How video games help war vets

'Serious video games' are now used for everything from educating about Somalian piracy, to explaining childbirth, to helping soldiers cope with the trauma of war.?

By Robert A. Lehrman,?Correspondent / March 18, 2012

He comes into a training room at the Washington, D.C., VA Medical Center, a skinny kid with an earring and a cap, and sits down, ready to work. He looks young. But he's been through a lot.

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A few years ago, in Iraq with the National Guard, Bryan Kidd suffered a concussion so severe he still has trouble recognizing people. This afternoon he is working with Veterans Affairs therapist Andrea Meehan on cognitive problems. They're using a video game to do it.

This is one example of the burgeoning field of "serious games": tapping what has been an entertainment device for training, education, and therapy. Some serious games have been around for years, like flight simulators. Some are new ? including games like Cutthroat Capitalism, which helps people understand the economics of Somalian piracy, or September 12th, which is about the nature of terrorism.

Other games teach about everything from redistricting to childbirth to warfare. The allure of "gamification" seems clear: to make education ? or therapy ? fun.

Ms. Meehan uses a game called Big Brain Academy, which schools use as well. Since 2006, the VA has used it for vets like Mr. Kidd.

"Start with Covered Cages," Meehan tells him.

Six cages pop up on the screen. Three have birds in them. Suddenly, covers hide the cages. On the screen, the cages begin switching order. It's a therapeutic shell game. Which cages hold the birds? Kidd isn't fooled. He clicks on three and gets a green check.

Later, they switch to a harder test. Kidd sees faces peeking around a corner. Then he sees a bunch of faces. Kidd needs to pick the ones he's seen. He's been practicing at home.

"His scores have gone up," Meehan says.

There are still some levels that give Kidd trouble. "I gotta work harder," he says.

He will do that both here and at home where, unlike Iraq, his battle is personal.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/TKlXEoII68s/How-video-games-help-war-vets

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History Of Gaming Book Looks To Kickstarter For Funding ...

Did you know that there was an amazing book that detailed the history of gaming from its infancy to the modern day? No, well, that book is now outdated and out of print. The author wants to publish a new edition that covers gaming up to 2011, but he needs your help to do it.

Like with any good gaming project these days, the place to go is Kickstarter. The site has successfully funded a new Double Fine adventure and is well on its way to funding a sequel to Wasteland. Now it?s being used for something that?s far more important as the history of the medium needs to be preserved.

The book in question is called ?High Score? and as previously noted, covers the history of the gaming industry in detail. The author, Rusel DeMaria, has begun a Kickstarter to raise $25,000 to cover the time he needs to research for coverage of 2000 to 2011 as well as travel expenses for interviews.

For those who donate $10 or more, they will get an invite to a party at next year?s Game Developers Conference. Donations of $25 or more get your name in the back of the book. For those who are really generous, a few of the biggest pioneers in gaming will be holding a dinner party with up to five people who give $250 or more. Some of these people include Chris Taylor, Tommy Tallarico, John Romero, Will Wright, Sid Meier and Peter Molyneux.

The project is only at a little over $7,000 of the $25,000 needed to be funded. There?s only 18 days left, but I?m sure it can get funded. Video games are more than just a hobby, and they need a history book to track their evolution. That?s what this book is all about.

If you want to help support the book, you can do so here at the Kickstarter.

[Source: Joystiq]

Source: http://www.webpronews.com/history-of-gaming-book-looks-to-kickstarter-for-funding-2012-03

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Where's Steve Wozniak? He's doing his regular waiting-in-line thing

Sure it's marketing, but it's also a nice little ritual. Speaking to an interviewer from What's Trending, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak acknowledged he doesn't have to wait in line for his new iPad, but said he'd "rather be genuine, like the real people". They're the ones you can see pretending to sleep / read in the background.

Where's Steve Wozniak? He's doing his regular waiting-in-line thing originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 07:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/T4i-PfTelkA/

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?Your home is your biggest asset. Dont risk home improvement to unqualified contractors....?

