??Clinical implications of DLL4 expression in gastric cancer
Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4)-Notch signaling plays a key role in tumor neovascular development and angiogenesis during tumor growth. The clinical significance of DLL4 expression in gastric cancer has not been clarified.
Methods: Gastric cancer cell lines and 180 gastric cancer patients were enrolled.
DLL4 expression in gastric cancer cells and stroma was identified and evaluated immunohistochemically. The association between DLL4 and clinicopathological factors was also assessed.
Results: DLL4 expression was identified in the cellular membrane and cytoplasm of gastric cancer cells by immunoblotting and immunohistochemical staining.
DLL4 positivity in cancer cells and stroma was found in 88 (48%) and 41 (22%) of the 180 gastric cancer patients respectively. Both cancer and stromal DLL4 expression significantly correlated with more advanced tumor depth, nodal involvement, and lymphatic and venous invasion.
A strongly positive association between cancerous and stromal DLL4 expression was identified (p
Conclusions: Cancerous and stromal DLL4 expression was found in 48% and 22% in gastric cancer, and significantly affected postoperative clinical outcomes.
Cancerous and stromal DLL4 expression may be an effective target of anti-DLL4 treatment in gastric cancer.
Copyright by the authors listed above - made available via BioMedCentral (Open Access). Please make sure to read our disclaimer prior to contacting 7thSpace Interactive. To contact our editors, visit our online helpdesk. If you wish submit your own press release, click here. Social Bookmarking RETWEET This! | Digg this! | Post to del.icio.us | Post to Furl | Add to Netscape | Add to Yahoo! | Rojo
The Local Governance and Decentralization Program (LOGODEP) is a three year USAID-funded program with a mandate to cover all 17 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana;s Western Region. Our work is underpinned by USAID/Ghana?s Strategic Objective 5, Strengthened Democratic and Decentralized Governance through Civic Involvement.
LOGODEP is being implemented by MSI, an international development consultancy company based in Washington, DC, in collaboration with SNV, a Dutch development organization with strong presence and experience in Ghana.
We work in 5 MMDAs to: (a) expand public participation in local governance; (b) support targeted districts to increase the amount of funds they generate internally; and (c) achieve comprehensive development planning for local districts.
Job Summary
This is a 1 year contract up to 31st August 2014 and renewable; ending August 2015.
Role:
The Financial Management & Budgeting Coach will provide financial management and budgeting support as it relates to IGF collection to district officials under the Program?s component two.
Primary responsibilities: The Financial Management & Budgeting Coach will assist the Local Governance Expert (LGE) and represent LOGODEP as the frontline link with communities, CSOs and MMDAs for delivering LOGODEP project implementation activities related to Component two ?Integrated Development Planning to increase internally generated funds achieved?.
Qualification Required & Experience
??? Relevant educational qualification in Budgeting and Finance, 1)? Business Administration (Accounting /Finance option), 2)? Bachelor of Commerce 3)? MBA in Accounting/Finance or its equivalent. ??? A minimum of 5 years working experience in Auditing, Finance and Budgeting issues is required. ??? Skills and knowledge in local government and its financial administration and/or managing Internally Generated Funds, will be considered an advantage.
Location: Takoradi
How To Apply For The Job
Detailed job profile is available upon request from LOGODEP office Takoradi (PLOT No 42 Airport Ridge) or please email: logodep@msi-ghana.com.
Typed applications with CV, and details of three referees to reach the LOGODEP Program Management Unit addressed to logodep@msi-ghana.com, or to MSI, DTD PLT 42, Airport Ridge, Takoradi.
Closing Date: 31 July, 2013
??? The right not to make an appointment is reserved. ??? Interviews will be held in Takoradi in August 2013.
You Are Here: Home ? General News ? ACDEP completes agric project for rural farmers
Page last updated at Wednesday, July 31, 2013 7:07 AM //
The Association of Church-based Development NGOs in Northern Ghana (ACDEP), has ended its Farmers Production and Marketing Project (FAMAR) aimed at assisting rural farmers to increase agricultural productivity and marketing of their produce.
ACDEP said the FAMAR project implemented from 2004 to 2012 had achieved its overall objective of creating an independent limited liability company-Savannah Farmers? Marketing Company (SFMC) to market the produce of farmers to prevent post harvest losses.
SFMC is also aimed at creating a sustainable, self-financing and mutually beneficial linkage between farmers and rural or commercial banks.
ACDEP, which is a network of more than 40 agricultural, health and rural development NGOs, partnered with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to implement the FAMAR project with support from the European Union and the Inter-Church Organisation for Development Cooperation (ICCO).
Mr Malex Alebikiya, Executive Director of ACDEP, who addressed the project close-up workshop in Tamale, said the farmers comprising 15,000 households in the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions have been adequately equipped to operate independently and to maximise productivity and income.
Mr Alebikiya said the FAMAR project had led to a rise in productivity by more than 61 per cent against a target of 33 per cent, acreage cultivated.
Beneficiary farmers topped 200 per cent credit provided by rural banks, which increased from GH?57,251 in 2007 to GH?1.4 million in 2012.
He said: ?The project has left enviable landmarks ? pioneering work in the agricultural value chains -soya, sorghum, maize facilitation in northern Ghana, the establishment of SFMC as a major aggregator, credibility between farmers and rural banks, which demystifies the assertion that farmers are too unreliable for banks to finance.?
Mr A.B.A Fuseini, the Deputy Northern Regional Minister, called for more investment in agriculture to make the country food secure.
He said government?s policy is to accelerate agricultural production through partnership.
Mr Fuseini gave the assurance that government would continue to provide equipment and logistical support to modernise the agriculture industry.
He commended ACDEP and its partners for effectively executing the project.
FILE - This June 23, 2013 file photo shows a TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong. Surveillance of a New Zealand journalist?s phone conversations with Afghan sources may have occurred under one of several military intelligence programs designed to track militants, intelligence officials and experts say. But US and New Zealand officials deny that the US directly gave New Zealand information on Jon Stephenson. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
FILE - This June 23, 2013 file photo shows a TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong. Surveillance of a New Zealand journalist?s phone conversations with Afghan sources may have occurred under one of several military intelligence programs designed to track militants, intelligence officials and experts say. But US and New Zealand officials deny that the US directly gave New Zealand information on Jon Stephenson. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? If the National Security Agency monitored phone conversations between a New Zealand journalist and his Afghan sources, as reported this weekend, it was more likely to have been done under standard military intelligence monitoring of enemy communications in war zones, intelligence officials and experts said Monday.
