Effect of intensive glucose lowering treatment on all cause mortality, cardiovascular death, and microvascular events in type 2 diabetes: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trial


The overall results of this meta-analysis show limited benefits of intensive glucose lowering treatment on all cause mortality and deaths from cardiovascular causes. We cannot exclude a 9% reduction or a 19% increase in all cause mortality and a 14% reduction or a 43% increase in cardiovascular death. The benefit:risk ratio of intensive glucose lowering treatment in the prevention of macrovascular and microvascular events remains uncertain. The harm associated with severe hypoglycaemia might counterbalance the potential benefit of intensive glucose lowering treatment. More double blind randomised controlled trials are needed to establish the best therapeutic approach in people with type 2 diabetes.

Freeware of Mapping; how to create and upload free maps/free custom maps/free POIs on GPS devices?

Freeware of Mapping; how to create and upload free maps/free custom maps/free POIs on GPS devices?

Here is the overview of Garmin Custom Maps from Garmin.

Free software:

• Mobile Atlas Creator is an excellent open source (GPL) program which creates offline atlases for GPS handhelds and cell phone applications. Starting from v1.9 beta 2, it remove all map sources that are not basing on OpenStreetMap data because of conflicting with map providers. A few words about Custom Map Sources for MOBAC. You may download a copy of MOBAC 1.9 beta 1 here by BpACKer.
• Terra Incognita is a mapping tool with a range of features and functions. You can use this program to download web source maps or local files maps and generate OziExplorer, Kmz, JNX, GPSdash or TrekBuddy calibrated map file.
• ExifTool is a very powerful tool for editing meta information in image, audio, and video files. Exiftool GUI is a GUI for ExifTool. For geotagging a group of photos without any tracking information. ExifMixer is an another great GUI for ExifTool, it's good to change Exif in batch. 
• GPXSee is a GPS log file viewer and analyzer that supports GPX, TCX, KML, FIT, IGC, NMEA and OziExplorer files.
• Google Trail: a fascinating freeware converts Google,Yahoo Map, Openstreet Map, Cloudemate, or Bing maps into Garmin Custom Maps intuitively. It is simple and works like a charm, though it doesn't have as many features as Mobile Atlas Creator and OkMap.
• GPSMapEdit is designed for visual authoring of GPS-maps in various cartographic formats
• GPS Visualizer is a free online powerful GPS and mapping tool.
• GPX Editor is a must-having good program for loading, modifying and saving your GPX 1.1 files.
• ITN Converter is a great small freeware; it is a good one on both converting different formats and planning route simple and efficient.
• GpsPrune is an application for viewing, editing and converting coordinate data from GPS systems. 
• I use Picasa and Google Earth, or Lorc GPS Photo (the file size is much smaller). However, when I have tracking information downloaded from a GPS receiver, I usually use GeoSetter to geotag my photos taken along the trail. You can download GeoSetter Beta here.
• OkMap is an interactive software which allows you to work on your computer screen with digital maps that you have either bought or scanned.It downloads and saving maps from Google Maps with automatic calibration. It generates compatible "Garmin Custom Maps" (kmz format). OkMap also supports JNX file format since version 9.7.0.
• Viking is a free/open source program to manage GPS data. You can import and plot tracks and waypoints, show OpenStreetMap, Terraserver, Bing Aerial and other maps in it, download geocaches for an area on the map, make new tracks and waypoints, see real-time GPS position, etc.
• GPSBable is good at converting waypoints, tracks, and routes between popular GPS receivers and mapping programs. I also install EasyGPS, a data transfer from your GPS receivers and computer, for a quick view of my downloaded waypoints, routes, and tracks.
• How to create/plan route for a GPS Unit?You can use the BaseCamp, a powerful but big freeware from Garmin, to create routes, waypoints, and tracks. Here are some training videos.
• MapSetToolkit generates TDB files for Mapsource and TDB files which will supports file TYP.
• DNRGPS is built to transfer data between Garmin handheld GPS receivers and GIS software.

Tips:

• How to Convert Google Maps Direction into GPX file
• A few words about Custom Map Sources for MOBAC
• GPSFileDepot is a great source for GPS files including custom maps, custom points of interest, ximage hosting, articles, tutorials, and tools. If you don't have the topo maps on your Garmin GPSMAP, you can just use the maps on GPSFileDepot. Some maps  even better than Garmin's maps. A lot of thanks to GPSFileDepot and also to Garmin company for its mercy of letting us to use these free maps on Garmin GPS units. This is a excellent combination of great but expensive GPS units and free maps. Now I don't need necessary buy a GPS units with a installed topo map from other companies .
• Tip: How To Load Maps On My Garmin GPS Unit with BaseCamp
• Tip: How To Install MapSource If It Didn't Come With Your GPS
• Tip: How To Load Maps On My Garmin GPS Unit
• How to Load Maps Seperately on GPSMAP 62s: you need rename the file with name of 'gmapsupp.img' under the directory of 'Drive:\Garmin\' to a name with a '.img' extension. Then do the same for each extra mapset, using a different name with a '.img' extension. The GPSMAP 62 identifies any map file with an '.img' extension, but Mapsource creates a file named 'gmapsupp.img'.
• Tips: Garmin blogs - Trail Tech 
• BaseCamp views and organizes your maps, waypoints, routes, and tracks and send them to your Garmin device. MapSource plans and organizes trips with MapSource, computer software.
• Wiki Q & A about Garmin Custom Maps.
• How to Use GMapTool to combine multiple maps into one mapset file for Garmin GPS
• How to Use GMapTool with cGPSmapper to convert finalized gmapsupp.img back to MapSource maps (Use Gmaptool to install maps images in Mapsource)

