Mini Kidney on a 3D-Printed Chip

Mini Kidney on a 3D-Printed Chip Mini Kidney on a 3D-Printed Chip Mini Kidney on a 3D-Printed ChipUsing a novel biomechanical approach, a team of researchers at Harvard Universitys School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Harvard Medical School have grown miniature kidney organoids on a chip. Compared with lab-grown kidney tissues, the organoids displayed a system of blood vessels that enables the tiny organoids to perform many of the functions of working kidneys.In the body, kidneysperform multiple functions such as cleaning blood, filtering nutrients, and making urine. Each human kidney contains about a million functional units called nephrons, whichregulate the concentration of water and soluble substances such as salts, reabsorb nutrients and excrete the rest.Listen to the latest episode of ASME TechCast Breakthrough Could Bring New Cancer TreatmentEach nephronconsists of a glomerulus and an attached tubule. Together, they filter and clean the bloodstream. Sp ecially designed microfluidic chips use fluid flow to provide the mechanical clues kidney tissue needs to growth more mature vascular networks. leistungspunkt Wyss Institute at Harvard UniversityThe glomerulus acts as the gatekeeper, channeling blood components, such as red and white cells, back into the bloodstream while directing everything else into the tubule. Inside the tubule, specialized cells sift through the flow, pulling out amino acids, glucose, and other nutrients to return to the bloodstream while channeling toxins, infectious agents, and other harmful substances into the urine.These functions rely on kidneys robust network of blood vessels, through which the exchange of nutrients and waste products takes place, explained Kimberly Homan, research associate at the Harvards School of Engineering and Materials Sciences.In recent years, several laboratories have managed to grow kidney cells in culture dishes. The resulting tissues, however, lacked the functional vasculature needed to clean and filter blood products. When researchers tried to stimulate blood vessel growth with biochemical cues and growth factors, they failed.The study advances kidney research by helping us better understand the effect of aufgetaut flow during organ development. Benjamin Freedman, University of WashingtonInstead of this traditional approach, the Harvard group worked with fluidic shear stressesthe force generated by fluid flowing over the organoidsthat mimicked the natural conditions in which kidney tissues develop in the human body.The researchers first grew the organoids from stem cells and then placed them in a 3D-printed chip containing an extracellular matrix, a supporting scaffold with mechanical properties similar to natural cellular matrix.Then the team flowed a nutrient-rich fluid over the developing organoids for 10 days. The force generated by the flowing liquid provided the necessary physiological cue the organoids needed to start growing vasculature.Read mor e on Biomechanics How to Make a More Precise Hypodermic NeedleThe resulting organoids displayed more mature kidney blood vessels structure than those grown in static culture.In fact, the team observed a tenfold increase in vessel length and junction density (the amount of blood vessel branching per unit area). Kimberly Homan 3D prints stem cell-derived tissues to create kidney tissues that mimic native kidneys. Such organoids could be used to test medications and model diseases. Image Wyss Institute at Harvard UniversityThe structure of the perfused organoids also differed from those grown statically. In real kidneys, cells inside tubules develop specific organelles called cilia and microvilli, tiny hair-like structures that pluck nutrients from the body fluids and send them back into the bloodstream. These cells also orient themselves in a polarized waythey line up in a specific fashion to redirect nutrients into the blood. The static tissue cultures never achieve th is level of maturity, but organoids grown under fluid flow.We are getting kidney tissue that is maturing to a level that we have not encountered before with organoids grown in static culture, Homan said. The cells have a better expression of essential transporters needed for biological kidney function.The team sees several possible applications for this work.Our ultimate goal is to grow kidney transplants, said co-author Ryuji Morizane, assistant hochschulprofessor at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School.Growing artificial kidneys may take years. A more likely near-term application could involve using lab-grown kidney tissue in drug testing, which would enable researchers to use human kidney models while reducing the use of animal test subjects.Meanwhile, the fluidic flow technique promises to advance kidney research. As Morizane noted, We can observe urinary production in the culture plate and see how native kidney works.Read more on Interdisciplinary Approach to Bioengineering 6 Ways Engineers Heal a Broken HeartGrowing functional tissue in the lab is a major challenge that has not yet been met, Benjamin Freedman said. He is an assistant professor of medicine and nephrology at the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine at the University of Washington and was not involved in the study.The study advances kidney research by helping us better understand the effect of liquid flow during organ development, he said. In particular, it is interesting that fluid flow stimulates the growth of endothelial cellsblood vessel cellsinside the kidney structures. The blood vessels are an important component of kidney tissue, and right now we dont have ways of accurately re-creating that architecture.Freedman also pointed out that the Harvard team derived kidney cells from stem cells, which is less invasive than harvesting kidney cells from patients. Doctors can use patients own cells to grow kidney structures to better diagnose their nephrology pr oblems.In theory, we may be able to use this type of approach to diagnose aspects of a patients kidney health using these types of devices as a surrogate for their kidneys, he said.Freedman also thinks that the studys approach advances the field of medicine even beyond nephrology and may be applicable for many types of organs.By merging blood vessel structures with organoid structures, we may in the future be able to generate functional tissue grafts outside of the body, he said.Lina Zeldovich is a freelance writer based in Woodside, N.Y.