The Obama administration brushed off new allegations of NSA surveillance overreach, this time focusing on freelance reporter Jon Stephenson, who was in Kabul, Afghanistan, working for American news service McClatchy and other media outlets when his phone records were reportedly seized.
It was the latest revelation, if greeted with less outrage, in the ongoing debate over government snooping since NSA leaker Edward Snowden in June revealed two top secret U.S. programs that monitor millions of Americans' telephone and Internet communications each day.
It's not clear what actually happened. The Sunday Star-Times reported that the New Zealand military conspired with U.S. spy agencies to monitor a Stephenson's communications with sources in Afghanistan. New Zealand officials denied the new allegations and U.S. intelligence authorities and the White House declined immediate comment Monday.
But experts and former intelligence officials said if Stephenson's phone records were collected, they would have been gathered in a military intelligence sweep that is shared among allies ? and has for years monitored most communications in war zones, where there is little expectation of privacy in the hunt for enemy combatants and suspected terrorists.
New Zealand withdrew its small contingent of roughly 150 troops from Afghanistan earlier this year. But the country's Government Communications Security Bureau, which is New Zealand's NSA equivalent, would have been included in an allied intelligence gathering and reporting system in Afghanistan, said Canadian intelligence expert Wesley Wark.
Wark said the New Zealand security bureau also would have been able to access a secret system once code-named "Stoneghost," which allows it to share and draw from intelligence reports compiled from four other counties ? the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia. Stoneghost was one portal through which the so-called Five Eyes allies, the U.S., U.K, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, shared data.
"It is entirely possible that New Zealand intelligence ran its own surveillance operation against Stephenson on the basis of access to a common allied intelligence pool in Afghanistan without necessarily requiring any direct U.S. input or involvement," said Wark, a national security professor at University of Ottawa.
He added: "It would not have been beyond the means of a small New Zealand contingent to do this on their own."
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said Monday it's possible that reporters could get caught in surveillance nets when the U.S. spies on enemy combatants. But generally, Five Eyes nations do not spy on each other's citizens and residents.
The NSA would not spy on citizens of another Five Eyes ally, especially if it were to circumvent that ally's own espionage laws, said former Michigan congressman and House intelligence committee chairman Pete Hoekstra.
What's picked up in war zones is considered fair game, however, and such surveillance has been a priority in Afghanistan as American troops prepare to withdraw in 2014. NATO and U.S. officials depend on the intelligence systems to detect and disrupt al-Qaida and the Taliban plots against the Afghan government and foreign forces.
American troops who specialize in intelligence gathering routinely tap directly into local cellphone company servers, or conduct technical surveillance though a number of electronic listening devices that are placed on jets, drones, ships and satellites, according to a current U.S. military official and a former one. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the classified surveillance program.
Each branch of the U.S. military has its own signals intelligence unit, including Task Force Odin, an Army aviation battalion created in Iraq to spot bomb makers, planters and plotters. The Odin unit's skills and some of its personnel were moved to Afghanistan ? but likely under a new name ? after it helped military counterterrorism units to track al-Qaida and other extremists.
In Iraq, where the war zone monitoring was first perfected, the cellphone metadata and an unknown number of phone calls were recorded and stored, said the former U.S. military official. When a terrorist suspect was captured or killed, their cellphones and other possessions were examined. Any phone numbers that could be retrieved were run through a U.S. telephone database, and relevant records and phone conversations retrieved.
U.S. troops and contractors also are told their own satellite and internet communications likely will be intercepted by their own nation's counterintelligence personnel, and checked for possible breaches of secrecy like the release of classified information, the officials said.
While the U.S. could legally monitor a foreign national civilian in a war zone, it would be unlikely. Wark said that it's possible that Washington nonetheless could have targeted Stephenson, given the breadth of U.S. information-gathering abilities. But he called that "rare," saying the U.S. generally would have needed to have a direct national interest in Stephenson to devote assets against him.
"For the NSA to try to do this on a New Zealand resident or citizen would be a contravention of the Five Eyes agreement," Wark said. "The rules of the road are pretty clear and established."
But if Stephenson was calling Afghans who are suspected of ties to militants, and who in turn were being monitored by U.S. or NATO spy services, that conversation could be recorded, transcribed and distributed. Usually, names of people who are not suspected of wrongdoing are deleted, according to one former administration official, and one former intelligence official.
The same practice applies to U.S. journalists, if they are talking to foreigners being monitored by the NSA in the U.S., the officials said.
New Zealand's top spy agency and the GCSB are banned from spying on its own citizens. Key has drawn fire for supporting a new bill in New Zealand's parliament that would expand the GCSB's powers to allow eavesdropping on its citizens under certain legal conditions.
Thousands of New Zealanders marched in nearly a dozen cities throughout the country over the weekend to protest the bill.
New Zealand's own spying controversy stretches back to the case MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom, a fugitive from a U.S. indictment for alleged piracy through his Internet sharing site.
The GCSB spied on the internet mogul because of the U.S. indictment, before realizing German citizen Dotcom was legally a New Zealand resident at the time of the surveillance, and therefore banned from being targeted. That case prompted the New Zealand parliament to introduce the bill to expand the listening agency's internal spying authority.
New Zealand's government did acknowledge the existence of a confidential order that lists investigative journalists alongside spies and terrorists as potential threats to New Zealand's military. That document was leaked to New Zealand freelance investigative reporter and liberal activist Nicky Hager, who authored the Sunday Star-Times article, and provided a copy to The Associated Press.
New Zealand Defense Minister Jonathan Coleman said the order will be modified to remove references to journalists.
___
Follow Kimberly Dozier on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kimberlydozier and Lara Jakes at: http://twitter.com/larajakesAP.
If you?re considering undertaking home improvement projects, you will surely want to have the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to complete them successfully. You have come to the right place. The first thing you should do is take an inventory of the knowledge you already have. Use the advice offered in this article to guide you along the way.
