Geovanny Vicente – Página 383

EPRI and Industry Will Use New Grant to Help New York State Reach Zero-Emission Electricity by 2040

PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), along with Schneider Electric, General Electric, and Smarter Grid Solutions, received a $2.2 million award to develop a distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) to mitigate potential issues caused by integrating distributed energy resources (DER) with the electric grid.

…

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) awarded the funding through its Smart Grid Innovation program, as part of New York State’s overall strategy to achieve Governor Cuomo’s goal of a zero emission electricity sector by 2040. The project includes a pilot program deployed with Central Hudson Gas & Electric to develop and demonstrate a scalable system that enables a large quantity of DER to be integrated into transmission and distribution systems.

«EPRI is proud to spearhead this effort to develop a control framework for utilities to manage challenges brought on by integrating high amounts of DER,» said Daniel Brooks, EPRI’s Vice President of Integrated Grid and Energy Systems. «EPRI is implementing this critical pilot program, and we are developing the requirements for technologies and protocols for DERMS to communicate with DER successfully and securely.»

Research seeks to address potential challenges to integrating more DER into the electric grid, such power quality challenges, overload to distribution and transmission grid components, and over-voltages. The project will also demonstrate how DERMS can be integrated with existing utility back office systems. The results will help utilities integrate higher capacities of renewable energy resources while ensuring reliable, safe, and affordable power to customers.

«As we work to implement Governor Cuomo’s nation-leading goals, collaborative solution-based projects like this are helping New York State to advance technology needed to ensure that the electric grid has the capacity to integrate and deploy clean energy in a safe and cost-effective way,» said John Lochner, NYSERDA’s Vice President of Innovation. «We are eager to learn from this research project and pilot program to further inform efforts as we ramp-up renewable energy distribution across the State.»

The three companies—Schneider Electric, General Electric, and Smarter Grid Solutions—offer insights into operating experiences and best practices with DERMS, distribution management systems, and energy management systems. These diverse experiences will allow for the project’s combined results to provide a broad range of lessons for DER and grid management across the entire power industry while providing specific results for Central Hudson Gas & Electric.

«We’re at an exciting and critical moment as we work toward achieving New York State’s ambitious clean energy goals,» said Ryan Hawthorne, Assistant Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations at Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation. «This research initiative will help overcome potential challenges with DER while also ensuring the quality and reliability of service that our customers expect.»

New York’s aggressive decarbonization goals and statewide scale-up of renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar, require increasing the existing electric grid’s capabilities while reducing distribution costs to the consumer and reducing the need for system upgrades.

EPRI is leading the industry on DERMS research and development (R&D) through thought leadership initiatives like the DERMS Interest group and the TSO/DSO coordination working group for DER Management. Through these activities, EPRI continues to serve utilities, ISOs and technology providers by developing well-vetted, consensus requirements for DERMS that are widely used by the industry.

EPRI will extend participation in this initiative to other utilities with the introduction of a new supplemental project designed to help set a repeatable framework for utilities to handle operational challenges of integrating DER actively using the new DERMS technology. For more information, visit www.epri.com/research/sectors/pdu.

About EPRI
The Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. (EPRI, www.epri.com) is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization, that conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public, on a non-discriminatory basis. An independent organization, EPRI brings together its scientists and engineers as well as experts from academia and industry to help address challenges in electricity, including reliability, efficiency, health, safety and the environment. EPRI’s members represent more than 90 percent of the electricity generated and delivered in the United States, and international participation extends to nearly 40 countries. EPRI’s principal offices and laboratories are located in Palo Alto, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Lenox, Mass.

Contact:
Tim Leljedal
Electric Power Research Institute
980-229-5964
tleljedal@epri.com

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/epri-and-industry-will-use-new-grant-to-help-new-york-state-reach-zero-emission-electricity-by-2040-301195480.html

SOURCE Electric Power Research Institute

Report: NYC Business Leaders Must Take 4 Critical Steps to Help Lead City’s Economic Recovery

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — New York City’s business community should take four critical steps to help shrink the gap to a full post-pandemic recovery for New York. Taking such actions would also position the city to quickly take advantage of public health breakthroughs, including the coming vaccines, says a new <a target="_blank"…

The new report – prepared by CED’s NYC Reopening Task Force – stresses that New York’s business leaders have the voice and expertise to help guide and strengthen the region’s response. While New York’s successful mitigation efforts have limited the spread of COVID-19 infections, this progress remains fragile, especially with the country as a whole experiencing the biggest wave of infections yet.

«In past crises facing the region, New York City’s business leaders have stepped forward to promote the city, commit to its future strength, and guide it to recovery and renewal,» said CED President Lori Esposito Murray. «They must do so now, more than ever, to restore New York City as an economic engine – the nation’s commercial, entertainment, and cultural center – and a critical component of, and catalyst for, national competitiveness.»

New York’s business leaders should take four steps to assist with the ongoing COVID-19 response; specifically, they should:

Promote public health and related communications by joining with other civic actors to rally New Yorkers to follow public health best practices. That includes advocating for making necessary and ongoing sacrifices like wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and avoiding large gatherings to stop the spread of the virus. Business leaders must ensure that their companies’ work environments are safe, enabling workers to return to the job in-person.
Advocate for prioritizing public investment in economic opportunity, including reliable schools and childcare services, universal broadband access, and safe public transportation options. The pandemic’s economic impacts have hit lower- and middle-income New Yorkers especially hard. Ensuring access to these critical services will ameliorate that imbalance, putting the entire metro area on more solid economic footing.
Support aid for small businesses, including additional tax incentives and loan guarantees to help the small businesses most impacted by COVID-19. Failures of otherwise viable businesses solely because of temporary shocks create economic drag and can even trigger a «domino effect,» which hurts still more otherwise sound small businesses.
Advocate for regulatory flexibility to help businesses innovate and adapt to the pandemic, allowing them to obviate the risk and operate safely.

Read the new report, Business Leaders Should Act to Advance New York’s COVID-19 Response.

About CED
The Committee for Economic Development is the Public Policy Center of The Conference Board that delivers well-researched analysis, and non-partisan, reasoned solutions in the nation’s interest. www.ced.org

About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers trusted insights for what’s ahead. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/report-nyc-business-leaders-must-take-4-critical-steps-to-help-lead-citys-economic-recovery-301195477.html

SOURCE Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board (CED)

Report: As Social Challenges Intensify Due to COVID-19, Companies Can Help Through Disaster Response Programs

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ –A new report by The Conference Board outlines how companies can strengthen their philanthropy programs to respond to natural disasters – from the COVID-19 pandemic to hurricanes, earthquakes, and fires. Among the findings, companies are shifting their resources from disaster relief to preparedness. As they do so, companies have an opportunity to mitigate the disparate impact that natural disasters have on disadvantaged communities.