What Are the Differences Between Attending a Regional Law Sc

What Are the Differences Between Attending a Regional Law ScWhat Are the Differences Between Attending a Regional Law ScThe biggest influencing factors when students consider attending law school are the institutions prestige and its location, according to a Vault law school survey. The fact that these two factors weigh so significantly into an applicants decision-making process shows just how difficult it can be when weighing the different and very personal pros and cons of going to a regional law school against those of attending a national law school. What are the benefits, challenges of each? The myths? How does the current legal market affect your decision?Listen up as Vaults Brian Dalton, and four law school deans, explain in this podcast the basics of what you need to know about the differences between regional and national law schools. Even if your question is, Whats a regional and national law school? This is just a three-minute preview. To hear the rest go here.Law School P odcasterRelated Top 5 Law Schools by Employment The Best Program for Where You Live

Don#8217;t Provide a Job Provide an Experience

Don8217t Provide a Job Provide an Experience Don8217t Provide a Job Provide an Experience Weve all had that job that left us exhausted and disappointed at the end of every day. Companies that create this kind of environment inevitably deal with high turnover and low productivity. Successful businesses need to create work environments in which employees truly thrive. Common sense tells us that a worker who feels appreciated and excited about their job will always work harder than one who hates coming to work. Give those disgruntled workers the chance to move on to something more engaging, and theyll jump at it.Instead of being a temporary stop for a long series of disgruntled employees, companies should be working to engage employees in positive ways to drive retention. However, many talent professionals find it challengingto create engaging employee experiences for onboarding, perfassonance, and learning, and 51 percent worry about motivating employees around company goals, accor ding to the State of Talent 2017 Report from talent management solutions provider SilkRoad. Creating Engaging Employee ExperiencesThe first step to increasing employee engagement is simple Talk to them.Clear, transparent, ongoing communication from the top down is the first and arguably most important step in engaging employees at every point in their career, says ambra Hyatt, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, vice president, product marketing for SilkRoad. Through an agile performance approach, which relies upon frequent manager and employee check-ins, real-time feedback, and two-way communication, organizations can ensure employee expectations and goals align with business objectives. Similarly, companies should look for opportunities to gather feedback directly from employees. Open forums and focus groups for new projects are great ways to solicit input from employees, strengthening two-way communication and boosting engagement.However, this doesnt mean executives can solve all their engagement pr oblems by chatting up employees. A business that provides lasting and successful employee engagement must establish it as a core principle of the corporate culture.Before organizations can excite employees with their cultures, they need to have strong value propositions and echo them throughout all of their efforts, Hyatt says. This creates a solid and unmissable foundation on which to build excitement.Once these foundations are in place, employers should excite employees by recognizing them, Hyatt says. This includes honoring their achievements both publicly and in one-on-one meetings.Next, look for opportunities to invest in building the team, including social events and off-site excursions where team members can get to know one another outside of the office, Hyatt suggests. And of course, utilize frequent communication to keep employees abreast of new customer feedback, project completion dates, departmental reporting, etc. All of these steps combine to create a culture of engage ment. Employees who understand the impact their efforts make on organizational goals remain engaged and exited.Find Out What Employees Need Before Its Too LateMaintaining frequent contact throughout each employees tenure helps workers feel valued by the company.Traditional talent management is centered on individual processes employees must complete, including applying for a job, signing an offer, filling out new hire paperwork, and even receiving paychecks, says Hyatt. While automation of these processes may benefit HR, it does little to improve the day-to-day employee experience. Every interaction an employee has with an organization is a single touchpoint in one continuous employee experience in which they form ongoing impressions of the organization.By making the effort to engage employees on a personal level, businesses show each individual worker that they have value and that their voice is heard.By shifting the focus to the employee experience, organizations can create meani