Never trust your great asset to non professionals
?Date:	Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:43:01 GMT
?Publisher:	Castle House Painting of Atlanta
?Web Site:
?Email:
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?
A home is the biggest asset that most people will ever purchase. To maintain its value, most people like to decorate it regularly to keep it looking fresh and maintained. Part of this maintainence is painting, however, not everybody is proficient enough to make the job look professional. A bad paint job can actually make a house look unkempt and tacky. Most people may try to undertake the painting job alone to try and save money, however, the value they could lose on the house due to a bad painting job should make them think again. Hiring the services of a professional painting contractor Atlanta, will not only make the home look fabulous, but could increase its value. Castle House Painters and Painting Contractors of Atlanta, GA, have over 100 years of combined experience in both the interior and exterior finishes of homes and businesses. Every painter employed by this company has at least 10 years individual experience, are fully licensed, and insured. This company not only offers complete painting services and solutions for both residential and commercial properties, but also can provide a color consulting service as well. All materials used by Atlanta House Painting Company are of the highest quality and come complete with a lifetime warranty. This ensures customers that not only will they be getting a first class painting job, but it will last for years. Castle House Painting Company of Atlanta is your complete home improvement specialists. No longer do residents of Atlanta and surrounding areas have to call in multiple contractors to give their home a complete facelift. This company not only paints, but also offer services such as carpeting, pressure washing, drywall and floor refinishing. Customers will never be charged for an estimate, and they will even provide estimates and work on evenings and weekends. Dont put the value and look of your home or business at risk. Call Castle House Painting of Atlana on (770) 609 9337 for your free estimate, and to discuss your home improvement needs. There is also an abundance of information available on their user friendly website at http://www.atlantagahousepainting.com/.

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Source: http://www.yourfreepressrelease.net/ShowFull.asp?date=62129

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Great Tips For Figuring Out How Much You Will Pay In Credit Card ...

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There are numerous things with the potential to influence us, and best credit cards online has lived-up to that potential. We see so many cases in our every day lives, and it can function as an important reminder. However, there is far more to consider and seriously weigh in your mind. Given that, people have seen enough so they do have a handle on it even if they tend not to understand all of it. Not only that, but it is completely natural and usual to want to find what you are looking for. The rest of this article will boost your understanding of best credit cards online.Whether it is your first credit card or your tenth, there are several things that should be considered before and after you get your credit card. The following article will help you to avoid the many mistakes that so many consumers make when they open a credit card account. Read on for some useful credit card tips.When considering the application for a credit card, be sure that you determine if you can afford to have one. This is important because many credit cards will have an annual fee that might put a financial burden on you that you may not be prepared to handle. Be sure to check all of the terms before applying.Prior to applying for a credit card, try to build your credit up at least six months in advance. Then, be sure to take a look at your credit report. By doing this, you are more likely to get approved for the credit card and get a higher credit limit, as well.When you are unable to pay off one of your credit cards, then the best policy is to contact the credit card company. Letting it just go to collections is bad for your credit score. You will find that most companies will let you pay it off in smaller amounts, as long as you don?t keep avoiding them.Make sure that you watch your statements closely. If you see charges that should not be on there, or that you feel you were charged incorrectly for, call customer service. If you cannot get anywhere with customer service, ask politely to speak to the retention team, in order for you to get the assistance you need.A lot of banks no longer issue secured credit cards, but it is common to find them being offered through credit unions. If you would like to sign up for a secured credit card, you can open an account with a credit union and take advantage of whatever cards they offer.If you see a late fee added to your credit card balance, take the time to call the credit card company to ask that they remove the fee. If you normally pay your credit card payment on time every month, many companies will waive the fee, as a courtesy to a good customer.You should now have a better idea about what you must do to manage your credit card accounts. Put the information that you have learned to work for you. These tips have worked for others and they can work for you to find successful methods to use regarding your credit cards.You have just read a fairly complete overview on best credit cards online, but that is nothing comprehensive by any means. What you can find, though, are important topics that are associated as well as expanded knowledge base materials. There is just too much to cover in this short informational essay, and we transition into more deeper treatment in a moment. One thing to bear in mind is you have to view it against your special needs, and that is why we offer it.