<div…

These findings and more are from Disaster Philanthropy Practices: 2020 Edition. The report presents findings from a survey of more than 100 corporate citizenship professionals and draws upon additional research conducted by The Conference Board.

Select findings from the new report include:

While most funding is allocated to relief, many companies are prioritizing disaster preparedness.

While relief continues to be the response of choice for companies, preparedness now ranks second, moving up from fourth in the 2019 edition of this report.

«Looking ahead, we expect the transition from relief to preparedness to accelerate,» said Robert Schwarz, Senior Researcher at The Conference Board ESG Center. «This shift is being driven by the increased frequency, intensity, and magnitude of natural disasters, along with companies seeing that preparedness can be more cost efficient than relief.»

Companies’ involvement in disaster philanthropy is mainly driven by their commitment to corporate citizenship and local communities. Those priorities were cited by 61 percent of respondents.

By comparison, 19 percent said their company’s involvement in disaster philanthropy is driven by an expectation set by their CEO and/or business units.
Just 12 percent view it as an expectation set by their employees.

«Much like Hurricane Katrina 15 years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic has—on a much larger scale—highlighted the disparate impact that natural disasters can have,» said Paul Washington, Executive Director of The Conference Board ESG Center. «Companies should consider incorporating an assessment of the impact a disaster has on disadvantaged populations into their disaster response protocols. They should also consider how they can partner with local organizations devoted to economic, health, and racial equality in planning for, and responding to, natural disasters.»

Due to COVID-19 related restrictions, much of the workforce will likely continue volunteering virtually for an extended period.

Many companies have been or are transitioning to virtual volunteering. However, research from The Conference Board shows that opportunities are insufficient to meet employee demand, especially when it comes to skills-based programs.
Companies will want to continue to innovate in response to these challenges, including developing more skills-based virtual volunteering programs that align employees’ areas of expertise with nonprofit/NGO partners and other entities dedicated to responding to disasters.

«Virtual volunteering programs can be designed to enable employees to help not just with immediate relief efforts, but also with the other phases of disaster preparedness, recovery, and rebuilding,» noted Jeff Hoffman, Leader of The Conference Board Corporate Citizenship & Philanthropy Institute. «Virtual volunteering not only supports the shift of corporate disaster philanthropy toward preparedness, but also enables more employees to volunteer, deepens the company’s involvement in disaster philanthropy on an ongoing (not just periodic) basis, and increases the impact of the company’s efforts.»

An increasing number of companies will likely seek to collaborate more with each other, given the challenges disaster response programs are facing – especially during this pandemic.

The skills, expertise, and capacity that multiple partners bring can increase the scale and scope of any individual company’s response. The case for such collaboration is strengthened by the increased frequency and severity of natural disasters, and it can go hand-in-hand with the shift toward disaster preparedness.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/report-as-social-challenges-intensify-due-to-covid-19-companies-can-help-through-disaster-response-programs-301195417.html

SOURCE The Conference Board

Subvención de $10 millones de exact sciences para apoyar la iniciativa de Unidos Contra El Cáncer para mejorar la detección y prevención de cáncer colorrectal

NUEVA YORK, 17 de diciembre de 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Hoy Unidos Contra El Cáncer® (Stand Up To Cancer, SU2C) dio a conocer una iniciativa de colaboración destinada a mejorar los exámenes revisión del cáncer colorrectal, su detección temprana y su prevención en los Estados Unidos. La transformadora subvención de $10 millones de Exact Sciences, un proveedor de pruebas de detección y diagnóstico de cáncer, financiará un «equipo de ensueño» de investigadores del cáncer…

El nuevo equipo de ensueño recibirá la subvención a principios de 2021 e identificará las comunidades cercanas a instituciones ancla que prestan servicios a las minorías y a las comunidades menos favorecidas desde el punto de vista médico, determinará las necesidades locales únicas de esas áreas y convertirá a las comunidades participantes en riesgo en «Zonas de Unidos Contra El Cáncer» con altas tasas de detección de cáncer colorrectal. El equipo de ensueño proporcionará pruebas gratuitas de detección de cáncer colorrectal en las zonas identificadas y estudiará las muestras obtenidas a través de pruebas aprobadas para el cáncer colorrectal, que incluyen colonoscopia, colonografía por tomografía computarizada, sigmoidoscopia flexible y pruebas de heces en el hogar que analizan el ADN y/o la sangre en heces. La investigación tendrá como objetivo desarrollar mejores enfoques para interceptar el cáncer colorrectal.

También se financiarán becas para investigadores en las primeras etapas de su carrera que se comprometan a estudiar las igualdades y desigualdades en la salud con respecto al cáncer colorrectal. Las campañas de concientización pública se centrarán en las comunidades menos favorecidas desde el punto de vista médico para aumentar la concientización sobre la importancia de los exámenes de detección de cáncer colorrectal y la detección temprana, y la disponibilidad de múltiples opciones eficaces de detección, como la colonoscopia tradicional, así como las opciones utilizadas en el hogar.

«Este financiamiento nos permite reunir instituciones, médicos y comunidades para abordar los desafíos que enfrentamos en la detección del cáncer colorrectal», dijo el premio Nobel Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, presidente del Comité de Asesoría Científica de Unidos Contra El Cáncer y profesor del Instituto David H. Koch para la Investigación Integral del Cáncer en Massachusetts Institute of Technology. «Debido a la pandemia de COVID-19, es más importante que nunca asegurarse de que las personas estén informadas sobre los beneficios de la detección del cáncer colorrectal y sus opciones».

«Estamos entusiasmados de trabajar con Unidos Contra El Cáncer en esta nueva y audaz iniciativa», dijo Kevin Conroy, Presidente y Director Ejecutivo de Exact Sciences. «Queremos cambiar la forma en que las personas ven los exámenes de detección del cáncer colorrectal. Esta colaboración hará avanzar la investigación de vanguardia y los esfuerzos de educación para que podamos ayudar a más personas».