ngful moments throughout the employees entire tenure, Hyatt says. One great way to do this is by collecting employee feedback at each stage of their journey and acting on it wherever possible.Employees leave organizations for many reasons. Waiting until the exit interview to find out why an employee jumped ship can help you address the problem for future employees, but its too late to do anything about the employee who is leaving.If that feedback had been collected at an earlier point, the organization could have taken steps to fix potential problems and keep a valuable employee from seeking opportunities elsewhere, Hyatt says. By understanding that the employee journey is a continuum of experiences, organizations can ensure they make a positive impact through an agile performance approach with consistent two-way communication, real-time feedback, and alignment with company goals. This engages and excites employees with positive employee experiences.

How to Hire a Recruiter

How to Hire a RecruiterHow to Hire a RecruiterStaffing agencies are experts at making matches, whether you want to find a professional who will take your team to the next level, or youre looking for a rewarding career opportunity for yourself. But how do you go about choosing the right service for you or your company? You need to know how to hire a recruiter.An expert recruiter can help identify your needs, launch a search, evaluate candidates or employers, and reduce the time and stress associated with finding new staff or a new job.Technically, when youre seeking a job and working with a staffing agency, you wont be hiring a recruiter. Firms typically charge a fee to employers to find them top candidates, but most dont charge job seekers for their services.Lets start with employers who want to streamline the hiring process by engaging with a recruiting firm.How to hire a recruiter - for employersConsider the following factors when choosing a reputable staffing agencySpecialization - Staffing agencies have access to a pool of candidates with in-demand skills and relevant experience. Some of them may even be passive job seekers who would consider changing roles to work for you. Look for recruiters at specialized agencies who can offer deep expertise in your industry and a unique perspective.Client lists - Read customer testimonials and ask to see a list of companies the firm has worked with. The ideal recruitment service has experience working with your size and type of business.Scope - How broad are the networks of the recruiting firm? Do the recruiters have access to candidates you dont? Have professionals already been vetted? The best recruiters have cultivated a rich pipeline of job seekers through their networking efforts and by placing professionals in jobs and staying connected with them.Hiring process - How long is the search expected to take? What evaluations will the recruiters perform before you meet a potential hire? How many individuals will y ou interview? The best recruitment agencies will save you save you the time of wading through a multitude of resumes from unqualified applicants.Dedication - Is the recruiter committed to making an ideal match for you? The best ones will help you find someone who fits your corporate culture and is suited to your work environment. That will help eliminate staff turnover and the cost of a bad hire.How to hire a recruiter - for job seekersStaffing services can provide you a head start on finding available jobs, connect you with valuable industry contacts and alert you to promising opportunities as they become available. Establishing an ongoing relationship with a recruiter can also benefit your career in the long run, even if you arent actively looking for a new job.Consider the following factors when starting the recruitment process for your job searchReputation Be sure to research the firms history, accolades and alliance partners to get an idea of its standing in the industry. Ask for references.Available jobs Browse the job listings on the recruiting firms website. Look at job titles, locations and the number of openings available in your field.Staff interaction Meet with the staffing agency, paying attention to the level of professionalism and customer service it offers. Take note of how well the firms representatives follow up with you after your visits. Remember, youre entrusting your professional future to this company, so you want to feel comfortable working with it.Policies Make sure you understand the ins and outs of working with a recruiter. Will you be working with one person or a team? How often will you receive updates? How quickly are new positions typically found? Be wary of any staffing agency that charges job seekers for their services.Additional services Some staffing agencies provide additional career resources, such as resume-writing help, recommendations about continuing education and interview coaching.Make sure you understand how involv ed you are expected to be when working with a recruiter. The best firms will handle the heavy lifting for you and will remain in touch to meet your unique needs.If youre ready to approach a staffing agency, learn how can help you find the right job