A great tip for home improvement is to personalize any project you undertake. Choose home improvement projects that really reflect your own personality and sense of style.
It is expensive to purchase new furniture. You don?t have to buy brand new furniture to have new furniture. To revamp your space, check out thrift stores, garage sales, and consignment stores. You could find a true treasure in a collection of used items, like furniture. Some pieces will be in great condition, while others may require a little work and elbow grease to make them just right for you house.
Use nails to make holes for your paint can rims. The lid on most paint cans fits into a groove on the can. While you paint, this groove usually gets filled with paint; when you put the lid back on spills and splatters are commonplace. With a nail, put several holes in paint can?s perimeter, in the bottom of that channel, to avoid a problem.ne
For any home improvement project, be crafty and determine exactly what you want the outcome to be, prior to starting. Once you have started the project, you need to focus on finishing the job rather than deciding on the details. Inspiration can come from anywhere: home improvement shows on TV, magazines, or even features that you notice in your friends? houses.
Since you?ve made it all the way to the last paragraph, that means you actually made it through the whole article. Well done! You should now have a pretty good idea of what home improvement entails. Utilize the information in this article for all your home improvement projects.
This image released by NBC shows,front tow from left, Brent Sexton, Kenneth Choi, Pablo Schreiber, Blair Underwood, Spencer Grammar and Neal Bledsoe at the "Ironside" session during the NBCUniversal Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Saturday, July 27, 2013. (AP Photo/NBC, Chris Haston)
This image released by NBC shows,front tow from left, Brent Sexton, Kenneth Choi, Pablo Schreiber, Blair Underwood, Spencer Grammar and Neal Bledsoe at the "Ironside" session during the NBCUniversal Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Saturday, July 27, 2013. (AP Photo/NBC, Chris Haston)
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) ? Blair Underwood is returning to series television in a remake of "Ironside," which shares few similarities with the original series that starred Raymond Burr.
The character's name and job as a detective is the same, and he uses a wheelchair after being paralyzed from the waist down.
In a nod to Burr, Underwood's character ends the day by sipping a glass of bourbon.
"Everything else is re-imagined. All new characters, a new city, new texture, new storytelling, new audience," Underwood told the Television Critics Association on Saturday. "It's a crime drama wrapped in a character study."
The original series, set in San Francisco, ran on NBC from 1967-75. The reboot is based in New York City and filmed in Los Angeles. NBC has ordered 13 episodes of the show that debuts Oct. 2.
Underwood said he got used to the wheelchair by using one at home while learning his lines. The role is especially meaningful to him because his mother, Marilyn, is in a wheelchair as the result of multiple sclerosis.
In preparing for the part, Underwood is working with technical adviser David Bryant, who became a paraplegic after a skiing accident at 19. Bryant's self-sufficiency inspires the new "Ironside" incarnation, with the handles on the character's wheelchair removed just as they are on Bryant's chair.
"It's something I had to delve into and continue to delve into as often as possible," Underwood said. "Our job is to make you believe it and be authentic in that."
Ironside's personal life is noticeably spicier than it was on the old show, too.
"What David told me is every injury is unique, and everybody is different depending on where it affects your spinal cord," Underwood said. "So, yes, in Ironside's case, he is able."
Underwood returns to TV after a stint on Broadway last year. The 48-year-old actor has a long history on NBC, including a breakout role in "L.A. Law."
His co-stars include Spencer Grammer, the oldest daughter of Kelsey Grammer, a star on the NBC hits "Cheers" and "Frasier."
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Your browser does not support JavaScript! Publish Date: 27-07-2013 04:54:25 | Contact name: Janina Mount | Place: Blackford | 20 times displayed | An amount work strengths or sometimes hindrances to get your own gym ...
Source: azspot.net --- Saturday, July 27, 2013 ?It?s possible that the federal government is going to Google, Facebook, and Microsoft and saying, ?hey, give us the passwords of thousands of your users." If so, the companies wouldn?t tell us, most likely because they?d be legally forbidden from doing so, and the government certainly wouldn?t tell us. It is unacceptable if massive password requests are now happening. But it is also unacceptable that it could happen, or be happening, without the public even knowing. That?s how it works now: The feds don?t say a word even when they adopt new policies that are radical and aggressive. Even as the Obama Administration avows that it welcomes a civic debate about the surveillance state, it preemptively short-circuits citizens? ability to assess and debate policy. It?s disingenuous, illiberal, anti-democratic, and imprudent. The notion that self-government, secret policy, and secret law can coexist is Obama?s folly, and the folly of his predecessors.? - Are the Feds Asking Tech Companies for User Passwords? ...
This publicity image released by NBC shows, from left, Mark Lazarus, Chairman of NBC Sports Group, coordinating producer Fred Gaudelli, Al Michaels, analyst Cris Collinsworth, and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya at the " Sunday Night Football" session during the NBCUniversal Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Saturday, July 27, 2013. (AP Photo/NBC, Chris Haston)
This publicity image released by NBC shows, from left, Mark Lazarus, Chairman of NBC Sports Group, coordinating producer Fred Gaudelli, Al Michaels, analyst Cris Collinsworth, and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya at the " Sunday Night Football" session during the NBCUniversal Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Saturday, July 27, 2013. (AP Photo/NBC, Chris Haston)
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) ? NBC Sports Group and the Dallas Cowboys are partnering on a new 360-degree look at red zone plays for TV viewers and fans attending the game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, this season.
The network will use 24 high-speed cameras ? 12 in each red zone on both sides of the field from the 20-yard line to the goal line and in the back of each end zone ? to produce seamless views of the action.
"Sunday Night Football" producer Fred Gaudelli said the system will give fans a new perspective on big plays during games. The 360-degree view will debut on the Sept. 8 broadcast of the New York Giants-Cowboys game.
The Giants have yet to lose at newly christened AT&T Stadium.
The system, known as FreeD or free dimensional video, will be used for the Oct. 5 Notre Dame-Arizona State game, and the Oct. 13 Washington Redskins-Cowboys game at the stadium.
Fans in the stadium will see red zone replays on the scoreboard at all Cowboys home games, as well as on the team's local programming during the season.