Este año, casi 148,000 estadounidenses recibirán un nuevo diagnóstico de cáncer de colon o recto.[i] El cáncer colorrectal es tratable en el 90 % de los casos cuando se detecta a tiempo,[ii] sin embargo 1 de cada 3 adultos mayores de 50 años no están al día con las pruebas de detección de cáncer colorrectal recomendadas.[iii] La pandemia de COVID-19 ha agravado aún más el problema, ya que las tasas de detección han disminuido significativamente debido a las órdenes de quedarse en casa. Por ejemplo, la cantidad total de colonoscopias y biopsias realizadas disminuyó en casi un 90% para mediados de abril de 2020 en comparación con abril de 2019.[iv] Al mismo tiempo, se están produciendo nuevos casos de cáncer colorrectal a un ritmo creciente entre los adultos jóvenes y de mediana edad en los EE. UU., y se espera que la cantidad de casos de cáncer colorrectal en personas menores de 50 años casi se duplique para 2030.[v] La enfermedad afecta de manera desproporcionada a las personas de color; las personas negras tienen las tasas más altas de cáncer colorrectal de cualquier grupo racial o étnico en los EE. UU.[vi] En octubre de 2020, el Grupo de Trabajo de Servicios Preventivos de los EE. UU. publicó una recomendación preliminar para reducir la edad de los exámenes de detección de cáncer colorrectal de 50 a 45 años,[vii] pero sigue siendo vital educar al público sobre los beneficios de los exámenes de detección, así como sobre las opciones de exámenes de detección.

«Queremos que las personas comprendan que esta enfermedad es altamente prevenible y que una prueba simple puede salvar vidas», dijo Sung Poblete, PhD, RN y Directora Ejecutiva de Unidos Contra El Cáncer. «Cuando se trata de la detección del cáncer colorrectal, la mejor prueba es la que se realiza. Las personas siempre se beneficiarán de opciones de atención médica sencillas y accesibles, y la atención preventiva en el hogar es particularmente vital para mantener a las personas saludables durante la pandemia. Junto con Exact Sciences, haremos que este mensaje sea masivo y esperamos que otros colaboradores, como proveedores de atención médica, líderes comunitarios y grupos de defensa, se unan a nosotros para adoptar una postura contra el cáncer colorrectal».

Las investigaciones han demostrado que las tasas de detección de cáncer colorrectal son las más bajas en las comunidades hispanas, con un 59 % de hispanos que se realizan la prueba de detección, en comparación con el 66 % de las personas negras y el 69 % de las personas blancas que se realizan la prueba de detección.[viii] Las personas negras e hispanas generalmente reciben un diagnóstico en una etapa posterior de la enfermedad, cuando es más difícil de tratar. Estas desigualdades podrían deberse a las barreras económicas, la falta de seguro, las desigualdades existentes en materia de salud y la falta de información sobre el cáncer colorrectal y las opciones de detección del cáncer colorrectal.

Unidos Contra El Cáncer, junto con Exact Sciences, planea interactuar con otros colaboradores para ayudar a llegar a las comunidades menos favorecidas, fomentar la investigación científica y guiar la participación pública. El enfoque múltiple tiene como objetivo garantizar que el cáncer colorrectal siga siendo una enfermedad tratable y de la que se pueda sobrevivir a través de exámenes de detección generalizados y detección temprana.

Unidos Contra El Cáncer anunció una iniciativa de igualdad en salud en enero de 2020. La iniciativa requiere que todos los futuros equipos que busquen financiación de Unidos Contra El Cáncer se ocupen del reclutamiento y la retención de pacientes de diferentes grupos étnicos y raciales y de comunidades menos favorecidas para mejorar la participación diversa en los ensayos clínicos sobre el cáncer. La iniciativa también incluye colaboraciones con grupos de defensa y patrocinadores de la industria y corporativos para hacer avanzar los esfuerzos de investigación y concientización pública. La nueva subvención de Exact Sciences es el siguiente paso crucial en el movimiento de Unidos Contra El Cáncer para garantizar que la investigación, la detección y el tratamiento del cáncer beneficien a todos.

Acerca de Unidos Contra El Cáncer
Unidos Contra El Cáncer recauda fondos para acelerar el ritmo de la investigación para llevar rápidamente a los pacientes nuevas terapias y salvar vidas ahora. Unidos Contra el Cáncer, es una división de Entertainment Industry Foundation, una organización caritativa 501(c)(3), y fue establecida en 2008 por líderes del sector de medios y entretenimiento que utilizan los recursos de estas comunidades para involucrar al público en el apoyo a un nuevo modelo colaborativo de investigación sobre el cáncer, aumentar la conciencia sobre la prevención del cáncer y resaltar el progreso que se está logrando en la lucha contra la enfermedad. Al mes de agosto de 2020, más de 1,950 científicos que representan a más de 210 instituciones participan en proyectos de investigación financiados por Unidos Contra el Cáncer.

Bajo la dirección de nuestro Comité de Asesoría Científica, dirigido por el premio Nobel Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., Unidos Contra el Cáncer trabaja para implementar procesos de revisión rigurosos y competitivos destinados a identificar las mejores propuestas de investigación que serán recomendadas como candidatas de financiación, supervisar la administración de las subvenciones y verificar que exista un trabajo colaborativo entre los diferentes programas de investigación.

Los miembros actuales del Consejo de Fundadores y Asesores (Council of Founders and Advisors, CFA) de Unidos Contra el Cáncer incluyen a Katie Couric, Sherry Lansing, Kathleen Lobb, Lisa Paulsen, Rusty Robertson, Sue Schwartz, Pamela Oas Williams y Ellen Ziffren. Laura Ziskin y Noreen Fraser, ya fallecidas, son también cofundadoras. La Dra. Sung Poblete, PhD, R.N., se desempeña como Directora Ejecutiva de Unidos Contra el Cáncer. Para obtener más información, visite unidoscontraelcancer.org.

Acerca de Exact Sciences Corp.
Como proveedor de pruebas de detección y diagnóstico de cáncer, Exact Sciences busca soluciones que proporcionen la información para tomar medidas que cambien la vida, de manera temprana. Exact Sciences está invirtiendo en su línea de productos para combatir algunos de los cánceres más mortales y mejorar la atención de los pacientes. Exact Sciences une a colaboradores para ayudar a avanzar en la lucha contra el cáncer. Para obtener más información, visite el sitio web de la compañía en www.exactsciences.com, siga Exact Sciences en Twitter @ExactSciences o encuentre Exact Sciences en Facebook.