Website for free tools and map images:

• GPS Visualizer is a free, easy-to-use online utility that creates maps and profiles from GPS data (tracks and waypoints, including GPX files), driving routes, street addresses, or simple coordinates. Use it to see where you've been, plan where you're going, or visualize geographic data.
• GPSFileDepot is a great source for GPS files including custom maps, custom points of interest, ximage hosting, articles, tutorials, and tools.
• Gmap-pedometer.com is a Web app designed to let you track the precise distance of your workouts, and track and log your activity.
• Libre Map Project is to aggregate and make digital maps and related GIS data available for Free.
• Free Topographic Maps from Anyplace America
• Free topo maps from USGS.
• National Park Service Maps
• Army Map Service Topographic Map Series
• Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection by UTAustin. You can find some China Maps.
• Natural Earth is a public domain map dataset available at 1:10m, 1:50m, and 1:110 million scales. Featuring tightly integrated vector and raster data, with Natural Earth you can make a variety of visually pleasing, well-crafted maps with cartography or GIS software.
• Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access (PASDA) is the official public access geospatial information clearinghouse for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
• MapCenter - a place where you can share your maps for Garmin GPS receivers and find maps created by other GPS enthusiasts from all over the world.

How to Create Custom Point of Interest (POI) for Garmin GPS

• Download Garmin's POI Loader
• Creating Custom POI Files.
• An informative article by Sam Penrod.
• POI-factory  is a place which GPS users get together to share locations and discussions with other GPS users since 2006.

Why the Color of Moon will Turn into Red During the Lunar Eclipse?


Video

  

The info on Wikipedia

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes behind the Earth so that the Earth blocks the Sun's rays from striking the Moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, a lunar eclipse can only occur the night of a full moon. The type and length of an eclipse depend upon the Moon's location relative to its orbital nodes.

Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a certain relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of the Earth. A lunar eclipse lasts for a few hours, whereas a total solar eclipse lasts for only a few minutes at any given place, due to the smaller size of the moon's shadow.

China Week | Tavis Smiley | PBS
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/features/china/

For five nights, July 11-15, 2011, Tavis brings you stories from the People's Republic of China. Taped in Beijing and Shanghai, the series examines the growing superpower's economic boom and its challenges, including the complexity of U.S.-China relations.

HDL: Keep Aiming High?

On April 25, 2011, the AIM-High study, a trial of high-dose extended-release niacin (Niaspan) added to a statin in 3000 patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, high triglyceride levels, and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), was halted 18 months early because niacin offered no additional benefits over statin alone.[1] When the news was announced on May 26, 2011, the news media had a blast with this "negative" finding. Misinterpretation of the sound bites from this study has caused significant confusion and apprehension among patients and healthcare providers. What are we to make out of this report?

To fight obesity, even babies should exercise - Washington Times

"LONDON (AP) - In a new campaign against obesity, the British government issued guidelines on Monday saying that children under the age of 5 - including those who can't even walk yet - should exercise every day.

In its first such guidelines for children that young, the health department said kids under 5 who can walk should be physically active for at least three hours a day. Officials also said parents should reduce the amount of time such kids spend being sedentary while watching television or being strapped in a stroller.

The three hours of activity should be spread throughout the day. Officials said the children's daily dose of exercise is likely to be met simply through playing but could also include activities such as walking to school.

For babies who can't walk yet, the government said physical activity should be encouraged from birth, including infants playing on their stomachs or having swimming sessions with their parents. The government said children's individual physical and mental abilities should be considered when interpreting the advice.

"It's vital that parents introduce children to fun and physically active pastimes to help prevent them becoming obese children, who are likely to become obese adults at risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers," Maura Gillespie, head of policy and advocacy at the British Heart Foundation, said in a statement."

International Diabetes Federation - Diabetes Atlas - Epidemiology and morbidity

http://www.idf.org/diabetesatlas

The art of scientific investigation (1957)

The art of scientific investigation (1957)

By: Beveridge, W. I. B. (William Ian Beardmore)

 

I read a Chinese version of this book (科学研究的艺术 or 科学之路) when I was a medical student. I cannot remember the exact content, but I thought it has affected my way of thinking so much in research. I'm always trying to find an English version to refresh my memory; it’s great to find it on the archive.org website for free.

“In The Art of Scientific Investigation, originally published in 1950, W.I.B. Beveridge explores the development of the intuitive side in scientists. The author's object is to show how the minds of humans can best be harnessed to the processes of scientific discovery. This book therefore centers on the "human factor"; the individual scientist. The book reveals the basic principles and mental techniques that are common to most types of investigation. Professor Beveridge discusses great discoveries and quotes the experiences of numerous scientists.” – Amazon.com

“The virtue of Mr. Breveridge’s book is that it is not dogmatic. A free and universal mind looks at scientific investigation as a creative art. This well written book deserves a wide audience. Manu of the author’s statements deserve to be quoted in every treatise on the psychology and practice of research.” –The New York Times

“It is altogether gratifying when a scientific researcher undertakes to raise the mysterious certain of science... exposing his research activities and those of his fellow-scientists. The book is well worth reading.” –The Scientific Monthly

“The author has a knack of putting into words what most experimenters sooner or later come to realize in a dim way, and it is extraordinarily interesting to see so much of the lore of research set down in print…The research worker - of whatever vintage - cannot do better than read this book, and, having read it, read it again.” – A. S. Parkes, F.R.S., in Nature