"You can now move all the way around the play without changing the camera angle," Gaudelli told the Television Critics Association on Saturday.
He compared the view to what it's like playing a video game.
Gaudelli said it takes a month to install the system, so NBC had to put it at a stadium where the network knew it would televise at least twice during the NFL season.
He said the Cowboys wanted to partner on the replay system because the team is focused on cutting edge technology and innovation.
The FreeD system is from Replay Technologies Inc., which has worked on Olympic broadcasting and live telecasts of New York Yankees games.
In other "Sunday Night Football" news, NBC Sports Group said a new bus will travel the country during the season visiting the 17 cities where the games originate.
The bus will arrive two or three days before each game. Along for the ride will be four fans of the week chosen based on their social media activity, team pride and interest in "SNF." Besides the bus trip, they'll also receive game tickets.
Also debuting on Sept. 8 will be Carrie Underwood singing "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night," the show's theme song that opens the "SNF" telecast.
She replaces fellow country music star Faith Hill, who decided not to return for a seventh season.
Over 90 percent of dementia cases in China are undetectedPublic release date: 25-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Katya Nasim katya.nasim@kcl.ac.uk 44-207-848-3840 King's College London
An international team of researchers has found that over 90 percent of dementia cases in China go undetected, with a high level of undiagnosed dementia in rural areas
An international team of researchers has found that over 90 percent of dementia cases in China go undetected, with a high level of undiagnosed dementia in rural areas. The team of public health experts led by Dr Ruoling Chen at King's College London argues that more mental health education targeting high-risk populations is now needed to improve diagnosis rates, and increase support for sufferers and their families.
Dementia affects 10 million in China and up to 50 million worldwide, of which around 35 million sufferers are undiagnosed. Dementia causes deterioration in memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday activities. Although the condition mainly affects older people, it is not a normal part of ageing. Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people worldwide. Early diagnosis is crucial to alleviating the significant physical, psychological, social and economical impact the condition has on caregivers, families and society.
The new study, led by Dr Chen, a research leader in global health in the School of Medicine at King's, found that in China 93 percent of dementia cases in people aged 60 and over went undetected. The level of undetected dementia is much higher than has been seen in studies undertaken in high income countries, where about 60 percent of older adults with dementia are not diagnosed.
Published today in the British Journal of Psychiatry and funded by Alzheimer's Research UK and the BUPA Foundation, the large population based study is a collaboration between scientists at King's College London and other universities in the UK, and Anhui Medical University and five other medical universities in China. The study is the first to examine factors influencing the poor diagnosis of dementia in older people in low-income countries, where there are more dementia sufferers than in high-income countries.
Dr Chen and his team interviewed a random sample of 7,072 older adults in six provinces across China, with one rural and one urban community in each province. They identified 359 older adults with dementia and 328 with depression. There were only 26 participants who had doctor-diagnosed dementia reported and 26 who had doctor-diagnosed depression. Overall, 93 percent of dementia cases and 93 percent of depression was not detected.
The team found that, in China, undetected dementia among older adults is strongly associated with low socioeconomic status such as a low educational and occupational class, and living in a rural area.
In rural China, the average annual income is two to five times lower than in urban areas and about 90 percent of older people are illiterate. Medical coverage and health services are often insufficient in rural areas, with primary care clinics mainly staffed by health-workers with limited training. In high-income countries most studies have not shown a strong association between low socioeconomic status and undetected dementia, which could be due to better access to healthcare.
The research team also identified that Chinese cultural factors may play a role in poor detection rates of dementia. Unlike in high-income countries, most of older Chinese people live with their families. A surprising, important finding was that undetected dementia is related to strong social support. Such 'help available when needed' may mask the disease and hinder detection. In addition, Chinese may interpret dementia symptoms in older people as being an acceptable part of the ageing process rather than as an illness.
Dr Ruoling Chen said: 'Dementia is increasingly a major global health challenge given that the world's population is ageing. China has the most dementia sufferers of any country in the world, but at the same time it is a poorly recognised condition.
Mental health services need to be prioritised as economic development extends throughout China. Mental health campaigns will ensure that health workers and the general population are able to recognise the condition, so that sufferers receive the support they need.
Our hope is that by looking at the rate of undetected dementia in China we can offer globally applicable insights into the common risk factors, aid earlier diagnosis, ultimately improve prognosis for sufferers and maintain caregivers' health and wellbeing .'
Professor Martin Prince, global mental health expert from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, who was not involved in the research, commented: 'This is an important study, highlighting the very low detection rate by Chinese health services of dementia among older people.
Large treatment gaps for mental and neurological disorders have been observed in low income countries, but this is the first study to focus on older adults, among whom dementia is a major concern.
Detection is the first step in accessing evidence-based treatment and care. Limited knowledge, skills and confidence among health care workers, and a lack of understanding of the benefits that may stem from diagnosis and intervention are all likely to contribute.'
In a related recent commentary in the Lancet, Professor Prince argued: '... the Chinese Government faces a daunting task in addressing future needs for long-term care. Previously, these needs have been met by families, consistent with traditional values and enforced through the Elderly Rights and Protection Law of 1996. However, central government policy is shifting towards new social care initiatives and increased investment in social protection, as outlined in a radically amended version of the 1996 law which will take force from July, 2013.'
Dr Simon Ridley, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'We know that dementia is a global problem and it is important to understand more about the risk factors and barriers to diagnosis across different countries. Investigating the social, economic and cultural factors influencing attitudes and access to dementia diagnosis can help shape strategies that could benefit multiple countries across the world.
We must ensure long-term investment for dementia research if we are to improve the lives of millions living with this condition worldwide.'
###
CONTACT
Katya Nasim
International Press Officer
King's College London
Tel: +44 207 848 3840
Email katya.nasim@kcl.ac.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
Interviews available on request (English and Chinese language)
'Determinants for undetected dementia and late-life depression' is published in the British Journal of Psychiatry doi: 10.1192/bjp/bp.112.119354
'Dementia in China: east west collaboration bears fruit' is published in the Lancet doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60770-9
Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading charity specialising in finding preventions, treatments and a cure for dementia. To help us defeat dementia, donate today by visiting http://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org or calling 0300 111 5555. We are currently supporting dementia research projects worth over 20 million in leading Universities across the UK.
