertations of them for any budget. From Forever 21 to Elizabeth and James, there's sure to be a pair for you below so make sure to check out the boutique below for some of my faves.
What are some of your fave trends for Summer so far!? Would love to hear some ways you're updating your wardrobe!
All photos in this post courtesy of the lovely Anna Sandul, check her out here!


Sylva, NC (May 16, 2018) —Balsam Mountain Preserve, a conservation-oriented residential community in the Blue Ridge Mountains, has awarded North Carolina-based construction firm, Vannoy Construction, the contract to build the commercial component of the community's new Doubletop Village. This will include the Members' Grille, The Club Tavern and General Store & Golf House. Set in a prime location within the 4,400-acre preserve overlooking Balsam's Arnold Palmer Signature golf course and Plott Balsam Mountain Range, Doubletop Village is a mountain hamlet of dining and recreational amenities currently under development and is scheduled to open in early 2020. Vannoy Construction specializes in the building of commercial properties, boasting a distinguished portfolio of recent projects through the Southeast.
The upcoming Doubletop Village will become the new heart of Balsam Mountain Preserve and will include the Members' Grille, Club Tavern and General Store & Golf House, as well as a curated Organic Garden and Great Lawns. The development team at Balsam Mountain Preserve reviewed five leading commercial builders and chose Vannoy Construction for its quality building practices, ample experience and commitment to 'Honor, Humility, Hospitality and Hustle' – the firm's driving principles.
Since 1952, Vannoy Construction has served as the premiere builder for commercial, healthcare, retail, education, industrial and civil/highway markets. In addition to its Jefferson, NC headquarters, Vannoy Construction, considered one of the leading commercial builders in the Southeast, has offices in Asheville, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Anderson, NC.
Balsam Mountain Preserve is a low-density, conservation-orientated private residential community set on 4,400 acres in the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville. Surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest, the Pisgah National Forest and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Balsam Mountain Preserve was created as a "community within a park." With an ethos centered on land-stewardship, seventy-five percent (3,400 acres) of the property has been placed in a permanent conservation easement, ensuring the preservation of its present park-like state in perpetuity. Refined amenities of the community include an Arnold Palmer Signature golf course, equestrian center, sports & wellness center, pool, nature center, tennis courts, guided hiking, fishing and camping opportunities, gathering house and food & beverage offerings. The new Doubletop Village, currently under construction, will consist of a grouping of stunning club facilities featuring a new Members' Grille with a "Chef's Table" for intimate culinary events, wine room, private dining room and an expansive terrace for outdoor dining. The Grille will overlook the practice park, golf course, valleys and mountains beyond. Across the courtyard, the Club Tavern will offer casual indoor and outdoor restaurant service. The Village will also feature a General Store and Golf House, as well as an organic farm, Great Lawn for bocce, croquet, badminton, putting green and other sports.


The Halloween season can be scary, but the stacks shouldn't be! If you have trouble finding books on the shelf, or are just intimidated by Regenstein's bookstacks, no need to fear. In this 30-minute program, we'll provide an overview of Regenstein's stacks, and provide tips to help you find items in the Library quickly and easily. We'll also explain some stacks mysteries, including what that little f before the call number means, and what to do if the B Level compact shelving doesn't move.


A majority (54.85%) of migrants live in postcodes with a median Household Income (HIND) bracket above the Australian median.
Newer wave migrants are significantly more likely to be skilled and to live in wealthy areas.
53% of English as a second language (ESL) migrants in above median HIND areas speak English very well. 44% of ESL migrants in below HIND areas speak English very well.
45% of working age migrants in suburbs below the median HIND are not in the work force. 34% of those living in areas above the median are not seeking work.
24% of migrants living in postcodes below the median HIND have a Bachelor's degree or a higher qualification. 38.72% of those above the median have this level of qualification.
Migrants in all income areas are more likely than the average Australian to commute to work via public transport, although a majority still drive.
This paper continues the discussion started in Australian Attitudes to Immigration: Coming Apart or Common Ground?


