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Instead of the usual lectures, some Penn State faculty are experimenting with an unconventional form of teaching class: video games.
Jane Charlton of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics decided about eight years ago that she wanted to teach a class using video games, she said. Enjoying video games as a kid and having an imaginative side inspired her to incorporate video games into her classes, she said.
She combined her enjoyment of video games with her interest in astronomy and now offers section four of her ASTRO 001 course in a video game format, she said.
It brought out hidden things about herself, Charlton said, adding that she always loved fiction and art, but her joy of it was unable to surface.
There was a decline in enrollments because other general education classes for science were becoming available, Charlton said. About 40 percent of Penn State students take astronomy, but her goal is to have more than 50 percent of Penn State students taking it, she said.
Taking astronomy will give people a different perspective on life and the beauty, size and the construction of the universe, she said.
Charlton and two of her colleagues started this task quietly in the 2014 spring semester, Charlton said, adding that there are about 1,300 to 1,400 students in astronomy and she did not want them all taking the video game class in case something went wrong with it. But now that they have become more open about it, enrollment in the video game class is higher than the other options by about a 2-1 margin, she said. Enrollment has increased about 50 percent after the video game was introduced, she said.
When the students were polled, 70 percent said they agree or strongly agree that it has enhanced their learning, 14 percent said it did not and 16 percent were neutral, Charlton said. Coming in slightly higher, 72 percent said the video-game class was more enjoyable, she said.
Charlton said she is able to ask more conceptual questions. Students can grab particles [and] put them together, she said. That helps in getting to understand how they work, she said. Nahks TrEhnl, who combines his love of art and astronomy by doing the art for the video game, said it is like a lab and hands on. He said it gives students a visual as well as something to work through.
Charlton said they have a ways to go to improve the video game to make it better. Next semester, the game will be similar because there is not a lot of time to work on it, but over the summer, there will be larger changes, said Andrew Mshar, the programmer for the video game, who is leaving after this semester.
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Astronomy department experiments with video games as a new teaching method
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
12-Dec-2014
Contact: Michelle Kirkwood michellek@astro.org 703-286-1600 American Society for Radiation Oncology @ASTRO_org
Fairfax, Va., December 12, 2014--The American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) education credentials have been recognized and upgraded by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) from Accreditation to Accreditation with Commendation, approved at the ACCME's December 2014 meeting. ASTRO's Accreditation status was renewed on March 31, 2014, for four years and has now been extended for two additional years as Accreditation with Commendation until March 31, 2020. The ACCME is the national accrediting board for all medical education organizations in the U.S. that administer courses and confer Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits to physicians and health care providers.
"ASTRO is proud to be recognized for the exceptional education programs we produce that enhance and strengthen the professional skills of the entire radiation oncology treatment team," said Bruce G. Haffty, MD, FASTRO, chair of ASTRO's Board of Directors. "To be recognized by the ACCME with 'Accreditation with Commendation' is an honor and testament to the significant depth and value of ASTRO's investment in its comprehensive education programs. ASTRO is committed to providing meaningful learning opportunities that equip the multidisciplinary treatment team with up-to-date knowledge and techniques, resulting in high quality cancer care for our patients."
Approximately 20 percent of the medical education organizations currently accredited by the ACCME have achieved "Accreditation with Commendation" status. In its December 4, 2014, notification letter to ASTRO, the ACCME commented that ASTRO is in compliance with all 22 of the ACCME's Accreditation Criteria and that ASTRO demonstrates that "yours is a learning organization and a change agent for the physicians you serve," with an "engagement with your environment in support of physician learning and change that is a part of a system for quality improvement."
ACCME accreditation is a voluntary, self-regulatory system that assures the public and the medical community that accredited CME provides physicians with relevant, effective education that meets their learning and practice needs. Accreditation standards ensure that CME is designed to be independent, free of commercial bias and based on valid content. The ACCME accreditation system is recognized as a national model by federal and state government agencies, other healthcare accrediting bodies and the profession of medicine.