About King's College London
King's College London is one of the top 30 universities in the world (2011/12 QS World University Rankings), and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King's has more than 25,000 students (of whom more than 10,000 are graduate students) from nearly 140 countries, and some 6,500 employees. King's is in the second phase of a 1 billion redevelopment programme which is transforming its estate.
King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly 450 million.
King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine, nursing and dentistry) and social sciences including international affairs. It has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA and research that led to the development of radio, television, mobile phones and radar. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe; no university has more Medical Research Council Centres.
King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are part of King's Health Partners. King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering global collaboration between one of the world's leading research-led universities and three of London's most successful NHS Foundation Trusts, including leading teaching hospitals and comprehensive mental health services. For more information, visit: http://www.kingshealthpartners.org.
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Over 90 percent of dementia cases in China are undetectedPublic release date: 25-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Katya Nasim katya.nasim@kcl.ac.uk 44-207-848-3840 King's College London
An international team of researchers has found that over 90 percent of dementia cases in China go undetected, with a high level of undiagnosed dementia in rural areas
An international team of researchers has found that over 90 percent of dementia cases in China go undetected, with a high level of undiagnosed dementia in rural areas. The team of public health experts led by Dr Ruoling Chen at King's College London argues that more mental health education targeting high-risk populations is now needed to improve diagnosis rates, and increase support for sufferers and their families.
Dementia affects 10 million in China and up to 50 million worldwide, of which around 35 million sufferers are undiagnosed. Dementia causes deterioration in memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday activities. Although the condition mainly affects older people, it is not a normal part of ageing. Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people worldwide. Early diagnosis is crucial to alleviating the significant physical, psychological, social and economical impact the condition has on caregivers, families and society.
The new study, led by Dr Chen, a research leader in global health in the School of Medicine at King's, found that in China 93 percent of dementia cases in people aged 60 and over went undetected. The level of undetected dementia is much higher than has been seen in studies undertaken in high income countries, where about 60 percent of older adults with dementia are not diagnosed.
Published today in the British Journal of Psychiatry and funded by Alzheimer's Research UK and the BUPA Foundation, the large population based study is a collaboration between scientists at King's College London and other universities in the UK, and Anhui Medical University and five other medical universities in China. The study is the first to examine factors influencing the poor diagnosis of dementia in older people in low-income countries, where there are more dementia sufferers than in high-income countries.
Dr Chen and his team interviewed a random sample of 7,072 older adults in six provinces across China, with one rural and one urban community in each province. They identified 359 older adults with dementia and 328 with depression. There were only 26 participants who had doctor-diagnosed dementia reported and 26 who had doctor-diagnosed depression. Overall, 93 percent of dementia cases and 93 percent of depression was not detected.
The team found that, in China, undetected dementia among older adults is strongly associated with low socioeconomic status such as a low educational and occupational class, and living in a rural area.
In rural China, the average annual income is two to five times lower than in urban areas and about 90 percent of older people are illiterate. Medical coverage and health services are often insufficient in rural areas, with primary care clinics mainly staffed by health-workers with limited training. In high-income countries most studies have not shown a strong association between low socioeconomic status and undetected dementia, which could be due to better access to healthcare.
The research team also identified that Chinese cultural factors may play a role in poor detection rates of dementia. Unlike in high-income countries, most of older Chinese people live with their families. A surprising, important finding was that undetected dementia is related to strong social support. Such 'help available when needed' may mask the disease and hinder detection. In addition, Chinese may interpret dementia symptoms in older people as being an acceptable part of the ageing process rather than as an illness.
Dr Ruoling Chen said: 'Dementia is increasingly a major global health challenge given that the world's population is ageing. China has the most dementia sufferers of any country in the world, but at the same time it is a poorly recognised condition.
Mental health services need to be prioritised as economic development extends throughout China. Mental health campaigns will ensure that health workers and the general population are able to recognise the condition, so that sufferers receive the support they need.
Our hope is that by looking at the rate of undetected dementia in China we can offer globally applicable insights into the common risk factors, aid earlier diagnosis, ultimately improve prognosis for sufferers and maintain caregivers' health and wellbeing .'
Professor Martin Prince, global mental health expert from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, who was not involved in the research, commented: 'This is an important study, highlighting the very low detection rate by Chinese health services of dementia among older people.
Large treatment gaps for mental and neurological disorders have been observed in low income countries, but this is the first study to focus on older adults, among whom dementia is a major concern.
Detection is the first step in accessing evidence-based treatment and care. Limited knowledge, skills and confidence among health care workers, and a lack of understanding of the benefits that may stem from diagnosis and intervention are all likely to contribute.'
In a related recent commentary in the Lancet, Professor Prince argued: '... the Chinese Government faces a daunting task in addressing future needs for long-term care. Previously, these needs have been met by families, consistent with traditional values and enforced through the Elderly Rights and Protection Law of 1996. However, central government policy is shifting towards new social care initiatives and increased investment in social protection, as outlined in a radically amended version of the 1996 law which will take force from July, 2013.'
Dr Simon Ridley, Head of Research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'We know that dementia is a global problem and it is important to understand more about the risk factors and barriers to diagnosis across different countries. Investigating the social, economic and cultural factors influencing attitudes and access to dementia diagnosis can help shape strategies that could benefit multiple countries across the world.
We must ensure long-term investment for dementia research if we are to improve the lives of millions living with this condition worldwide.'
###
CONTACT
Katya Nasim
International Press Officer
King's College London
Tel: +44 207 848 3840
Email katya.nasim@kcl.ac.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
Interviews available on request (English and Chinese language)
'Determinants for undetected dementia and late-life depression' is published in the British Journal of Psychiatry doi: 10.1192/bjp/bp.112.119354
'Dementia in China: east west collaboration bears fruit' is published in the Lancet doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60770-9
Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading charity specialising in finding preventions, treatments and a cure for dementia. To help us defeat dementia, donate today by visiting http://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org or calling 0300 111 5555. We are currently supporting dementia research projects worth over 20 million in leading Universities across the UK.