ⁱ American Cancer Society. Datos y cifras de 2020-2022 sobre el cáncer colorrectal. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2020.
ⁱⁱ Colon Cancer Coalition. Opciones de exámenes de detección de cáncer colorrectal. https://coloncancercoalition.org/get-educated/get-screened/colon-cancer-screening-options/ Consultado el 10 de diciembre de 2020
ⁱⁱⁱCentros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. Las tasas de detección de cáncer colorrectal siguen siendo bajas.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p1105-colorectal-cancer-screening.html
Consultado el 10 de diciembre de 2020
^iv Londres JW, et al. Efectos de la pandemia de COVID-19 en los encuentros con pacientes relacionados con el cáncer. JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics. Publicado en línea el 27 de julio de 2020. DOI: 10.1200.CCI.20.00068.
^v Bailey CE; et al. Aumento de las disparidades en la incidencia del cáncer de colon y recto relacionado con la edad en los Estados Unidos, 1975-2010. JAMA Surg. 2015;150(1):17-22.
^vi American Cancer Society. Datos y cifras de 2020-2022 sobre el cáncer colorrectal. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2020.
^vii USPSTF (United States Pharmacopeia, Farmacopea de los Estados Unidos). Declaración de recomendación preliminar sobre el cáncer colorrectal: detección. 27 de octubre de 2020. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/draft-recommendation/colorectal-cancer-screening3. Consultado el 5 de diciembre de 2020
^viii American Cancer Society. Datos y cifras de 2020-2022 sobre el cáncer colorrectal. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2020.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1388006/SU2C_Spanish_Exact_Sciences_Logo.jpg

FUENTE Stand Up To Cancer; Unidos Contra El Cáncer

$10 Million Grant From Exact Sciences To Support Stand Up To Cancer Initiative To Improve Colorectal Cancer Screening And Prevention

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Today Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) unveiled a collaborative initiative aimed at improving colorectal cancer screening, early detection and prevention across the United States. The transformative $10 million grant from Exact Sciences, a provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, will fund a colorectal cancer ‘Dream Team’ of researchers, as well as a comprehensive public…

The new Dream Team will be awarded in early 2021 and will identify communities near anchor institutions that serve minority and medically underserved communities, pinpoint the unique local needs of those areas and turn participating at-risk communities into «Stand Up To Cancer Zones» with high rates of colorectal cancer screening. The Dream Team will provide free colorectal cancer testing in the identified zones and will study samples collected via approved tests for colorectal cancer, including colonoscopy, CT colonography, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and at-home stool tests that analyze fecal DNA and/or blood. The research will aim to develop better approaches to colorectal cancer interception.

Fellowships for early-career investigators committed to studying health equity and disparities in colorectal cancer will also be funded. Public awareness campaigns will focus on medically underserved communities to increase awareness of the importance of colorectal cancer screening and early detection, and the availability of multiple effective screening options, such as traditional colonoscopy as well as options used at home.

«This funding allows us to bring together institutions, clinicians and communities to address the challenges we face in colorectal cancer screening,» said Nobel laureate Phillip A. Sharp, PhD, chair of Stand Up To Cancer’s Scientific Advisory Committee and an Institute professor at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. «Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever to make sure people are informed about both the benefits of colorectal cancer screening and their options.»

«We’re excited to work with Stand Up To Cancer on this bold new initiative,» said Kevin Conroy, chairman and CEO of Exact Sciences. «We want to change the way people think about colorectal cancer screening. This collaboration will move cutting-edge research and education efforts forward so we can help more people.»

This year, nearly 148,000 Americans will receive a new diagnosis of colon or rectal cancer.ⁱ Colorectal cancer is treatable in 90% of cases when detected early,ⁱⁱ yet 1 in 3 adults over age 50 are not up-to-date on recommended colorectal cancer screening.ⁱⁱⁱThe COVID-19 pandemic has further compounded the problem with screening rates dropping significantly due to stay-at-home orders. For example, the total number of colonoscopies and biopsies performed declined by nearly 90% by mid-April 2020 compared to April 2019.^iv Concurrently, new cases of colorectal cancer are occurring at a growing rate among young and middle-aged adults in the US, with the number of cases of colorectal cancer in people under 50 expected to almost double by 2030.^v The disease disproportionately impacts people of color; Black people have the highest rates of colorectal cancer of any racial or ethnic group in the US.^vi In October 2020, the US Preventive Services Task Force released a draft recommendation to lower the colorectal cancer screening age from 50 to 45,^vii but educating the public about the benefits of screening, as well as screening options, remains vital.

«We want people to understand that this disease is highly preventable and that a simple test can save lives,» said Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, CEO of Stand Up To Cancer. «When it comes to screening for colorectal cancer, the best test is the test that gets done. People will always benefit from simple and accessible healthcare options, and at-home preventive care is particularly vital to keeping people healthy during the pandemic. Together with Exact Sciences, we’re going to make this message mainstream and our hope is that other collaborators, such as healthcare providers, community leaders and advocacy groups, will join us in taking a stand against colorectal cancer.»

Research has shown that colorectal cancer screening rates are the lowest in Hispanic communities, with 59% of Hispanics getting screened, compared to 66% of Black people and 69% of white people getting screened.^viii Black and Hispanic people are typically diagnosed at a later stage in the disease when it is more difficult to treat. These disparities could be driven by financial barriers, lack of insurance, existing health inequities and insufficient information about colorectal cancer and colorectal cancer screening options.

SU2C, along with Exact Sciences, plans to engage with other collaborators to help reach the underserved communities, foster scientific research and guide public participation. The multi-pronged approach intends to ensure that colorectal cancer remains a disease that is treatable and survivable through widespread screening and early detection.

SU2C announced a Health Equity Initiative in January 2020. The initiative requires all future teams seeking Stand Up To Cancer funding to address recruitment and retention of patients from different ethnic and racial groups and underserved communities to improve diverse participation in cancer clinical trials. The initiative also includes collaborations with advocacy groups and industry and corporate supporters to move research and public awareness efforts forward. The new grant from Exact Sciences is the next critical step in SU2C’s movement to ensure cancer research, screening and treatment benefit everyone.

About Stand Up To Cancer
Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C, a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was established in 2008 by media and entertainment leaders who utilize these communities’ resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, to increase awareness about cancer prevention, and to highlight progress being made in the fight against the disease. As of August 2020, more than 1,950 scientists representing more than 210 institutions are involved in SU2C-funded research projects.

Under the direction of our Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., SU2C operates rigorous competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration, and ensure collaboration across research programs.

Current members of the SU2C Council of Founders and Advisors (CFA) include Katie Couric, Sherry Lansing, Kathleen Lobb, Lisa Paulsen, Rusty Robertson, Sue Schwartz, Pamela Oas Williams, and Ellen Ziffren. The late Laura Ziskin and the late Noreen Fraser are also co-founders. Sung Poblete, Ph.D., R.N., serves as SU2C’s CEO. For more information, visit StandUpToCancer.org.

About Exact Sciences Corp.
A provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, Exact Sciences pursues solutions providing the information to take life-changing action, earlier. Exact Sciences is investing in its product pipeline to take on some of the deadliest cancers and improve patient care. Exact Sciences unites collaborators to help advance the fight against cancer. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.exactsciences.com, follow Exact Sciences on Twitter @ExactSciences, or find Exact Sciences on Facebook.