The Secret Truth About Business Analyst Resume Summary Revealed

The Secret Truth About Business Analyst Resume Summary Revealed The ideal Business Analyst Resume Skills for Hard Skills rely on the geschftsleben or company which you work for. Whether you wish to receive your very first interview for a Business Analyst. Or even when you just need some practical suggestions about how to compose your resume for a new Business Analyst role. The part of a Business Analyst will be different from industry to industry. A career for a geschftsleben analyst can be very rewarding. The typical monthly salary of a company analyst is over $5,000. He needs to be an excellent communicator. A certified small business analyst resume is a resume which certifies the experience and qualifications of a company analyst whos interested to work for a specific organization. Whether youre a recent graduate, a mid-level manager, an executive with several years of experience, or simply someone seeking to change career paths, theres a resume format that could really make you appear great to a hiring manager. However good youre in your work, if your resume isnt up to the mark, its likely that the recruiters wouldnt even know you exist. A great coaching skill is going to be necessary for the analyst to be in a position to effectively teach others. Talk about the sorts of teams you worked on, and the way you succeeded. When youre searching for analyst jobs, its crucial that your resume be as strong as possible. Its therefore important that analysts ought to be in a position to work independently. If you want to turn into a business analyst, youre in high demand. Not having experience for a business analyst really isnt the close of the world. If youre on the lookout for a business analyst role in an organization, you need to know there are certain skill sets you should bring out in your resume. There are lots of resume examples on the net, so all you must do is search for them. A good resume will also catch the eye of the employers and re cruiters who want to employ a business analyst whos experienced and dependable. Top Business Analyst Resume Summary Choices Building on your analytical abilities, you should also be in a position to examine the data and use from the box thinking to address solutions for your clientele. You have to understand new outcomes that could be accomplished on the exact platforms, whilst having a great comprehension of the benefits the latest technology offers. By way of example, folks say that Business Analysts must have the ability to compose excellent requirements or create decent use cases. Business analysts work to create a shared comprehension of difficulties, outline the parameters of the undertaking, and determine prospective solutions. Business Analyst Resume Summary for Dummies Suppose that when the company would like to sell the earlier mentioned product on a site, the user must press a massive blue button to visit the next page and keep entering information. You should EAS ILY have the ability to continue to keep your resume to just two pages from now on. You need to be able to listen and absorb information. This information can help you in your search. Ensuring that theres enough white-space on your resume and it has a balanced look will boost its readability. You may observe that in the work description. Bear in mind, your resume is only going to receive a few seconds attention, at best Or, if youre strapped for time, try out our easy-to-use resume builder that could bring in a custom resume in almost no time whatsoever. Defect management is the procedure of managing system defects. Business analysis can encompass a number of responsibilities that are particular to the field theyre in. Business Analysts are tasked to generate the organization run better by finding solutions to current difficulties, introduce efficient means of managing responsibilities and searching for comparative benefits versus competition in the business. Professiona l small business analysts play a crucial part in a providers productivity, efficiency, and profitability. When you have Customer Support as your job title, you are more inclined to find customer support positions. You may also see resumes can easily be found online. A Business Analyst Resume should showcase an assortment of qualities that prove ones capacity to effectively oversee the einzelschritt of an organization. Being a thriving Business Analyst means youve got to get a number of distinct abilities and be adaptable to a changing atmosphere. A team player who is famous for her excellent verbal and written communication abilities. There are lots of skills that you ought to include on your resume, and they vary wildly depending on the precise type of analysis job youre pursuing. Possessing the technical skills of a BA or understanding how to compose perfect requirements specifications is inadequate. Choosing Good Business Analyst Resume Summary If you find out more abo ut the position well enough, there is no good reason for you not to be in a position to compose a very good summary. In that instance, you can fix your summary section accordingly. If you do a resume example search, you will likewise find cover letter examples also. You just need to pick the one which you must use and then use your resume example in order to produce the very best letter for your resume.