About King's College London
King's College London is one of the top 30 universities in the world (2011/12 QS World University Rankings), and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King's has more than 25,000 students (of whom more than 10,000 are graduate students) from nearly 140 countries, and some 6,500 employees. King's is in the second phase of a 1 billion redevelopment programme which is transforming its estate.
King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly 450 million.
King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine, nursing and dentistry) and social sciences including international affairs. It has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA and research that led to the development of radio, television, mobile phones and radar. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe; no university has more Medical Research Council Centres.
King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are part of King's Health Partners. King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering global collaboration between one of the world's leading research-led universities and three of London's most successful NHS Foundation Trusts, including leading teaching hospitals and comprehensive mental health services. For more information, visit: http://www.kingshealthpartners.org.
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NEW YORK ? For the third day in a row, mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn took aim at rival Anthony Weiner, arguing his admission that he continued to send sexual messages to women he met online after he left Congress has become a distraction from real issues in the race for City Hall.
Speaking to reporters at an event where she was touting a plan to expand transportation service around the city, Quinn called the scandal enveloping Weiner?s campaign ?a circus? ? though she again stopped short of suggesting he quit the race.
?It?s sad the mayor?s race has become such a circus,? Quinn declared. ?We really need to have a real race about things that matter to voters. Congressmember Weiner has shown just a pattern of reckless behavior, an inability to tell the truth, and what New Yorkers deserve is a mayor with a record of delivering for them, of vision, and a level of maturity and responsibility. ? I just really want the race to get back to those kind of conversations, and not the circus that we see that is somewhat like 'Groundhog Day' and has been stuck in for quite some time.?
Asked if that is possible if Weiner stays in the race, Quinn replied, ?I believe it is. I believe we have to because that?s the conversation people want to have.?
Quinn?s comments came as Weiner has steadfastly refused to leave the race after his admission this week that he exchanged sexual messages with at least three women after he was forced out of Congress for sexting with women who were not his wife. Speaking at an event in Brooklyn on Thursday, Weiner insisted his behavior was ?in the past? and that he was focused on getting back to serious issues in the race, not a debate over his ?personal failings.?
But while Weiner insisted he would forge on in the race, his campaign scheduled an event on Friday afternoon on Staten Island about post-Superstorm Sandy recovery in a location that is hard to get to by public transportation ? and likely preventing many members of the New York press corps from attending.
On Friday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has steadfastly refused to comment on Weiner?s latest troubles, criticized the media for focusing so much coverage on the ex-lawmaker?s personal drama.
"If we devoted a quarter of the space to, 'Tell us what you'd (do) in the real world, where's the money gonna come from to deliver the things you promised,' the dialogue would be a lot better," Bloomberg said on his weekly radio show, according to Capital New York. "So sure, it takes away.?
Asked about Bloomberg?s comments, Quinn said she wasn?t sure if it was ?useful? to get into a blame game over coverage.
?New Yorkers have real issues, and they deserve to have a mayor that is prepared to work with them to solve the challenges they have, reduce the problems that they have, and they deserve to have a mayor?s race that is focused on them,? Quinn said. ?I think everybody needs to do everything they can to keep the mayor?s race focused on the people that matter, 8.4 million New Yorkers.?
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Name:?Sarah and Sam Challenge:?Sarah and Sam want to add dimension and personality to their family room without compromising the airiness of their space
Meet Sarah, Sam, and their adorable daughters, Rebecca and Abigael. They moved into their home a few years ago, but had too much going on in their hectic lives to finish decorating it. Sarah found herself overwhelmed by the volume of space in her family room, and was afraid to venture beyond beige. For his part, Sam worried that adding color would make this generous room feel smaller. They painted the walls a "safe" beige, but found themselves still wanting more. This summer, Maxwell is teaming up with Glidden??paint to help Sarah and Sam make their family room feel as vibrant and lively as the girls who inhabit it.
Here's what Sarah told us:
This is our first home and we love it. We moved here at a difficult time for us and we haven't been able to spend too much time decorating, although we've talked about it a LOT.?We feel like this room needs color to add dimension, give it a nice vibe, and also because the kids put their little hands all over our walls ;)
Working with Maxwell, Sarah and Sam considered an olive green color for the walls before realizing that blue was already a recurring color in their home, in addition to reflecting the open skies outside their windows. They've focused on three blue hues ? which is your favorite?
In a few days, we'll show you the big reveal. Which color would you pick? Tell us in the comments!
Stay tuned for more Glidden paint Boldest Before and Afters!
The blast occurs on a platform roughly 60 miles off Grand Isle, LouisianaCrew members hit an unexpected pocket of gasA Coast Guard vessel witnesses the blast.(CNN) -- A natural gas platform exploded in the Gulf of Mexico late Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard reported.
Once you take the leap to freelance, you?re committing to a lifestyle, which has its perks, yes, but managing the cash flow can get a little tricky. The Brooklyn Arts Council hosted a health insurance primer for freelancers at the Brooklyn Public Library in Bushwick last Wednesday. For those of you who were tied to a gig, here?s a recap:
In a nutshell:?As of Jan 1, 2014, the Affordable Care Act will require most Americans to have health insurance, or suffer tax penalties. Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage for any reason. If you?re unable to get coverage through an employer, or through an alternative organization, you?ll be able to buy it on the open market on New York State?s new health exchange website as of October 1, 2013. Single people who earn less than $46,000 per year (or $94,200 for a family of four) are eligible for subsidies. Medicaid will also be expanded for minimum wage workers. If income is variable, you can project anticipated income based off your 2013 tax returns, though if you underestimate, you could be penalized. Here are other local groups that offer information and, in some cases, low-cost coverage:
The Actor?s Fund
The Actor?s Fund is a nationwide human services group that helps professionals who work in the field of performing arts and entertainment. They have a Health Insurance Resource Center with a comprehensive website?that details how the upcoming health reforms will effect?freelancers and those who work in the arts. The website includes a booklet called ?Every Artist Insured: Understanding Healthcare Reform,? which explains how to make the most of upcoming reforms, along with a timeline. They also offer free individual counseling in their offices and, for those who qualify, a free city health clinic. Every Thursday from 12:30-1pm at their main office (729 7th Ave.) they offer group tutorials, a seminar with slides and a Q&A where the public can learn more about upcoming healthcare reforms and hear about options for coverage.