ⁱ American Cancer Society. Colorectal Cancer Facts & Figures 2020-2022. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2020.
ⁱⁱ Colon Cancer Coalition. Colorectal Cancer Screening Options.
https://coloncancercoalition.org/get-educated/get-screened/colon-cancer-screening-options/
Accessed December 10, 2020
ⁱⁱⁱ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Colorectal cancer screening rates remain low. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p1105-colorectal-cancer-screening.html
Accessed December 10, 2020
^ivLondon JW, et al. Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer-related patient encounters. JCO Clin Cancer Inform. Published online July 27, 2020. doi: 10.1200.CCI.20.00068.
^vBailey CE; et al. Increasing disparities in age-related incidence of colon and rectal cancer in the United States, 1975-2010. JAMA Surg. 2015;150(1):17-22.
^viAmerican Cancer Society. Colorectal Cancer Facts & Figures 2020-2022. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2020.
^vii USPSTF. Draft Recommendation Statement Colorectal Cancer: Screening. October 27, 2020. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/draft-recommendation/colorectal-cancer-screening3. Accessed December 5, 2020
^viii American Cancer Society. Colorectal Cancer Facts & Figures 2020-2022. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2020.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1387747/SU2C_Exact_Sciences_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Stand Up To Cancer; Unidos Contra El Cáncer

$10 Million Grant From Exact Sciences To Support Stand Up To Cancer Initiative To Improve Colorectal Cancer Screening And Prevention

NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Today Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) unveiled a collaborative initiative aimed at improving colorectal cancer screening, early detection and prevention across the United States. The transformative $10 million grant from Exact Sciences, a provider of cancer screening and diagnostic tests, will fund a colorectal cancer ‘Dream Team’ of researchers, as well as a comprehensive public awareness campaign to…

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/10-million-grant-from-exact-sciences-to-support-stand-up-to-cancer-initiative-to-improve-colorectal-cancer-screening-and-prevention-301194743.html

SOURCE Stand Up To Cancer; Unidos Contra El Cáncer

InventHelp Inventors Develop Modified Toilet to Help Conserve Water (LAX-1219)

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — «We wanted to create an improved toilet design to prevent men from wasting water when urinating,» said one of two inventors, from Ventura, Calif., «so we invented the WATER SAVER DUAL TOILET. Our design helps to save water.»

<a href="https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/634035/InventHelp_Logo.html" target="_blank"…

The invention provides an effective way to conserve water when using a toilet. In doing so, it offers an alternative to conventional toilet designs. As a result, it increases efficiency and it could help to reduce the associated water bills. The invention features an environmentally-friendly design that is easy to install and use so it is ideal for households. Additionally, a prototype model is available upon request.

The original design was submitted to the Los Angeles sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 19-LAX-1219, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp’s Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inventhelp-inventors-develop-modified-toilet-to-help-conserve-water-lax-1219-301191893.html

SOURCE InventHelp

Low rates, flexibility to work from home drives California home-buying interest to levels not seen since the last decade, C.A.R. reports

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Defying an otherwise struggling economy, California home sales remained red hot in November, breaking the 500,000 sales benchmark for the first time since January 2009 and reaching the highest level in 15 years, the <a target="_blank"…

Infographic: https://www.car.org/marketing/clients/infographics/2020-11%20Sales%20and%20Price

Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 508,820 units in November, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local REALTOR^®associations and MLSs statewide. The statewide annualized sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2020 if sales maintained the November pace throughout the year. It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.

November sales rose 5.0 percent from 484,510 in October and were up 26.3 percent from a year ago, when 402,880 homes were sold on an annualized basis. The year-over-year, double-digit sales gain was the fourth consecutive and the largest yearly gain since May 2009.

«Home-buying interest is at levels that we have not seen for years, setting the stage for a stronger-than-expected comeback that fully recovered all the sales that the market lost in the first half of the year due to the pandemic,» said 2021 C.A.R. President Dave Walsh, vice president and manager of the Compass San Jose office. «Housing supply remains an issue, however, as we will likely to see a shortage of homes for sale in the near term, which will put upward pressure on prices and dampen affordability for those who haven’t been able to take advantage of low rates.»

After breaking the $700,000 benchmark for the past three months, California’s median home price dipped 1.7 percent on a month-to-month basis to $$699,000 in November, down from October’s $711,300. Home prices, however, continued to gain on a year-over-year basis with the statewide median price surging 18.5 percent from $589,770 recorded last November. The double-digit increase from last year was the fourth in a row and the highest 12-month gain since February 2014. The gain was also higher than the six-month average of 9.7 percent observed between May 2020 and October 2020.

«California’s housing market continues to be the bright spot in the economy, but the direction and pace of the recovery will hinge on the coronavirus pandemic and the distribution of the vaccine in the coming months,» said C.A.R. Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young. «The rise in COVID-19 cases and tighter constraints on economic activity recently imposed will likely have implications for the housing market as renters and homeowners face adverse impacts to their incomes, which is why Congress should pass additional relief for renters, homeowners, and workers as soon as possible.»

Perhaps due to rising cases of the Coronavirus, fewer consumers said it is a good time to sell in December, according to C.A.R.’s monthly Consumer Housing Sentiment Index. Conducted in earlier this month, the poll found that 55 percent of consumers said it is a good time to sell, down from 59 percent a month ago, but up from 51 percent a year ago. Meanwhile, low interest rates continue to fuel the optimism for homebuying; just over one-fourth (27 percent) of the consumers who responded to the poll believed that now is a good time to buy a home, up from last year, when 24 percent said it was a good time to buy a home.

Other key points from C.A.R.’s November 2020 resale housing report include:

At the regional level, sales continued to increase by double-digits in most major regions in November, at a year-over-year growth rate of more than 18 percent in all but the Far North. The San Francisco Bay Area had the highest gain of 34.4 percent over last year, followed by the Central Coast (33.4 percent), Southern California (19.1 percent) and the Central Valley (18.3 percent). The Far North region had a more moderate sales performance in November compared to other regions, but still improved 3.1 percent from a year ago. On a year-to-date basis, sales in the Central Coast region has already surpassed 2019’s level by 4.3 percent, while Southern California (-0.7 percent), the San Francisco Bay Area (-1.2 percent), the Central Valley (-1.5 percent) and the Far North (-2.6 percent) continued to trail slightly behind last year’s level.
With homebuying interest remaining high, sales in resort communities continued to exhibit robust gain from the prior year. Mammoth Lakes had the biggest increase in November, with sales surging 400 percent from November 2019, followed by South Lake Tahoe (81.4 percent), Big Bear (73.9 percent), and Lake Arrowhead (58.1 percent). Through the first 11 months of the year, resort markets have been outperforming the state in general. On a year-to-date basis, sales increased 97 percent in Big Bear, 51.5 percent in South Lake Tahoe, 48.4 percent in Lake Arrowhead, and 31.7 percent in Mammoth Lakes.
At the regional level, all major regions posted an increase in the median price from a year ago by more than 10 percent. The San Francisco Bay Area median price remained at its record high in November, rising 18.9 percent from last year. Five of the nine counties in the region continued to increase by double digits, while the rest were up more modestly. The Central Coast region had the second largest median price increase at 18.7 percent, followed by the Central Valley (17.6 percent), Southern California (14.4 percent), and the Far North (13.6 percent).
All but one of the 51 counties C.A.R. tracks reported a year-over-year price gain, with 37 of them increasing by 10 percent or more. Mono had the highest price growth, with a year-over-year increase of 45 percent. Mariposa was the only county with a drop in its median price, declining 8.8 percent from the same month last year.
Price growth in many of the resort communities continued to outpace the rest of California. In November, Big Bear’s median price jumped from last year by 40.8 percent, followed by South Lake Tahoe (39.6 percent), and Lake Arrowhead (32.0 percent). Mammoth Lakes had a slight price decline of 2.5 percent in November from last year. Home prices in these areas are expected to grow solidly in the short term, as demand remains on an upward trend and available supply continues to decline rapidly.
With a resurgence in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks and the market entering the traditional holiday season, active listings declined from the prior month as expected, contributing to a substantial decline in inventory. Active listings fell 46.6 percent from last year and continued to drop more than 40 percent on a year-over-year basis for the sixth straight month. The Unsold Inventory Index (UII) fell sharply from 3.1 months in November 2019 to 1.9 months this November. The index indicates the number of months it would take to sell the supply of homes on the market at the current rate of sales.
Except for the Bay Area, all major regions experienced a year-over-year decline in active listings of 40 percent or more in November. The Central Valley had the biggest year-over-year drop of 53.3 percent in November, followed by Southern California (49.0 percent), Central Coast (-46.3 percent), Far North (-40.1 percent), and the San Francisco Bay Area (-18.7 percent).
All but two of the 51 counties reported by C.A.R. experienced a year-over-year decline in active listings in November. Madera had the biggest drop from last year, with a decline of 69.9 percent, followed by San Joaquin (-69.3 percent) and Sutter (-67.3 percent). Twenty-seven counties had less than half the active listings they had in November 2019. San Francisco (73.8 percent) and San Mateo (18.2 percent) remained the only counties in California with an increase in active listings from the prior year.
The median number of days it took to sell a California single-family home was 9 days in November, down from 25 in November 2019. The November 2020 figure was the lowest ever recorded.
C.A.R.’s statewide sales-price-to-list-price ratio* was 100.5 percent in November 2020 and 98.4 percent in November 2019. The ratio in November 2020 was the highest ever recorded in the past 30 years, another indication that shows how the supply and demand imbalance is impacting the California housing market.
The statewide average price per square foot** for an existing single-family home was $332 in November 2020 and $288 in November 2019. The November 2020 figure was the highest since August 2007.
The 30-year, fixed-mortgage interest rate averaged 2.77 percent in November, down from 3.70 percent in November 2019, according to Freddie Mac. The five-year, adjustable mortgage interest rate was an average of 3.0 percent, compared to 3.41 percent in November 2019.

Note: The County MLS median price and sales data in the tables are generated from a survey of more than 90 associations of REALTORS^® throughout the state and represent statistics of existing single-family detached homes only. County sales data are not adjusted to account for seasonal factors that can influence home sales. Movements in sales prices should not be interpreted as changes in the cost of a standard home. The median price is where half sold for more and half sold for less; medians are more typical than average prices, which are skewed by a relatively small share of transactions at either the lower end or the upper end. Median prices can be influenced by changes in cost, as well as changes in the characteristics and the size of homes sold. The change in median prices should not be construed as actual price changes in specific homes.

*Sales-to-list-price ratio is an indicator that reflects the negotiation power of home buyers and home sellers under current market conditions. The ratio is calculated by dividing the final sales price of a property by its last list price and is expressed as a percentage. A sales-to-list ratio with 100 percent or above suggests that the property sold for more than the list price, and a ratio below 100 percent indicates that the price sold below the asking price.

**Price per square foot is a measure commonly used by real estate agents and brokers to determine how much a square foot of space a buyer will pay for a property. It is calculated as the sale price of the home divided by the number of finished square feet. C.A.R. currently tracks price-per-square foot statistics for 50 counties.

Leading the way…® in California real estate for more than 110 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^® (www.car.org) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States with more than 200,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate. C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.

November 2020 County Sales and Price Activity (Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

November 2020	Median Sold Price of Existing Single-Family Homes					Sales
State/Region/County	Nov. 2020	Oct. 2020	Nov. 2019	Price MTM% Chg	Price YTY% Chg	Sales MTM% Chg	Sales YTY% Chg
Calif. Single-family homes	$699,000	$711,300	$589,770	-1.7%	18.5%	5.0%	26.3%
Calif. Condo/Townhomes	$520,000	$520,000	$485,110	0.0%	7.2%	-9.2%	30.0%
Los Angeles Metro Area	$630,000	$632,710	$550,000	-0.4%	14.5%	-15.3%	18.1%
Central Coast	$825,000	$850,000	$695,000	-2.9%	18.7%	-14.9%	33.4%
Central Valley	$400,000	$395,000	$340,000	1.3%	17.6%	-10.7%	18.3%
Far North	$340,000	$344,000	$299,250	-1.2%	13.6%	-22.1%	3.1%
Inland Empire	$450,000	$445,000	$379,000	1.1%	18.7%	-14.3%	20.7%
San Francisco Bay Area	$1,100,000	$1,100,000	$925,000	0.0%	18.9%	-7.3%	34.4%
Southern California	$657,820	$657,750	$575,000	0.0%	14.4%	-13.9%	19.1%