Here is the continuation, Part #3, of Alex' and my "exploring Slovakia with a backpack" trip that took place in the Fall of 2011. We started by through-hiking the Low Tatras, a mountain range in central Slovakia full of beautiful vistas, above-the-tree-line ridge lines, and mountain huts offering beer to the thirsty hikers.
After completing the 5 day hike, we took a bus to Poprad, a town in the foothills of the High Tatras. High Tatras (Vysoké Tatry) form an imposing border between Slovakia and Poland. While the views in the Low Tatras are dominated by grass-covered hills and snaking ridge lines, the High Tatras offer vistas worthy of California's Sierra Nevadas. In fact, our hike very much reminded me of the 16-day backpacking trip in the California wilderness along the John Muir Trail that I took with friends back in 2007 (when I still had hair).
But before we would put the hiking shoes back on, we needed some much needed rest. After a night in a real bed in the Tatra Hotel and the included buffet breakfast (where we ate some 3 hot dogs, 2 eggs, 2 sausages, a yoghurt, and numerous pastries each), we decided to spend the day relaxing at Poprad's Aquacity. One of the first things that any foreign visitor to Slovakia (and to a large extent all neighboring post-communist countries) will notice is the general apathy about upkeep. In order to get to this park, we had to walk along some run-down garages covered in graffiti, and take a sketchy foot path under a bridge. Since Slovakia does not have a sea, water parks like this are common throughout Slovakia – and well visited in the hot summer months. This one was no exception, despite charging a rather high fee by Slovak standards, some 17 EUR per person for an all-day pass.
It's quite interesting to people-watch at places like this. It was really crowded with people of all shapes. One thing we noticed was that the stomachs of Slovak guys are sort of like the rings in a tree trunk – you can estimate somebody's age by the size of the overhang. We Slovak guys tend to be (as Alex called it) skinny fat guys: they have skinny legs and arms, but a big belly. The same seems to be true about the girls. They are very cute at the young age, but then all of a sudden balloon up and cut their hair short. Another curiosity was a really hairy "Russian-bear" character parading around in tiger-stripped speedos. At the park we grabbed some beers and langoše and relaxed in the water. The park also has a nice cafeteria which actually serves decent food. We had Hungarian goulash there. From the park we headed to the picturesque downtown Poprad. Since it was a Sunday, many shops were closed, but this did not extend to the town square restaurants. We passed a group of folks singing by the historical Church of St. Egidius and then stopped by pizza at the CafeRAZY hotel.
The next morning we took a bus to Štrbské Pleso, a resort town in the High Tatras. The word pleso means a tarn or a mountain lake. The town is named after an equally named tarn the town sits next to. This town contains many luxury hotels, including the Grand Hotel Kempinski. It is also the starting point for a large number of hikes. If you enjoy challenging hiking you will find yourself right at home in the High Tatras! You can easily spend few weeks here exploring the various trails. There is even a High Tatras version of the Low Tatras magistrála. We contemplated hiking up Rysy, but settled for the "yellow" loop, which you can see on this map. This circular route goes up Mlynická Dolina (dolina means a valley), crosses the Bystrá Lávka saddle, and returns through the Furkotská Dolina.
This is one heck of a hike! One thing you will quickly notice while hiking in Slovakia is that the level of difficult for a normal, stroll-in-the-woods type of hike is much higher than in the US. While in the US you may find switchbacks, in Slovakia you will go straight up. And while you will hardly ever have to take the hands out of your packets on US trails, chains and ladders make a common travel companion in Slovakia (such trails are called via ferrata). This trail is no exception. About half-way up the first valley you will arrive at the vodopád Skok (waterfall Jump). Here you will encounter the first set of chains. These are not particularly challenging. The view from the top of the waterfall is amazing. You can see all the way back to town, and can even see the prominent ski/bungee jumping platform.
These are some of the amazing views you will get as you make your way up Mlynická Dolina. The second peak is Solisko. You can take an aerial tram up to the ridge line from town.
Here is the waterfall Skok. The trail, protected by chains, goes up to the left of it. You will get a nice view from the top.