Top Writing an Objective Summary for Resume Tips!

Top Writing an Objective Summary for Resume Tips A summary statement is a brief expert introduction which you can increase the peak of your resume. Your objective statement is the very first thing theyll see and read, since its the very first thing on the webpage. For entry level applicants, your objective summary ought to be practical and right to the point. While writing the resume, you may use the overview of your qualifications at the start. Finding Writing an Objective Summary for Resume Online It is very important to keep in mind that the greatest objective summaries are especially tailored to coincide with the punkt youre applying for. My aim is to find the job. As a result, while your resume objective should incorporate information on the career which you want, you also wish to spell out why you are the perfect candidate for the job. The absolute most efficient objective is one which is tailored to the job youre applying for. What You Can Do About Writing an Objecti ve Summary for Resume Beginning in the Next Eight Minutes In summary, your objective summary should specify your target and the value it is possible to increase the corporation. You might not know where to start in regards to writing a resume objective. An objective must be personally-tailored to the employer. Ultimately, stating it is optional, but it can help convince employers that you know what you want and are familiar with the industry. What You Dont Know About Writing an Objective Summary for Resume A summary statement should include a few specific, work-related abilities, and some relevant soft skills. Writing a resume summary statement might be new to you if its been a while as you have updated your resume. The Death of Writing an Objective Summary for Resume 1 A resume summary is a brief, snappy introduction paragraph that offers a summary of your very best work. You might also see chapter summary. You may want to look at a qualifications summary which we outli ned in last weeks postbut if you simply need to have a summaryhere are a couple examples to help you begin. Because resumes have limited space, your career objective has to be concise. An excellent career summary is basically a glimpse of your skill set and the value its possible to bring to your prospective employer. Finally, it focuses on your ability to offer value to the company. A well written objective summary must include your particular skill set, your principal goal and the way youre able to be of help to the corporation. In reservierung to understand what to have in your career summary, you will need to understand what it is and what it isnt. As stated above, a career summary isnt a career objective. Essentially, your career summary has to be forward-looking. Last, you should remember to proofread your career summary like the remainder of your resume. Writing an Objective Summary for Resume at a Glance Possessing a brief statement or overview at the start of you r resume is a good way to demonstrate your abilities and experience and show the hiring manager the value which you will bring to the position. You would like to sell your skills in a fashion that will garner an interview. If you follow the advice above you will have an interesting, compelling resume summary that is likely to make the reader want to find out more about you even regardless of your lack of work experience A career summary on the opposite hand, is a concise breakdown of your prior work experiences. The Basic Principles of Writing an Objective Summary for Resume That You Can Learn From Beginning Today LinkedIn summaries are very different. Your career summary also has to be specific and relevant.