San Francisco Bay Area
Alameda	$1,049,040	$1,049,000	$910,000	0.0%	15.3%	0.7%	39.6%
Contra Costa	$810,000	$787,250	$640,000	2.9%	26.6%	-3.4%	49.9%
Marin	$1,425,000	$1,468,500	$1,270,000	-3.0%	12.2%	-5.2%	40.6%
Napa	$824,500	$749,380	$669,000	10.0%	23.2%	-28.4%	28.0%
San Francisco	$1,697,500	$1,625,000	$1,619,000	4.5%	4.8%	-11.0%	28.6%
San Mateo	$1,650,000	$1,680,000	$1,595,000	-1.8%	3.4%	-17.6%	28.3%
Santa Clara	$1,383,000	$1,442,500	$1,259,000	-4.1%	9.8%	-9.2%	34.4%
Solano	$505,250	$508,000	$462,980	-0.5%	9.1%	-3.4%	16.6%
Sonoma	$715,000	$720,000	$650,000	-0.7%	10.0%	-14.6%	14.2%
Southern California
Los Angeles	$664,160	$728,160	$594,840	-8.8%	11.7%	-17.6%	10.5%
Orange	$930,000	$930,000	$822,000	0.0%	13.1%	-15.6%	24.6%
Riverside	$490,000	$485,000	$425,000	1.0%	15.3%	-13.9%	23.0%
San Bernardino	$380,250	$365,000	$315,000	4.2%	20.7%	-14.8%	17.1%
San Diego	$740,000	$749,000	$659,000	-1.2%	12.3%	-7.8%	23.2%
Ventura	$760,000	$750,000	$660,000	1.3%	15.2%	-3.8%	40.9%
Central Coast
Monterey	$850,000	$850,000	$720,000	0.0%	18.1%	-11.8%	30.7%
San Luis Obispo	$699,500	$700,500	$615,000	-0.1%	13.7%	-19.5%	34.2%
Santa Barbara	$955,000	$1,037,500	$661,500	-8.0%	44.4%	-15.4%	38.7%
Santa Cruz	$1,050,000	$1,060,000	$875,000	-0.9%	20.0%	-9.8%	27.9%
Central Valley
Fresno	$323,500	$331,500	$291,500	-2.4%	11.0%	-10.6%	13.8%
Glenn	$334,750	$287,500	$330,000	16.4%	1.4%	-12.5%	-39.1%
Kern	$290,000	$295,000	$258,000	-1.7%	12.4%	-7.8%	27.3%
Kings	$265,000	$290,500	$258,000	-8.8%	2.7%	-22.7%	-11.5%
Madera	$320,000	$302,750	$295,500	5.7%	8.3%	-1.2%	29.5%
Merced	$315,500	$322,500	$275,000	-2.2%	14.7%	-30.6%	-11.5%
Placer	$552,650	$548,000	$489,800	0.8%	12.8%	-18.4%	26.8%
Sacramento	$442,500	$440,000	$385,000	0.6%	14.9%	-9.1%	23.3%
San Benito	$665,590	$634,000	$595,000	5.0%	11.9%	35.2%	55.3%
San Joaquin	$441,500	$431,440	$380,000	2.3%	16.2%	-14.8%	18.9%
Stanislaus	$389,000	$377,000	$326,500	3.2%	19.1%	-9.0%	11.3%
Tulare	$280,000	$283,000	$240,000	-1.1%	16.7%	-1.3%	4.4%
Far North
Butte	$405,000	$401,500	$350,000	0.9%	15.7%	-12.5%	-17.9%
Lassen	$231,250	$194,500	$222,500	18.9%	3.9%	90.0%	58.3%
Plumas	$385,000	$385,000	$275,000	0.0%	40.0%	-40.0%	87.5%
Shasta	$327,250	$344,900	$285,000	-5.1%	14.8%	-24.3%	0.9%
Siskiyou	$263,000	$286,000	$242,500	-8.0%	8.5%	-28.2%	70.0%
Tehama	$371,000	$283,500	$259,250	30.9%	43.1%	-44.6%	-29.5%
Other Calif. Counties
Amador	$360,000	$366,500	$348,500	-1.8%	3.3%	-11.5%	-2.8%
Calaveras	$407,120	$393,640	$343,500	3.4%	18.5%	-7.9%	77.2%
Del Norte	$308,750	$325,000	$252,500	-5.0%	22.3%	-42.9%	42.9%
El Dorado	$585,000	$559,000	$485,000	4.7%	20.6%	-10.3%	54.0%
Humboldt	$351,000	$379,500	$328,190	-7.5%	7.0%	-15.8%	3.2%
Lake	$317,000	$325,000	$297,500	-2.5%	6.6%	-2.3%	26.5%
Mariposa	$374,000	$375,000	$410,000	-0.3%	-8.8%	-26.5%	8.7%
Mendocino	$494,000	$529,500	$400,290	-6.7%	23.4%	7.8%	7.8%
Mono	$806,000	$844,500	$556,000	-4.6%	45.0%	-12.5%	133.3%
Nevada	$466,250	$492,500	$458,500	-5.3%	1.7%	-13.8%	0.0%
Sutter	$370,000	$346,050	$325,000	6.9%	13.8%	1.4%	9.2%
Tuolumne	$337,500	$349,500	$275,500	-3.4%	22.5%	-28.9%	62.5%
Yolo	$511,000	$517,250	$446,710	-1.2%	14.4%	-8.6%	30.6%
Yuba	$352,500	$350,000	$319,500	0.7%	10.3%	10.5%	7.7%

r = revised
NA = not available

November 2020 County Unsold Inventory and Days on Market (Regional and condo sales data not seasonally adjusted)

November 2020	Unsold Inventory Index			Median Time on Market
State/Region/County	Nov. 2020	Oct. 2020	Nov. 2019	Nov. 2020	Oct. 2020	Nov. 2019
Calif. Single-family homes	1.9	2.0	3.1	9.0	10.0	25.0
Calif. Condo/Townhomes	2.2	2.4	2.9	14.0	14.0	27.0
Los Angeles Metro Area	2.1	2.1	3.3	10.0	10.0	29.0
Central Coast	2.1	2.1	4.1	10.0	13.0	30.0
Central Valley	1.6	1.8	2.8	7.0	7.0	19.0
Far North	3.0	2.6	4.5	14.5	19.0	33.0
Inland Empire	2.1	2.0	3.9	11.0	11.0	34.0
San Francisco Bay Area	1.6	1.8	2.1	11.0	11.0	22.0
Southern California	2.0	2.0	3.2	9.0	9.0	26.0