This waterfall is fed by the first large tarn (pleso) you will encounter as you make your way up the valley. The trail follows this general stair-case pattern: you climb up a headwall, then arrive at a flat land with a lake. The final tarn is called Capie Pleso. Here the trail veers left and heads for a "saddle" on the ridge. It really is more of a notch than a saddle. This is where the trail gets rather sketchy. There are several chains leading to the top and the route is rather exposed. Getting to the saddle requires you to basically pull yourself up on chains. But the view you get from the top is absolutely spectacular. The other side looks much more like moonscape, with a large mountain eye, Vyšné Pleso (higher tarn) peeking back at you. This area really reminded me of the Sierra Nevadas. Alex, the climber he is, decided to make his way up the rock formations to the absolute top, while I sort of hang out and hoped not to fall over into the abyss. This section is intended to be one way (the way we came), but in reality there were few people making their way up from the other side. We descended into the valley and then continued down the Furkotská Dolina back into the shrubs (kosodrevina) and finally an evergreen forest (ihličnatý les). We met up with the red-blazed magistrála, which we took back to town.
Here is a view of one of the several tarns you will encounter on this hike. The second picture shows the trail and some hiker.
As you make your way up, the scenery will become more and more alpine. Trees will turn into shrubs, which will turn into grasses, which will finally give way to mosses and barren rocks.
Along the way you will also encounter a memorial dedicated to mountain rescue team which perished during a failed rescue attempt in 1979. The second photo is a look back at Capie Pleso from the route as it starts making it's way up to the saddle.
And here are two shots of what the ascent up to the saddle looks like. Right before you get to the ridge you will get to a section where you basically have to pull yourself up on chains.
But the scramble is totally worth it – the view from the top to Furkotská Dolina is absolutely astounding. Not too long later you will find yourself back among vegetation and bubbly mountain brooks.
Along the way we found another beautiful fly agaric, or red amanita (muchotrávka červená). Don't eat these. Although not as toxic as its deadly cousins, the white and green amanita (known as destroying angel and death cap in English), they can still mess you up. The trail back to town still shows evidence of the winter storm that struck Slovakia in the Fall of 2004.
In Štrbské Pleso we took a metro-like electric train back to Poprad. It was really nice and much better than the bus from the morning. An elderly woman from Košice sat down next to us and starting telling us about her handiworks. She is part of a team of grandmas that get together to make handicrafts and then she travels here to sell them to tourists. She had a variety of items: crocheted cloths, Christmas decorations, Easter eggs, table cloths. But I wasn't too impressed with them. The Easter egss were just painted, I am used to seeing them decorated with hot wax or pieces of straw. She also carried an assortment of herbs for ailments like headache and "women problems". Alex ended up buying few Christmas tree angel decorations.
Štrbské Pleso from which the town took its name. The second picture is of Alex drinking the super popular Cola drink Kofola right before we boarded our train back to Poprad.
We returned back to the High Tatras the following day. But that is a topic of a future post. Continue onto our second hike, Hrebienok to Skalnaté Pleso.
By the way, I can't wait to go back. I think my next big Slovakia trip will consist of through hiking the High Tatras.
that's a little bit more tricky! There is no straight trail for hiking through High Tatras, it's usually day trails to a passage or a peak, in loops coming back to where you started, or to get you to a climbing point. Not many chalets in between, yet, you can design a trip, that is based on a daily hikes, coming back down and the next day to start a different route. I love High Tatras, though I understand that these days it's overran by many foreign tourists and trails are full of folks like a shopping malls.
When we hiked in High Tatras some 40-45 years ago, it was just a solitude and you may not have run into another person the whole day.
BTW, photos bring some memories, not all of tghem good. That picture of memorial plate of maitain rescue team that parrished includes a name of Martin Hudak I knew. Yeah it was a rescue team with helicopter coming down in a bad weather.
Hi Miro, there is actually a through-hike, a red blazed magistrála. The problem is that, unlike in the Low Tatras, this trail keeps to the valleys. In order to experience the real beauty you have to take the other routes. Another thing that could be interesting (and quite difficult) is to traverse the entire Roháče range. I read some trip reports and it seems bit sketchy, though!