Source: http://www.voljunkies.com/finance/great-tips-for-figuring-out-how-much-you-will-pay-in-credit-card-interest/

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A new approach to faster anticancer drug discovery

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Tracking the genetic pathway of a disease offers a powerful, new approach to drug discovery, according to scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine who used the approach to uncover a potential treatment for prostate cancer, using a drug currently marketed for congestive heart failure. Their findings are published in the current online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"The science of genomics ? the study of all of the genes in a person and how these genes interact with each other and the environment ? has revealed many fundamental aspects of biology, including the mechanisms of diseases like cancer. But it has not yet been truly exploited to find new medicines to treat those diseases," said Xiang-Dong Fu, PhD, professor of cellular and molecular medicine and senior author of the PNAS paper.

Fu, with colleagues at UC San Diego and elsewhere, describe a unique screening strategy that compares genes associated with specific disease phenotypes (traits) with small molecules capable of intervening with disease-linked gene-expression events. The high-throughput process, capable of analyzing large numbers of genes and drugs simultaneously, emphasizes investigation of the entire genetic pathway of the disease against a large set of internal controls, rather than its limited phenotype or any particular molecular or cellular target.

Historically, drug discovery has been driven by phenotype- or target-based methodologies.

"For 50 years, the standard phenotype approach emphasized the final outcome without worrying about the mechanism," said Fu. "The process has produced some very good drugs, but researchers often didn't know exactly how or why the drug worked. Aspirin is an example. It's been around for more than a century, but we still don't understand the mechanism in great detail."

More recently, many drug designers have focused upon targeting particular components of a disease, such as a vital molecule or receptor involved in the pathogenic process. The approach has a stronger, more rational scientific basis, said Fu, but remains beset by two fundamental difficulties: "You can create a drug that disrupts a specific disease target, but you also run the risk of causing unforeseen, adverse side effects that might be worse than the disease. Second, there are many places inside of a cell that are essentially 'undruggable.' They are difficult, if not impossible, to intervene with."

The new approach attempts to avoid these problems by emphasizing investigation of the genetic pathways associated with disease processes and how they might be altered to produce a healthful benefit.

"The idea is to identify the genetic troublemakers associated with a disease and then find a way to contain them, not crush them," said Fu. "No gene was ever designed to cause disease. The goal is to find new drugs or ways to convert these genes or the affected cells back to a normal state. In many disease paradigms, you don't want to kill cells. You want to modify them to become healthy again."

While the idea of conducting multi-target screenings is not new, the technology to do so has been limited. Deep sequencing, said Fu, is ideally suited for the purpose.

To illustrate the efficacy of their high-throughput, gene-sequencing approach, Fu and colleagues applied the strategy to prostate cancer, which sometimes becomes resistant to standard antiandrogen hormone therapy. The scientists found that Peruvoside, a cardiac glycoside, strongly inhibits both androgen-sensitive and androgen-resistant prostate cancer cells without triggering severe side effects. Interestingly, a related cardiac glycoside called Digoxin has been used to treat congestive heart failure. A large epidemiological study found protective effects against prostate cancer on patients treated with Digoxin, compared to control cohorts.

"High-throughput genetic sequencing and screening allows you to look deeply into cells and analyze millions of molecules at the same time. The technology is constantly improving and getting cheaper. We think it's a promising strategy for drug discovery," said Fu.

###

University of California - San Diego: http://www.ucsd.edu

Thanks to University of California - San Diego for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/118397/A_new_approach_to_faster_anticancer_drug_discovery

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Elray Gaming Set to Launch Unique Cutting Edge Toolbar ...

NEW YORK, March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ ?
Elray Resources Inc. t/a Elray Gaming (otc.bb:ELRA) a developer of turnkey online gaming and technology products, announced that it has concluded its acquisition of cutting edge Intellectual Property that will allow Elray to build unique cutting edge web technology that will be marketed under the brand CrazyJapps (
www.crazyjapps.com ).

The Company is already in the process of beta testing this powerful technology, its own branded browser plug-in Toolbar applications that will allow users to find discounts on general merchandise and services, and special offers for online poker, casinos, and gaming websites. As users visit certain websites they will be alerted directly from their browser from a drop-down notice showing any special discounts, cash bonuses, or special offerings within that site. As the user partakes in the special discounts, Elray would benefit by generating immediate revenue income from the use of the data obtained from these installs.