7 Ways to Create Your Own Luck in the Job Search

7 Ways to Create Your Own Luck in the Job Search7 Ways to Create Your Own Luck in the Job SearchTips for Getting a Job How to Create Your Own LuckForget luck of the draw. Draw your own luckKids use lucky talismans and rituals all the time, trusting that a particular red shirt or a spell repeated three times to grant a good grade on the next exam. As adults, most of us have stopped believing that crossed fingers will land us the next perfect job, instead relying on tried and true job-seeking tips and techniques. And yet, with St. Patricks Day upon us, there may be something to reigniting the old magic.Even psychologists say that athletes who wear their lucky socks for the big game arent wrong There may be some advantages to following superstitions even if they look silly. While rituals alone may not be enough, combining some good-luck charms with strategy tweaks might just create a job search success Here are seven lucky tips for getting a job.Use the right wordsOK, so maybe these ar e not magic words found in spellbooks, but you must be koranvers that you are using keywords intentionally and strategically when it comes to describing your skills and qualifications. Before you get to a real person, your resume may have to clear electronic gatekeepers like the ATS (applicant tracking system). A junior HR specialist may be scanning your resume instead of the ATS or in addition to it, so make sure your resume includes keywords that matter.How do you know which keywords matter? Experts recommend starting with the job description for the position you are applying for. You might print it out and highlight frequently used or emphasized skills and requirements. Word-cloud-generating software can help spot the patterns, as well. Once you have your list of top five to ten keywords, use them wisely (in other words, dont make them too obvious your resume will be read by a real human at some point). Use the right numbersWhat is your lucky number when it comes to a job search? Some experts argue its 72. That is the number of hours within which you should apply for a newly posted job. Surveys have shown that 60 percent of applicants will submit their applications within the first week of the new job posting. If you wait much longer, you risk having your resume stuck in the middle of the pile as the hiring managers focus is captured by the earlier applicants.Best day to apply for a job? Some experts think its Tuesday. Research by Glassdoor says Tuesday is also the best day to schedule an interview. Whether or not you choose to stick to Tuesday as a lucky day, the bottom line of these job seeking tips and techniques is that procrastinating on job applications and returning interview scheduling calls will hurt you in the long run. You may have the best of intentions (like wanting to polish off your resume until it is absolutely perfect), but sometimes it is better to get a good resume out there timely than have a perfect resume land two weeks too late.Includ e a personalized titelblatt letterPersonalizing your titel letter may seem like a time-consuming extra step and not a great job-seeking tip and technique. Many candidates struggle with composing it, so there is a temptation to simply skip it especially if the job posting does not specifically require you to submit one.My advice? When in doubt, include a cover letter anyway. As a past hiring manager, I know that cover letters can set candidates apart by conveying their professional polish, a sense of personality and a little extra color on why they are a great fit for the position.Is there a time when you should not include a cover letter? Opinions on this vary, but I believe the only cover letter you should leave out is a poorly-written one. And, of course, if the job posting specifically states that you should not send a cover letter, it is best to follow the instructions.Make yourself easy to reachA job search is a time-consuming and emotionally draining affair. I do not blame yo u for wanting to turn off the faucet of constant communication and hide under a blanket for a while. Unfortunately, that impulse is more likely to hurt your efforts than help you land a great next job opportunity. One of the best tips for getting a job is to be available and quick to respond.Be sure you are responsive to recruiters and prospective employers. In most cases, they are reaching out to multiple candidates at once. Those who take the longest to reply (or make the mistake of ignoring the messages altogether) will likely not get a second chance, especially in the beginning of the hiring process. If you are not interested in an opportunity, it is best to communicate that politely and clearly. No one likes professional ghosting An honest approach will showcase your professionalism and allow everyone to focus on their mission.A quick pro job-seeking tip be sure to include your contact information within your LinkedIn profile, especially when you are in active job search mode. Your goal is to encourage a flow of opportunities not create extra hurdles for other professionals to overcome.Send out a well-timed thank-you notenzeichenAre thank-you letters a thing of the past? I dont believe so in fact, its one of my best tips for getting a job. A quick hand-written card to acknowledge that the other professional has dedicated valuable time to meet with you can only help your candidacy. If you mention a key point or two that you have enjoyed during the conversation, or that can highlight your perfect fit for the position, include them for best results. And, just as with job applications, dont sit on your thank-you notes get them out within 24-hours while the memory of the conversation is still fresh. Learn more about the people with whom you are interviewingNo need to engage in cyber-stalking, but you might find that the job-seeking tips and techniques of a little strategic recon before the interview can do wonders to calm your nerves. LinkedIn allows you to r ead through other professionals profiles and pick up on key details. Perhaps you find some unexpected commonalities (like having attended the same school or being fans of the same sports team) that will help you feel more comfortable heading into a meeting with the hiring manager you have never met before.Create your own rituals and lucky charmsScience tells us that lucky charms work - if you believe they work This may well be a placebo effect in action, but if it gets you great results, who cares? Maybe you eat the same meal for breakfast before interviews (make it a balanced one by adding some eiwei so that science is really on your side) or wear the same lucky tie clip. Creatinghabits and rituals that help alleviate pre-interview jitters makes all the sense in the world, so do try this at homeManaging a job search requires a blend of art and science. As you look for your personal mix of solid qualifications, a well-written resume and a dash of luck, my advice is to bet on good re lationships. Networking is key when it comes to creating opportunities and advancing your career. By taking a genuine interest in other professionals, you are likely to make amazing things happen in the long run.Make your own job-search luck. Hire a TopResume writertodayRecommended ReadingCareer Quiz Is Your Resume Ready to Beat the Bots?The Top 10 Resume Mistakes That Could Cost You the JobThe Importance of Saying Thank You After an Interview