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Founded in 1981, the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) is committed to continuously improving the quality, integrity and independence of CME by accrediting the organizations and institutions that offer CME to physicians and other healthcare professionals. The ACCME's mission is to identify, develop and promote rigorous national standards for quality CME that improves physician performance and medical care for patients and their communities. There are approximately 2,000 accredited CME providers who produce more than 138,000 activities that educate more than 24 million healthcare practitioner participants annually. The ACCME's member organizations, which represent the profession of medicine and include physician licensing and credentialing bodies, are the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Association for Hospital Medical Education, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies and the Federation of State Medical Boards of the US, Inc. For more information, visit http://www.accme.org.
ABOUT ASTRO
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ASTRO recognized with distinguished 'Accreditation with Commendation' status from ACCME
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Newswise Fairfax, Va., December 12, 2014The American Society for Radiation Oncologys (ASTROs) education credentials have been recognized and upgraded by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) from Accreditation to Accreditation with Commendation, approved at the ACCMEs December 2014 meeting. ASTROs Accreditation status was renewed on March 31, 2014, for four years and has now been extended for two additional years as Accreditation with Commendation until March 31, 2020. The ACCME is the national accrediting board for all medical education organizations in the U.S. that administer courses and confer Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits to physicians and health care providers.
ASTRO is proud to be recognized for the exceptional education programs we produce that enhance and strengthen the professional skills of the entire radiation oncology treatment team, said Bruce G. Haffty, MD, FASTRO, chair of ASTROs Board of Directors. To be recognized by the ACCME with Accreditation with Commendation is an honor and testament to the significant depth and value of ASTROs investment in its comprehensive education programs. ASTRO is committed to providing meaningful learning opportunities that equip the multidisciplinary treatment team with up-to-date knowledge and techniques, resulting in high quality cancer care for our patients.
Approximately 20 percent of the medical education organizations currently accredited by the ACCME have achieved Accreditation with Commendation status. In its December 4, 2014, notification letter to ASTRO, the ACCME commented that ASTRO is in compliance with all 22 of the ACCMEs Accreditation Criteria and that ASTRO demonstrates that yours is a learning organization and a change agent for the physicians you serve, with an engagement with your environment in support of physician learning and change that is a part of a system for quality improvement.
ACCME accreditation is a voluntary, self-regulatory system that assures the public and the medical community that accredited CME provides physicians with relevant, effective education that meets their learning and practice needs. Accreditation standards ensure that CME is designed to be independent, free of commercial bias and based on valid content. The ACCME accreditation system is recognized as a national model by federal and state government agencies, other healthcare accrediting bodies and the profession of medicine.
Founded in 1981, the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) is committed to continuously improving the quality, integrity and independence of CME by accrediting the organizations and institutions that offer CME to physicians and other healthcare professionals. The ACCME's mission is to identify, develop and promote rigorous national standards for quality CME that improves physician performance and medical care for patients and their communities. There are approximately 2,000 accredited CME providers who produce more than 138,000 activities that educate more than 24 million healthcare practitioner participants annually. The ACCME's member organizations, which represent the profession of medicine and include physician licensing and credentialing bodies, are the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Association for Hospital Medical Education, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies and the Federation of State Medical Boards of the US, Inc. For more information, visit http://www.accme.org.
ABOUT ASTRO ASTRO is the premier radiation oncology society in the world, with nearly 11,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologists, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals that specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, the Society is dedicated to improving patient care through professional education and training, support for clinical practice and health policy standards, advancement of science and research, and advocacy. ASTRO publishes two medical journals, International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics (www.redjournal.org) and Practical Radiation Oncology (www.practicalradonc.org); developed and maintains an extensive patient website, http://www.rtanswers.org; and created the Radiation Oncology Institute (www.roinstitute.org), a non-profit foundation to support research and education efforts around the world that enhance and confirm the critical role of radiation therapy in improving cancer treatment. To learn more about ASTRO, visit http://www.astro.org.
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Earlier this year, Google acquired an Artificial Intelligence startup called DeepMind for $628 million after it demonstrated that its software could learn to play old-school Atari games better than any human. In an interview with MIT Technology Review published last week, DeepMind cofounder Demis Hassabis revealed that Google is setting up an internal ethics board to consider the possible downsides of advanced artificial intelligence. This seems like a good idea, as intelligent software may soon be better than humans at many more things than Donkey Kong. Another DeepMind cofounder, Shane Legg, believes theres a 90% chance that a human-level AI will arrive by 2050 and also that it may try to kill us; Its my number 1 risk for this century.