Woodhull Medical Center?s Artist Access
Woodhull Medical Center?s Artist Access program is a health-care initiative based at Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center in North Brooklyn. They serve many different kinds of artists including visual, painters, muralists, actors, directors, producers, musicians, puppeteers, writers, etc. Their program offers sliding scale services to those who qualify. Artists can also exchange creative services for healthcare; for every hour worked, they get a $40 credit. Examples include actors who have helped to train physicians on how to break bad news; musicians who play in the hospital; a photographer who photographs newborns, etc. This program offers comprehensive medical services. Immigration status plays no part. For information, call the Artist Access hotline: 877-244-5600.
Freelancer?s Union
Freelancer?s Union is a nonprofit, Brooklyn-based labor organization that offers health insurance, dental, long-term disability and a 401K. It?s free to join, and there are no yearly dues. (For health insurance, you must live in New York State, though if you travel, your benefits are transferable; they use Blue Cross/Blue Shield network). At the time you submit?your application for health insurance, you can?t work 35 hours a week as a W2?employee unless you work for an employment agency, or are hired?for 18 months or less. Eligible industries (also very broad) include: arts, design, entertainment, media, advertising, financial services, nonprofit, technology, domestic childcare, skilled computer user, healthcare provider. You have to submit supporting documents that show that you work in an eligible industry, and that you?ve either made $10,000 in the last six months, or that you?ve worked 20 hours per week for the last 8 weeks. Individual plans range from $225 to $603. (Most plans include the Freelancer?s Medical Program, which is a free primary care clinic in downtown Brooklyn). Freelancer?s Union will also have a plan sold on the open market exchange come Oct. 1.
Other resources
Fractured Atlas Guide to Healthcare, a step-by-step guide that includes a glossary of important lingo, get a quote, and expert help.
NYC Health Insurance Link compares the benefits and costs of NYC health insurance plans.
Artist Help Network, a resource guide to different arts-related organizations that offer health insurance to their members.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) ? For Bartolo Colon, life not only has begun again at 40, it's even sweeter this time around.
Colon pitched a four-hitter for his third shutout this season and center fielder Chris Young robbed Albert Pujols of a home run to help the Oakland Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-0 on Sunday.
"I've been trying to explain it all year and I can't," A's manager Bob Melvin said when asked how Colon is still able to pitch at such a high level in his 16th big league season.
"He's a competitor. He loves to play the game and he loves pitching. He's always in a great mood, and he's in an even better mood on the day he's pitching ? which you very rarely see with starting pitchers. He's just pitching with a lot of confidence, and we have a lot of confidence when he's on the mound."
Eric Sogard hit a two-run homer to back Colon (13-3), who struck out five and walked one. The right-hander, making his first start since returning from his third All-Star game, tied Max Scherzer and Adam Wainwright for the major league lead in wins while reducing his ERA to 2.52.
"It's pretty amazing ? and he was sick today on top of it," Melvin added. "You saw the velocity. It was down all day, so he did it a little bit differently today with more movement and less power ? and he still got it done."
Colon is 10-1 with a 1.46 ERA over his last 12 outings.
"It seems like he's dipped into the fountain of youth," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He's throwing the ball as well as he was 10 years ago, and there's obviously been a resurgence in his career. For a couple of years, it looked like age was catching up with Bart and his velocity wasn't quite there. But he's always had incredible command."
The 116-pitch complete game was Colon's 35th in 395 big league starts, and the shutout was the 12th of his career. Young preserved Oakland's ninth shutout of the year when he pulled back Pujols' bid for his 492nd homer leading off the seventh.
Pujols came up again in the ninth with runners at first and second and took a called third strike before Colon ended it by retiring Josh Hamilton on a fly to left. Melvin went to the mound after Colon gave up one-out singles to J.B. Shuck and Mike Trout, but returned to the dugout without him.
"He's never asked me for anything. Every time I've taken him out of a game when it looked like he could go another inning, he's always been great about it," Melvin said. "But this was the first time he said, 'Give me one more baserunner.'"
Colon, who spent four seasons with the Angels and became the second pitcher in club history to win a Cy Young Award with a career-high 21 wins in 2005, is 5-1 with a 1.62 ERA in eight starts against them since leaving as a free agent in October 2007.
Colon set down the Angels in order in four of the first five innings. The only exception was the third, when he gave up a one-out single by Chris Iannetta and a walk to Erick Aybar before retiring Shuck on a double-play grounder. It was the 96th time that the Angels grounded into a double play, second-most in the majors behind St. Louis' 98.
"Ageless wonder," is how Angels first baseman Mark Trumbo described Colon after going 0 for 3. "He's got a lot of movement on the ball. His pitches all start out at about the same place. You just have to try and gauge where it's going to end up. A lot of times it's off the fist. It's really tough to pick up any spin off his ball. It's a testament that he's able to throw games like this at the age that he is. It's obviously a little more going on than what you might see."
Jerome Williams (5-6) was charged with six runs ? four earned ? and eight hits in five-plus innings. He lost his fourth straight decision since beating Baltimore on June 12.
In his last four starts, the right-hander has allowed 20 earned runs over 13 innings for a 13.85 ERA ? raising his overall figure to 4.73.
Sogard, the No. 9 hitter, had no RBIs in 40 career at-bats against the Angels until he came up in the third and drove a 1-0 pitch into the lower seats in the right-field corner for a 2-0 lead after a leadoff double by Young. It was Sogard's second homer this season and sixth in 392 career at-bats.
The A's extended the margin to 4-0 in the fifth. Sogard singled before designated hitter Coco Crisp bunted for a hit and continued all the way to third on third baseman Alberto Callaspo's throwing error past first base, which allowed Sogard to score from first. Four batters later, Brandon Moss singled home Crisp with two outs.
The A's got two more in the sixth after throwing errors by Iannetta and Trumbo, which increased the Angels' total to an AL-worst 72. Josh Reddick was on the front end of a double steal with Young, and continued home when Iannetta's throw caromed off Reddick and toward the dugout. Young scored when Trumbo charged Crisp's slow bouncer to first and threw wildly past Iannetta at the plate.