Engineer sentenced to 40 months in prison for role in VW emissions scandal

Engineer sentenced to 40 months in prison for role in VW emissions scandalEngineer sentenced to 40 months in prison for role in VW emissions scandalThe defense of I was just doing what my boss told me to doesnt work in court, as one engineer found out.This past Friday, engineer James Liang got sentenced to 40 months in prison for his role in the Volkswagen emissions fraud scandal. As a Volkswagen engineer, Liang helped to develop the software that allowed the German automaker to cheat on federal emissions tests and emit up to 40 times the allowed levels of pollutants for a decade.Being loyal to your boss will still send you to jailIn Liangs defense, his lawyer said that Liang was not a mastermind but an employee who blindly executed a misguided loyalty to his employer, according to Reuters. The federal judge hearing Liangs case didnt buy this argument.Your cooperation and regret is noted, but it doesnt excuse the conduct, U.S. District Court Judge Sean Cox said, fining Liang for $200 ,000 and sentencing him to more than three years in prison. This is a harsher sentence than what federal prosecutors had recommended for Liang, who had reached a plea verstndigung im strafverfahren and had been cooperating with investigators for months.The judge said the harsher sentence was a deterrent to anyone else who would think of a similar scheme.This sentence sends a strong message of deterrence to automotive engineers and executives who should think twice before knowingly breaking United States laws for the benefit of their employer, acting U.S. Attorney Daniel L. Lemisch said about the ruling.Liangs sentencing has wider implications for the engineering industry at large, and serves as a reminder that coding is not a neutral activity. Software development is embedded with the biases of its creators, for good or ill purposes.Liangs fate also serves as a more reminder to not be blindly loyal to your employer. Go into your job with eyes open. If you recognize unethical behavio r, take regular notes of whats said or not said, so that you have evidence to show later to higher-ups like human resources, or in extreme cases, court.There have been similar cases in the past that show that courts do not look kindly on the my boss told me to do it excuse.In 2014, former Goldman Sachs banker Fabrice Tourre - who had bragged in emails to friends that he was the Fabulous Fab - was fined $825,000 by the Securities and Exchange Commission and found liable for defrauding investors during the financial crisis by helping to create toxic mortgage securities. Tourres lawyers had argued that that the midlevel banker was not responsible for Goldmans actions or the financial crisis, but it didnt convince the court.Keeping your head down and following orders is a weak defense when it comes time for judgment. It didnt excuse Liang of his role in VWs fraud, it didnt absolve Tourre at Goldman Sachs, and it likely wont excuse you.