Even if the robots dont kill us they will almost certainly take our jobs, and not just the unskilled and repetitive jobs. In the same MIT interview, Hassabis gushed over the possibility for AI scientists that can generate and test new hypotheses about disease in the lab. IBMs Watson is already advising doctors and doing legal research. Journalists are under threat from Quill, an automated narrative generation platform that can analyse data and turn it into articles. Employees at a Lowes in San Jose recently got a robotic coworker, and security guards at Microsofts Silicon Valley campus have beenjoined by a droid that looks like a Dalek designed by George Lucas. A study last year by Oxford Universitys Martin School concluded that 47% of all US jobs may be lost to automation within the next two decades.
But is this a cause for gloom? A recent survey of 1,896 experts and academics found that a slight majority (52%) believes that technology will create more jobs than it destroys by 2025. Respondents also have hope that the coming changes will be an opportunity to reassess our societys relationship to employment itselfby returning to a focus on small-scale or artisanal modes of production, or by giving people more time to spend on leisure, self-improvement, or time with loved ones. There may also be significant environmental benefits. Artificial Intelligence is helping to improve energy efficiency, which in the words of the International Energy Association Energy Efficiency Market Report 2014, represents the most important plank in efforts to decarbonise the global energy system and achieve the worlds climate objectives. Autonomous vehicles may replace the human driven variety some time between 2030 and 2050, reducing emissions by improving travel efficiency.
How do you think we should prepare for the coming robot age? Are you concerned (or hopeful) that automation will change your work and lifestyle? Has it already? What are your hopes and concerns? Let us know in the comments!
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Community Discussion: How will artificial intelligence change our lives?
The Anvil Aerospace T8A Gladiator
The Anvil Aerospace T8A Gladiator from the upcoming "Best Damn Space Sim Ever", Star Citizen. This is a naval bomber inspired by the US Navy #39;s WWII TBM Aveng...
By: CptLoonee
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The Future of Genetic Medicine - Maureen Turner
With no background in biology or genetics, ease into an understanding of the state of genetics and issues in society with enough familiarity to discuss news ...
By: Olli SFSU
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The Future of Genetic Medicine - Maureen Turner - Video
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
11-Dec-2014
Contact: Keith Coles keith.coles@brunel.ac.uk Brunel University @bruneluni
Scientists at Brunel University London have found a way of targeting hard-to-reach cancers and degenerative diseases using nanoparticles, but without causing the damaging side effects the treatment normally brings.
In a huge step forward in the use of nanomedicine, the research helped discover proteins in the blood that disguise nanoparticles so they are absorbed into cells without causing inflammation and destroying healthy cells.
Two studies, Complement activation by carbon nanotubes and its influence on the phagocytosis and cytokine response by macrophages and Complement deposition on nanoparticles can modulate immune responses by macrophage, B and T cells, found that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) triggered a chain reaction in the complement system, which is part of the innate immune system and is responsible for clearing pathogens and toxins.
The team, led by Dr Uday Kishore of the Centre for Infection, Immunity and Disease Mechanisms, found the entire complement system was activated, from C1 at the start to C5 at the end. This in turn activated the cell-killing membrane attack complex.
In principle, this should have caused an acute allergic, inflammatory reaction. However the opposite was true.
The interaction between CNTs and C1q (a starter-protein for complement) was anti-inflammatory. This suggests that either coating nanoparticles or healthy tissue with complement proteins could reduce tissue damage and help treat inflammatory diseases like Parkinson's, Huntington's, ALS and Alzheimer's.
It was not clear if the binding between complement proteins and CNTs was direct or indirect. However, changing the surfaces of CNTs affected how likely the complement system was to be activated and in what way.
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'Trojan horse' proteins used to target hard-to-reach cancers
What is agnosticism and atheism?
When watching these videos, please keep in mind I asked people what they THOUGHT. It is important to be aware of these misconceptions since many of these ide...