NOTES: Home Run Derby champion Yoenis Cespedes missed his third straight game because of a sore left wrist. "Until he actually gets in the batting cage and swings freely and then gets in there for batting practice, he won't play," Melvin said. "I'd doubt tomorrow. We want to make sure he gets in swings on the field." ... Colon is 8-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his last nine starts against AL West teams, a stretch that began with a 10-4 win over the Angels last Aug. 7 at Oakland. ... RHP Tommy Hanson, who hasn't pitched for the Angels since June 20 because of a forearm strain, is slated to come off the disabled list Tuesday and start against Minnesota. ... Crisp has gone 82 at-bats without an extra-base hit since his solo homer on June 21 at Seattle against Hisashi Iwakuma. ... The Angels were 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position during the three-game series. ... Trout extended his hitting streak to a career-best 13 games.
British Prime Minister David Cameron speaks with BBC journalist Andrew Marr during a televised interview in the garden of 10 Downing Street in London.
LONDON ? British Prime Minister David Cameron challenged the Internet search engine providers Google, Yahoo and Bing on Sunday to block images of child abuse, calling for more action against online pornography.
In a television interview, Cameron said search engines must block results for searches using blacklisted keywords to stop Internet users accessing illegal images.
Evidence in two recent high-profile child murders in Britain has shown that the killers accessed online child pornography. Although search companies have pledged to help remove images from the Internet, Cameron says he wants them to go further.
"I have a very clear message for Google, Bing, Yahoo and the rest. You have a duty to act on this ? and it is a moral duty," Cameron was due to say in a speech on Monday, according to an advance text. He demanded that the companies report back to him in October on their progress.
Cameron also said the government was ready to introduce new laws if search engine providers did not offer enough cooperation.
Last week, U.S. authorities said they had arrested 255 people suspected of sexually exploiting children online in a cross-border operation involving eight other countries.
In June, Google donated $5 million to global child protection organizations to combat the problem. "We have a zero tolerance attitude to child sexual abuse imagery. Whenever we discover it, we respond quickly to remove and report it," a Google representative said.
Bing, owned by Microsoft, said that it would support education and deterrence campaigns and that it was working with the British government to determine the best industry-wide approach to tackle illegal content.
Late last week Google reported its Q2 results. If you?ve been reading any of the financial headlines then I couldn?t blame you for thinking the latest set of financial results was troubling. The traditional tech and financial media is ripe with stories about how the Mountain View search giant missed revenue estimates, fell short on earnings and is seeing pressure on the price per click it charges advertisers.
As is often the case in financial reporting, the headlines don?t match reality. If you happen to be a shareholder (as I am) then you can rest assured Google is chugging along just fine. Android users need not worry, as the mothership is poised to make more money than ever before, ensuring lots more awesome product development.
The quick numbers: Google brought in $14.1 billion in quarterly revenue, and this includes Motorola, which was acquired in 2012. Wall Street was expecting Google to bring in $14.4 billion, so the top line was mildly disappointing. But here?s what most headlines miss: Google is primarily an advertising company that cares about long-term quality. Sometimes it changes its policies and kicks some lousy advertising to the curb. That?s what it did in Q2, forcing some advertising partners to either comply with the new rules or leave. Google does this semi-regularly, and it has a small effect on revenue for the quarter.?
(At close on Monday, Google had nearly made up what it lost in that little hissy fit?late last week.)
Excluding Motorola, Google still grew 20 percent year over year. That?s nothing to complain about and shows that, despite Google?s size, there seems to be much growth left in the company.
But what about the bottom line? Wall Street didn?t like how earnings per share came in at $9.56 instead of the $10.78 analysts expected. Of course, analyst expectations are based on guesses. Google doesn?t offer detailed guidance, and in the case of Q2 it looks like analysts misread how much the company would ratchet up spending on new projects. So the earnings miss was not the result of a weakness in the core business, or increased competition. No, it was all due to expenses rising faster than revenue, and these expenses are really investments in the company?s future. As a technology geek and investor, this is what I want Google to do. Anything else would be akin to playing it safe and becoming a boring company. No thanks. Give me the bets on future growth instead.
As for Android ??it seems pretty clear that the numbers are market-leading and bound to stay that way for a long time. Google is activating 1.5 million Android devices every single day and estimates there are now 900 million devices in use. That?s ridiculously huge compared to any other platform. For perspective, when Apple launched the iPhone5, it has sold a total of 500 million iOS devices to date. As much as I love what Apple is doing, their volume won?t keep up with global Android volume as long as they stick with a premium pricing strategy.
The only part of Google I?m not crazy about is the investment in Motorola. The hardware business is still bleeding cash (it lost $218 million last quarter) and as long as Google is going to heavily court hardware partners, I don?t really see why it wanst to be in this business. But as an investor, I don?t care too much. The net $10 billion investment Google made in Motorola (after factoring out the sale of part of the business) represents about 3 percent of the company?s market value. Hardly something to worry about, wouldn?t you say?
Alex Wilhelm is turning 24 today, but he’s been writing about tech since his sophomore year of college. So he’s joining us now with four solid years at The Next Web, where he wrote about Microsoft, finance, tech policy and the broad range of startups that have helped defined this era. He’ll continue writing on those same topics, and will also be focusing on monetization on mobile, and the changing nature of online software business models. It’s worth adding that Alex has become a bit of a monster on Twitter, regularly pumping out a flood of at-replies to anyone who comes near… including to the official accounts of large content sites like The Huffington Post and Buzzfeed*. This is fine by us. In fact, since TechCrunch is such a freewheeling place anyway, we expect him to really start going to town here, like so many others have before him. Please wish our newest TechCrunch writer a happy birthday and warm welcome. (Check out?these?tumblrs?somebody made of him at-replying, if you dare. Also, the obligatory disclosure about us having a parent company in common with HuffPo.) (In a less obvious disclosure, he and I both grew up in Corvallis, Oregon, although we went to rival high schools and were years apart — in fact we have no friends in common back home. This brings the total number of TechCrunch staffers from or based in Oregon to 5. Whoo!). Photo by Spencer Chen.?