Well yeas, that's what I was indirectly saying, "magistrala" goes through valleys but the real fun and beauty is going up on day hikes. I heard about Rohace range, not sure about camping or having overnight huts on a way. Twas too long ago when I was hiking in tht area and things might have changed. Anyway it would be good way to spend a couple of weeks, whichever way you would do it.
The photos are beautiful – makes me want to run away to the Tatras – but I'm about 50 years too late for that. I am so glad you published them for all to enjoy. Thank you.
seriously, 50 is as good age as any, unless you have some serious health problem.
When I was 50 I was hiking Grand Teatons much higher and steeper than anything we have in Slovakia, and at 55 I hiked Glaciar National park, 2,000 meters elevation change in one day hike.
But never make the age something to hold you back!
HEY I FOUND IT!! EVERYBODY SING!
Iam going to the Slovakia High Tatras in August 2012.
Looking for recommendations on what hikes to do.
Peter, it all depends on a lot of thing.
Aka, how many days will you spend in High Tatras, are you in advanced hiking, aka taking 12 hours hike is rather steep terrain or are you just trying to take an easy hike and enjoy the scenery?
I hate to make a recommendation that won't fit your needs. You can take a long round trip hikes, starting in one valley and coming down through different valley. These are more difficult hikes but beautiful scenery. If you want just to enjoy a scenery, you may take a cable train to Lomnicky stit and just walk around and enjoy the scene.
As I said, it depends, when you say what would you like to do, then we can come up with recommendations.
Looks familiar to me. Have been in my very youth (10-13) to some of them.
Quota: After completing the 5 day hike, we took a bus to Poprad, a town in the foothills of the High Tatras.
Are you sure about it? Since when they switched the place, didn't like Poland as a neighborgh? 🙂 Could you, please, correct this I believe "typing error"? THANK YOU!!!
yeah well, you are right, I am sure Lubos just confused the two in a haste of doing other stuff, and he indeed had lot on his shoulders as of recent times.
Thanks for catching this Eva (and Miro). Corrected.
I believe that regulations in High Tatras are similar to the ones in Low Tatras, in that you can camp only in designated areas around the huts. High Tatras has an even more fragile ecosystem (due to the high elevation) and as such, it is necessary to reduce the impact from campsites.
you are right. As a matter of fact there is only one camping place on Slovak side of High Tatras – in Tatranska Lomnica. There are three campingt sites on Polish site.
If hiking is your liking you will not get borred! A lot of day hiking trails. You got to pick up trails that you can chike/climb without a guide. Some difficult passes/peaks are accesible only with a guide. Just a month ago there was a serious accident and rescue operation (more like retrieving dead bodies) where on Polish side of a mountain a guide, who was not even certified, used a difficult trail and folks fell off the mountain.
the best and the most spectacular hiking in the High Tatras Mountains is during the Indian summer – usually end of september – beginning of October. No camping and no tents are allowed in the High Tatras – hiking areas. Anyway there is many reasonable huts and sleeping opportunities for hut to hut trip or similar.
Just one more comment: the most common hiking in the High Tatras Mountains is during 15.6-30.10. each year – all hiking trails are open public.
Hello! In a couple of days I will be back to Slovakia, and we'll explore high Tatras for the first time (driving our own car).
May I ask you some help?
We need to book – last minute – 2 nights in Poprad and the idea is spending a full day surrounded by nature, enjoying an easy/ average trekking. I've felt in love with Strbske Pleso, and I would like to understand how to make the most out of our time (and money) and what else we can do on the 19th of August.
Hi Valerie, sorry for getting to this just now. Hopefully your trip went well. You probably found out that Strbske Pleso is quite packed with tourists in the summer. Hopefully you were able to enjoy some nice hiking.
Hello, wanting to hike for 4 or 5 dos and stay in huts can you recommend a trail or connecting trails. Like the idea of vistas and valley hikes and come from Colorado so use to hiking in terrain like this.