Initially CrazyJ Apps will have a daily deals application/Toolbar providing customers with coupons and discount alerts while they shop; this will be followed by a Financial Toolbar Application that offers financial information and provides users with the latest stock alerts, prices and news as well as a Casino Toolbar Application which will provide non US users with online casino deals and free money giveaways.

With millions of people using these applications every day, CrazyJ Media, a subsidiary of CrazyJ Apps, will be able to accumulate valuable data and establish customer habits and preferences. CrazyJ Media will use this information to offer clients the most relevant advertising for each individual, thereby enhancing the end user experience. This of course benefits advertisers with more focused targeted advertising and subsequently better value for money for their advertising dollar spends.

Mr. Goodman, CEO of Elray, stated that ?This acquisition of cutting edge technology by Elray is extremely valuable and will result in substantial revenues. The overall market for virtual goods in the US is headed towards $2.9 billion for 2012, up from $2.2 billion this year, and $1.6 billion in 2010.? Mr. Goodman also stated that ?91% of online U.S. adults access social media in a typical month; two thirds of online U.S. adults use social media.?

Online Gaming Toolbar Application

Many online poker and casino sites offer coupon bonus codes for new users. Through Elray Gaming?s new Toolbar app active online poker or casino players will be alerted, right from their browser, on any special discounts and discount codes for any specific site. This would not only offer users the ability to find special discounts on many online gaming sites, but allow our company to build a database of active online gamers for future specials directly from Elray Gaming, where laws permit.

Stock Market Toolbar Application

As well as offering users discount specials from online gaming websites, the Toolbar can be customized for specific users seeking constant updates, such as with financial data, and promotional updates. Users could install the Toolbar and receive updates on specific currencies for active Forex traders, track their portfolio of stocks they follow, or receive alerts directly from their browser on stocks making out of the ordinary moves. This feature could also be marketed to specific companies, or investor relations firms, seeking greater exposure for their companies, while providing additional revenue opportunities for Elray Gaming.

Advertising

In addition to offering users discount specials on websites they visit, our Toolbar app will allow Elray to target advertise to users who have installed the browser plugin application, and allow for the generation of targeted advertising revenues. In addition, the browser app will also allow us to target search engine search results that will target the users preferences, while also increasing Elray?s advertising revenue traffic.

About Elray Gaming

Elray Gaming provides a complete turnkey solution for numerous successful online gaming companies as well as performs strategic marketing and consulting services for Online Gaming operators from all parts of the world. While our US office is in New York, we are a global company with offices in London, Sydney and Curacao homes of the largest online operators on the net, which helps us actively, manage and serve our clients. Our sophisticated patented software automatically declines any gaming requests from within the United States, as the company strictly complies with all local laws and jurisdictions, and the UIGEA (The USA?s Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006). Our Sydney office allows us to tap into skilled resources and some of the world?s largest client base, for regular, personal interaction, while our active operations are in a jurisdiction that is friendly to online gaming; our clients can rest assured that we are here to stay.
www.elraygaming.com

To request an investor packet on Elray Gaming register online at
www.wallstreetnewscast.com/request/elra.html

Safe Harbor Notice

The information in this news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon management?s expectations and assumptions about certain risks and uncertainties that can affect future events. Although management believes these assumptions and expectations to be reasonable on the date of this news release, these risks and uncertainties may cause actual events to differ from those contained in this news release. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, continuing as a going concern, the company?s ability to manage growth and fund future opportunities, the ability to attract and retain personnel, and public acceptance for our products.

CONTACT: Brian Goodman, CEO Phone: (917) 775 9689 Email: Brian@elraygaming.com
www.elraygaming.com

South Street Media, Inc. Melissa J. Diaz, Phone: (917) 937-8968 Email: southstmedia@gmail.com

SOURCE Elray Resources Inc.

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

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Source: http://www.a2zsports.net/2012/03/elray-gaming-set-to-launch-unique-cutting-edge-toolbar-applications-for-online/

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