Tag: public health

23andMe health study needs 5,000 Nevada volunteers

A year after the FDA loosened limitations on what genetic analytics company 23andMe could offer consumers, the company is embarking on a groundbreaking study of 5, 000 people across Nevada. In partnership with the not-for-profit healthcare provider Renown Health and the Desert Research Institute (DRI), the survey will combine health, population, genetic and environmental data for a comprehensive look at the various influences nature and nurture have on people’s wellness. For their participation, folks will get a 23andMe report of their own genetic information on traits and ancestry for free. With that DNA data, plus Renown’s de-identified health and population info, DRI will model public health risks of disease and illness along with the health impact of conditions like air quality on a community. They’re seeking 5, 000 volunteers to follow Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, who has already signed up to be part of the study. Hopefully, such a comprehensive data set can help researchers build predictive models to look for health factors across the state’s 2.8 million residents. But if anything proves how seriously they’re taking this collaborative project, it’s the dedicated YouTube video they made to promote it: Source: DRI newsroom

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23andMe health study needs 5,000 Nevada volunteers

The Port of LA’s Big Tech Upgrade Worked So Well It’s Hitting Its 2023 Emissions Goals

If you live in the US, most of the imported goods in your possession have traveled through the Port of Los Angeles, one of the largest ports in the world , and now, one of the biggest environmental success stories on the planet. A new study shows that due to major upgrades started a decade ago, the port is almost 10 years ahead of its emissions goals. Read more…

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The Port of LA’s Big Tech Upgrade Worked So Well It’s Hitting Its 2023 Emissions Goals

Health Officials Blame Hook Up Apps for Syphilis Spike

The number of syphilis cases is on the rise, and some public health officials think it’s because of Grindr . Well, Grindr and Adam4Adam and, presumably, Tinder and Hinge and OkCupid. These apps all make it easier to find people to have sex with, so naturally they cause more people to get STDs, right? Not exactly. Read more…        

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Health Officials Blame Hook Up Apps for Syphilis Spike

All backscatter “pornoscanners” to be removed from US airports

Bloomberg is reporting that the TSA will be removing all of the remaining backscatter X-ray machines from US airports. The removal isn’t because of health concerns—instead, the machines’ manufacturer, Rapiscan Systems , failed to meet a US Congress-imposed deadline for altering the machines’ software to produce “generic passenger images,” according to the report. TSA assistant administer for acquisitions Karen Shelton Waters, speaking on behalf of the agency, noted that Rapiscan Systems would absorb the cost for the scanners’ removal, and that the removal is unrelated to Rapiscan’s alleged falsification of the machines’ abilities to protect passengers’ privacy. Nor does the removal appear to be related to ongoing questions about the safety of the backscatter X-ray technology. The CEO of OSI systems, Rapiscan’s parent company, says that rather than pitching the expensive machines into the garbage bin, the TSA will be relocating them to other government agencies. In total, there are 174 Rapiscan backscatter X-ray machines that will be pulled from airports and relocated, on top of the 76 that were  removed last year. Read 1 remaining paragraphs | Comments

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All backscatter “pornoscanners” to be removed from US airports