By: Abby Walter
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What is agnosticism and atheism? - Video
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
11-Dec-2014
Contact: Kathryn Ryan kryan@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News @LiebertOnline
New Rochelle, NY, December 11, 2014--In cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI), predicting the likelihood of a cranial lesion and determining the need for head computed tomography (CT) can be aided by measuring markers of bone injury in the blood. The results of a new study comparing the usefulness of two biomarkers released into the blood following a TBI are presented in Journal of Neurotrauma, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Journal of Neurotrauma website at http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/neu.2013.3245 until January 11, 2015.
The article "GFAP Out-Performs S100 in Detecting Traumatic Intracranial Lesions on Computed Tomography in Trauma Patients with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Those with Extracranial Lesions," describes a study of adult trauma patients with and without mild or moderate TBI. The authors, Linda Papa and colleagues from Orlando Regional Medical Center, North Florida Veteran's Health System and University of Florida (Gainesville), University of Central Florida (Orlando), Banyan Biomarkers Inc. (Alachua, FL), Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA), and Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX), showed that increased blood levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) following TBI was a good predictor of intracranial lesions, whether or not the patient had fractures elsewhere in the body. Whereas S100 levels in the blood of were significantly higher in trauma patients with fractures than without fractures, it was not as useful as GFAP in distinguishing between intracranial and extracranial lesions.
John T. Povlishock, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Neurotrauma and Professor, Medical College of Virginia Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, notes that "This is an extremely important paper because of its relatively large sample size and its singular focus upon mild traumatic brain injury complicated by the presence of extracranial lesions. This study convincingly demonstrates the efficacy and brain specific nature of GFAP and its ability to detect traumatic intracranial lesions while also calling into question the overall utility of S100 in the same patient population. Importantly, the superior performance of GFAP in the mild brain injured population is an important observation consistent with other reports emerging in the field. Lastly, the observation that these GFAP elevations occur relatively early in a posttraumatic course speaks to the potential utility of using these biomarkers to screen brain injured patients who then may require more extensive and/or long term imaging studies."
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About the Journal
Journal of Neurotrauma is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published 24 times per year in print and online that focuses on the latest advances in the clinical and laboratory investigation of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury. Emphasis is on the basic pathobiology of injury to the nervous system, and the papers and reviews evaluate preclinical and clinical trials targeted at improving the early management and long-term care and recovery of patients with traumatic brain injury. Journal of Neurotrauma is the official journal of the National Neurotrauma Society and the International Neurotrauma Society. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Journal of Neurotrauma website at http://www.liebertpub.com/neu.
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Can a biomarker in the blood predict head fracture after traumatic brain injury?
Q110 Can an employer require that a job applicant be tested for HIV?
From the HIV Avatar Project, posted by the Department of Behavioral Science and Community Health at the University of Florida hiv-avatar-project.com http://b...
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Q110 Can an employer require that a job applicant be tested for HIV? - Video
Next-generation imaging science and technology on the program for February event
Analyzing social interactions through imaging and making sense of the world's 3.5 trillion photographs are among featured topics at IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging 2015 in February in San Francisco. The event will draw researchers from academia, government, and industry from throughout the world for 21 conferences on topics in imaging systems, 3D display, image quality, optimization, and more.
The event will run 8-12 February at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, sponsored by the Society for Imaging Science and Technology (IS&T) and SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.
Electronic Imaging will showcase the latest developments in the field and provide multiple opportunities to network with leading researchers and entrepreneurs, said Symposium Chair Sheila Hamami of Northeastern University.
Choon-Woo Kim of Inha University is Symposium Co-chair, and Majid Rabbani of Eastman Kodak Co. is Short Course Chair.
In the week's first plenary talk, James Rehg (Georgia Institute of Technology) will present results from a multi-institution effort he leads that is working to develop the science and technology of behavior imaging- the capture and analysis of social and communicative behavior using multi-modal sensing. The work has applications in the study and treatment of developmental disorders such as autism.
Alexei (Alyosha) Efros (University of California, Berkeley) in the second plenary talk, with discuss the unique challegnes that make "big visual data" analysis difficult compared to other types of content. , Efros will present recent work that aims to address this challenge in the context of visual matching, image retrieval, visual data mining, and interactive visual data exploration.