San Francisco Bay Area
Alameda	1.3	1.6	1.6	8.0	10.0	16.0
Contra Costa	1.3	1.6	2.1	7.0	8.0	17.0
Marin	1.5	2.0	2.2	25.5	24.0	45.0
Napa	3.7	3.1	5.8	35.0	38.0	57.0
San Francisco	2.0	2.2	1.7	18.0	14.0	17.0
San Mateo	1.8	1.8	1.8	11.0	10.0	13.0
Santa Clara	1.4	1.6	1.7	8.0	8.0	18.0
Solano	1.7	1.9	2.8	27.5	28.0	39.0
Sonoma	2.7	2.7	3.4	33.0	37.0	51.0
Southern California
Los Angeles	2.1	2.1	2.9	9.0	9.0	22.0
Orange	2.0	2.0	3.1	10.0	10.0	29.0
Riverside	2.1	2.1	3.9	11.0	11.0	33.0
San Bernardino	2.0	2.0	3.8	10.0	12.0	38.0
San Diego	1.6	1.8	2.7	7.0	7.0	17.0
Ventura	1.7	2.0	4.4	27.0	30.0	53.0
Central Coast
Monterey	2.3	2.3	4.2	11.0	13.0	30.0
San Luis Obispo	2.2	2.2	4.2	10.5	13.0	32.0
Santa Barbara	2.0	2.0	4.4	10.0	14.0	29.5
Santa Cruz	2.0	2.1	3.2	8.0	10.0	28.0
Central Valley
Fresno	1.8	1.8	3.4	7.0	7.0	19.0
Glenn	3.4	3.8	3.5	26.5	4.0	24.0
Kern	2.1	2.2	2.9	8.0	8.0	15.5
Kings	2.0	1.8	2.6	6.0	6.0	22.5
Madera	2.1	2.7	5.3	14.0	13.0	34.0
Merced	2.0	1.6	3.5	10.5	10.0	20.0
Placer	1.5	1.5	2.5	8.0	7.0	24.0
Sacramento	1.3	1.5	2.2	7.0	6.0	15.0
San Benito	1.4	2.5	2.9	9.0	9.0	41.0
San Joaquin	1.4	1.5	3.1	7.0	7.0	26.0
Stanislaus	1.6	1.7	2.4	7.0	7.0	17.5
Tulare	2.0	2.2	3.1	7.0	10.0	29.0
Far North
Butte	2.5	2.4	2.6	7.0	11.0	20.0
Lassen	2.5	5.0	5.6	72.5	96.5	90.5
Plumas	3.8	2.6	11.8	118.0	127.0	85.5
Shasta	3.0	2.6	4.2	8.0	9.0	29.5
Siskiyou	2.9	2.3	9.4	11.0	16.0	57.0
Tehama	5.1	2.8	4.8	41.0	34.0	32.5
Other Calif. Counties
Amador	2.7	3.0	4.5	17.0	19.0	48.0
Calaveras	1.8	2.1	6.5	62.5	53.0	59.0
Del Norte	5.3	3.5	11.0	116.0	94.0	117.5
El Dorado	1.6	2.0	4.2	18.0	25.0	52.5
Humboldt	2.2	2.1	4.0	12.5	13.5	32.0
Lake	3.5	3.7	6.4	27.0	31.0	54.0
Mariposa	3.1	2.7	4.3	34.0	29.5	29.0
Mendocino	3.3	4.0	5.2	51.0	51.5	74.5
Mono	2.5	3.0	12.7	105.0	85.0	122.0
Nevada	2.7	2.7	3.7	11.5	12.0	45.5
Sutter	1.4	2.0	3.0	6.0	9.0	18.0
Tuolumne	2.8	2.5	8.3	24.5	23.0	44.5
Yolo	1.9	2.1	3.4	9.0	8.0	18.0
Yuba	1.2	1.7	2.8	9.0	10.5	28.5

r = revised
NA = not available

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/low-rates-flexibility-to-work-from-home-drives-california-home-buying-interest-to-levels-not-seen-since-the-last-decade-car-reports-301195379.html

SOURCE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.)

Hoffa: Granholm Will Bring Needed Experience To U.S. Energy Department

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The following is a statement from Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination of former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm as the next U.S. Secretary of Energy.

<a…

«The future path of our nation requires that we take a forward-looking view on energy resources in this country. To that end, I can think of few better equipped to lead that mission for the incoming Biden administration than Jennifer Granholm

«I know the Governor well, given both our Michigan roots. And after speaking with her yesterday, it only affirmed for me why she would make a terrific Secretary of Energy. Her relationship with this union, as well as the U.S. auto industry and its tens of thousands of unionized workers, means she understands our concerns and will keep them in mind while formulating new policy.

«The Teamsters applaud President-elect Biden’s choice and urge the U.S. Senate to quickly confirm her nomination after lawmakers are seated next month.»

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and «like» us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:
Ted Gotsch, (703) 899-0869
tgotsch@teamster.org

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hoffa-granholm-will-bring-needed-experience-to-us-energy-department-301195373.html

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Drinking Water Significant Source Of Microplastics In Human Diet

MCLEAN, Va., Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Emerging environmental contaminants, both chemicals and particulates, have been a concern for risk scientists for many years. Methods for reducing health and environmental risks from particles are still evolving. Micro/nanoplastic particles are one environmental contaminant that has recently received research and media attention, and scientists are only beginning to study their potential for adverse environmental and human health effects.

In an effort…

In an effort to understand the potential risks associated with exposure to micro/nanoplastics, the Emerging Risks of Micro/nanoplastics: Perspectives From Diverse Sectors symposia at the 2020 Society for Risk Analysis virtual Annual Meeting, December 13-17, 2020, aims to highlight the current state of knowledge associated with physical and chemical transformation, hazard characterization, environmental effects, social implications and policy limitations.

Scott Coffin, Ph.D., California State Water Resources Control Board, will present the world’s first regulatory investigation of microplastics in drinking water. His presentation, «Microplastics in drinking water: California’s path towards assessing risks and developing regulations,» outlines the state’s ongoing implementation efforts of a 2018 Senate Bill, that require the State Water Resources Control Board to i) standardize the definition, ii) develop measurement methods for their presence in drinking water, iii) monitor for microplastics in drinking water for four years and publicly disclose the results, iv) consider a health-based guidance level to aid consumer interpretations of the results and v) accredit laboratories to analyze microplastics.

«The standardization of methods to analyze microplastics is urgently needed to reliably compare data from different studies,» states Coffin. «In June 2020, California’s regulatory definition of microplastic was adopted, which provides regulatory agencies, policymakers and researchers with a common language for a diverse group of contaminants.»

In New York, researchers detected microplastics in the municipal tap water. James McGrath, University of Rochester, tested water samples from the 30-mile route of the Hemlock Lake water production facility to Georgen Hall on the University of Rochester campus. McGrath’s study, «Silicon nanomembranes for the evaluation of microplastic entrainment along a municipal water delivery route,» used tools and methods that are easier than current protocols for the capture and assessment of microplastics. The nanomembrane filtration tools enable rapid detection of microplastics and other debris.

Despite the Hemlock Lake facility producing nearly debris-free water, entrainment increased the amount of debris along the route and the water delivered to the Hall was polluted with large amounts of microdebris, including plastics. Broad surveillance, as demonstrated in this study, will need to be implemented to curb the growing level of pollution from plastics.

These studies will be presented on December 17 from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. ET as part of the 2020 Society for Risk Analysis virtual Annual Meeting.

About SRA

The Society for Risk Analysis is a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, scholarly, international society that provides an open forum for all those interested in risk analysis. SRA was established in 1980 and has published Risk Analysis: An International Journal, the leading scholarly journal in the field, continuously since 1981. For more information, visit www.sra.org.

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/drinking-water-significant-source-of-microplastics-in-human-diet-301195368.html

SOURCE Society for Risk Analysis (SRA)