Biomedical Engineering in Sports Medicine

Biomedical Engineering in Sports Medicine Biomedical Engineering in Sports Medicine Attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Jennifer Sanfilippo is working toward a graduate degree in biomedical engineering, specializing in sports medicine. Sanfilippos experience has involved working for high school and university programs and with mechanical engineers, doctors, therapists, and athletic trainers for her research. Sanfilippoholds a B.S. degree in biology and another in athletic training and plans to graduate in May 2011 with an M.S. in biomedical engineering.Falling for Sports MedicineShe recalls how it all began I became interested in sports medicine when I was in high school. Participating in sports myself, in the off season, I would stay involved helping the schools athletic trainer with athletes during the practice season. Coming to Madison, I began my college experience studying in the biology department as a general student with the hopes of continuing in medicine, but as many young students find themselves honing in on specific interests, I eventually moved into the kinesiology department. There I sought a degree in athletic training. While studying, I had the opportunity to work with various athletes on their injuries, following them to away games, and observing different medical professionals reveal their specific expertise. During this time, I realized my true love of research and my unknown desire to become an engineer. Working for my masters in biomedical engineering, I have taken courses in materials, mechanics, statistics, and biology which are all required in my everyday research.The University of Wisconsin Madison Athletic Training Education Program features a strong mix of basic sciences, kinesiology courses, and athletic training subject matter. The program features clinical experiences in intercollegiate and secondary school settings. Working directly with school athletes is unique to the Athletic Training program. Every semester, studen t athletic trainers are assigned to a collegiate team, where they are directly involved in the athletes rehab program. One semester is done at a high school helping with the sports offered for the semester. This provides an exposure to a larger variety of injury types. In biomedical engineering, you can have a variety of experiences at the masters level based on your particular research interests. As my interests are more biomechanically related specifically to orthopedics, I study hamstrings and work directly with the physical therapists and athletic trainers.My personal research is directly related to the injuries themselves. It is very interesting to see how one injured muscle can affect all parts of a persons gait (way of walking) and how the healing process further affects this. Normally, as an athletic trainer, I saw the overall effect, but in my research I am able to see tissue level healing with the help of MRI use. We work on using engineering techniques to analyze injuries and how rehab directly affects the healing tissues. The mechanical engineering we use is directly involved in data analysis using specialized equipment, we can see when muscles fire, how much force they apply, and which ones do the fruchtwein work. We use such programs as Matlab to calculate peak torque of specific muscle groups. After analyzing an injured athlete, we help with new rehabilitation techniques and then retest the subjects to determine how well we have cured the injury. I use mechanical concepts at almost every step, starting with proper function of equipment, proceeding with testing forces, and ending with our analysis. If you would like more information about the laboratory I work in along with other research we are currently investigating, follow the link engr.wisc.edu/groups/nmbl/index.html.Many of my colleagues have moved from research to work in academic laboratories, national laboratories such as the National Institute of Health, medical equipment design, compan ies such as GE Healthcare, and others. I hope to move into athletic training specifically designing new treatment methods for injuries and stay tied in research while helping athletes at a university.The Move to ResearchIn the past, athletic trainers and sports medicine professionals have worked specifically on athletes, but they are now moving to assist with sports-related research and work for companies as on-staff medical personnel. Also, as the population grows and ages, the need for medical assistance is increasing in demand. With more specialized professionals, people can get the exact help they need without relying on a first visit to a general care doctor.Sports medicine is a growing field, uniting biomedical engineers with sports medicine professionals, allowing the field to advance in materials with the creation of ergonomic prosthetics with biocompatible materials, monitoring systems for recovering injuries, mechanical bracing apparatus for weak joints, and more.It is ver y interesting to see how one injured muscle can affect all parts of a persons gait (way of walking) and how the healing process further affects this.Jennifer Sanfilippo, University of Wisconsin-Madison