A popular 3D Theatre session during the conference on Stereoscopic Displays and Applications is among the week's highlights. Content from around the world will be shown on a high-quality polarized 3D screen.
The event also offers a 16-course educational program on fundamental and current topics in digital imaging, image process and analysis, displays, and related topics; a two-day industry exhibition and employment marketplace; an interactive paper session; and a hands-on demonstration session featuring technology driving next-generation imaging hardware, software, display, and research capabilities.
Conference proceedings will be published online in the SPIE Digital Library after the event as manuscripts are approved, with CD publication following when all manuscripts are in. Presenters are also encouraged to submit work to the Journal of Electronic Imaging, co-published by SPIE and IS&T under Editor-in-Chief Gaurav Sharma of the University of Rochester.
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Behavioral Imaging, Big Data Talks To Be Featured At IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging
You know, I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frickin laser beams attached to their heads! Dr. Evil
Well, were not quite there yet, but the U.S. Navy released a video this week showing off thenot-so-secret laser weapons system its been testing for a while on ships in the Persian Gulf.
Dubbed LaWS, the technology is designed to help Navy vessels defend against asymmetrical warfare attacks by small, fast-moving threats like UAV drones or explosive-laden patrol boats.
U.S. Navy Game-Changer: Seawater Turned Into Fuel
The video, accompanied by a frankly goofy hard rock soundtrack, shows the LaWS system using directed-energy beams to essentially heat up and detonate oncoming threats. There are no visible laser bolts in the manner of the Death Star versus X-Wing fighters, say but you can see the weapon take out threats both at sea and in the air.
According to the accompanying report from the U.S. Naval Institute (USNI), the LaWS system installed on the transport ship USS Ponce successfully disabled incoming UAVs and rocket-propelled grenades and burned out the engines of approaching rigid hull inflatable boats.
Laser-Armed Humvees Could Shoot Down Drones
Theres also a quick sequence of images in the video showing a single crew member aiming the weapon with a device that looks a lot like your standard video game console controller. One of the benefits of the LaWS system, according to the Navy, is that its much simpler and less expensive than traditional explosive munitions.
Whats more, the LaWS system isnt just a test program anymore. The commander of the Ponce is now authorized to use the laser in defense of the vessel, according to the USNI report. And so it begins. The Navy hopes to deploy variations of the laser weapons across the entire fleet by 2020.
Credit: U.S. Navy
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Zapped! U.S. Navy Deploys Laser Weapons
Dny NATO - in FSX //HD//VFR R ORTOFOTO REAL
NATO Days Flight Simulator X Osprey, Eurofighter, Gripen, L-29, EuroCopter, F-18.
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US, NATO Mark End of Mission in Afghanistan
Unites States and NATO forces have ceremonially ended their combat mission in Afghanistan, transitioning now to a training and support role.
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NATO conducted a research about fascism in one of the biggest cities in Ukraine, Lviv.
If the Russian media is to be believed, Ukraine is a country bordering on chaos, with fascists taking over the country following an illegal coup. We visit Lviv in western Ukraine to try and...
By: Ukraine in arabic News
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NATO conducted a research about fascism in one of the biggest cities in Ukraine, Lviv. - Video
NATO and International Forces Battle the IED Threat in Afghanistan
Afghan forces team with various international experts to tackle the ongoing problem of IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Stay tuned to the end to see a large cache detonated. (All video...
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NATO and International Forces Battle the IED Threat in Afghanistan - Video
NATO Intercepts #39;Significant #39; Group of Russian Nuclear-Capable Bombers Over Baltic!
http://www.undergroundworldnews.com NATO jets intercepted more Russian military planes over the Baltic Sea than in the past weeks combined as Lithuanian media said army units were put on higher ...
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NATO Intercepts 'Significant' Group of Russian Nuclear-Capable Bombers Over Baltic! - Video
Top Cop Summoned By NSA
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Drone over Cold War relic - NSA Berlin ruins in HD
Ruptly #39;s drone soared over the now derelict site which was once home to one of the NSA #39;s largest listening stations, in Berlin, Tuesday. The US National Security Agency built its station on...
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