Latest news with #ScottSmall
CBS News
3 days ago
- CBS News
Woman dies after being shot multiple times outside of North Philadelphia church, police say
A woman has died after police say she was shot multiple times outside of a church in North Philadelphia early Friday morning. Officers were called to the 200 block of West Lehigh Ave shortly before 1 a.m. after receiving multiple 911 calls for shots fired. When police arrived on scene, they discovered the woman on the ground by a fence outside of the Deliverance Evangelistic Church suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body. Officers rushed the woman, who has not yet been identified, to Temple University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead after arrival. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small tells CBS News Philadelphia the woman appears to be in her late 20s or early 30s. He said police believe she was the intended target of the shooting since eight shell casings from a semi-automatic weapon were found scattered next to her, indicating that shots were fired at close range. No arrests have been made, and there is no suspect description of who might be responsible. Small said they are checking police cameras as well as cameras from private residences in hopes that it will lead to a suspect being identified. If anyone has any information regarding this shooting, they are asked to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.
Telegraph
05-07-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Forgetfulness or early dementia? How to decipher your memory loss
Illustrations by James Yates At some point, we've all strode into a room with purpose and proceeded to completely forget what we were about to do. 'It's a very common complaint,' confirms Prof Scott Small, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Centre at Columbia University, who has studied memory for more than three decades. It used to be thought that a forgetful blip like this served no purpose and was simply a malfunction in our memory machinery, but now we know otherwise. Our memory machinery comprises several stages: our short-term and long-term memory, as well as our ability to save and recall memories. Prof Small uses the analogy of a computer to explain how we remember and forget: 'If you type something into a document and don't save it, it's gone forever – that's your short-term memory,' he says. 'If you click save, that transfers information from the short-term memory to the long-term memory. 'The other function is to be able to come back to your computer, or brain, and recall what was talked about the day before. For this, you need to have the 'open' function to be able to sift through all your memories and choose the right one.' Rather than a glitch in this hardwiring, forgetting is a healthy and necessary part of our brain's normal functioning and is vital for our creativity and mental health, as Prof Small explains in his book Forgetting, The New Science of Memory. Not only does forgetting clear cognitive bandwidth and ensure our brains are not overwhelmed with irrelevant information, but 'emotional forgetting' is also necessary to move past traumatic experiences. Though, there is a catch. As well as normal forgetting, there is also what Prof Small refers to as 'pathological forgetting' – the type that we are right to worry about. Typically caused by neurodegenerative disorders, it indicates a worsening of memory that impacts our ability to live our life fully. 'If you notice worsening of your memory over time from your own baseline, that's probably pathological forgetting, such as Alzheimer's.' Here, Prof Small shares his expertise on common examples of forgetting to distinguish which fall into the normal category and which could be an early sign of Alzheimer's. 'However, the ultimate diagnosis is when you see a doctor,' he notes. I've gone upstairs and forgotten why 'That's a super common complaint,' Prof Small says. 'This symptom alone tells me that it's probably the hippocampus, as that's the structure of the brain that's critical for memory.' The hippocampus is the 'save' button on your computer, transferring information from temporary to long-term. 'If that's always happened to you, it's normal forgetting.' Like height and weight, normal forgetting is a trait that varies between us and it's nothing to worry about if it remains consistent. However, if you're increasingly catching yourself uncertain about what you're doing mid-task, it could be an early indicator of pathological forgetting, which can be a result of cognitive ageing (forgetting that occurs as part of the normal ageing process) or Alzheimer's, Prof Small says. 'This symptom alone is not enough for me to say whether it's the earliest stages of Alzheimer's or if it's just cognitive ageing,' he notes. 'A rule of thumb in medicine is, if you experience something that really disturbs your life, it might be worth seeing a doctor. But, on its own, forgetting why you've gone upstairs doesn't declare itself as a disorder that's worth seeing a doctor for.' I'm getting names mixed up If you've forgotten or mixed up the name of someone you met a couple of times many years ago, it's nothing to worry about, Prof Small says. If you've forgotten the name of a loved one as a one-off, it's also not a cause for concern. 'It may be a bad night's sleep or stress,' he notes. 'But if someone's frequently forgetting the names of loved ones, people in their inner circle, it's time to see a doctor,' he says. It indicates a memory problem and could be a sign of Alzheimer's, he says. Similarly, if you forget the name of your prime minister or president, that's more concerning than if you forget the name of your local MP, Prof Small says. I can't remember how to make my favourite recipe 'If someone forgets a recipe that they've been making over and over again, I'm starting to worry about a disease,' Prof Small says. 'It sounds like Alzheimer's.' The memory decline that occurs with age doesn't affect our memory 'hard drive', where we store key pieces of information that we use regularly, like a favourite recipe. However, Alzheimer's does. 'It spreads to areas of the memory store, memory retrieval and recall, while ageing does not,' Prof Small says. 'The example of the recipe sounds like Alzheimer's because it's not the 'save' function of our brain,' which is used for new memories, he notes. Instead, it signals a problem with the memory hard drive. I got lost on a route I've done a million times Whilst forgetting why you walked into a room or the name of someone you only vaguely know is likely innocuous, Prof Small says that getting lost is a sign of something more serious. 'If someone tells me that they've forgotten where they've parked their car or if they've gotten lost while driving to work, that's a red flag,' he says. 'I start thinking, maybe this is Alzheimer's.' One way to think about the hippocampus is as a circuit made up of different regions that are all interconnected, Prof Small explains. The area responsible for spatial memory is the region where Alzheimer's takes hold. 'So when I hear people complain about getting lost, I start thinking more about Alzheimer's disease,' he says. I asked my husband a question but can't remember the answer five minutes later Forgetting information that we've just been told happens to all of us, Prof Small says. It could be poor attention or, if it's always in relation to your husband, there could be psychological reasons why you're not focusing on what he's saying, he notes. As a result, this falls into normal forgetting but, if it's becoming more frequent, this could be a worrying symptom. What can we do to protect our memory? There are many risk factors that increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, including obesity, poor heart health, high blood pressure and cholesterol and diabetes, Prof Small says. 'That doesn't mean these factors alone will cause Alzheimer's but, if you're going to get it, these may accelerate it,' he explains. In addition, there are certain genes that are associated with Alzheimer's, most famously Apolipoprotein E (APOE), and a family history also raises the risk. While these can't be changed, living a healthy lifestyle has been shown to benefit brain health and reduce the risk of dementia. 'Exercise seems to be a very strong influencer of maintaining our memory health into late life,' Prof Small notes. Meanwhile, his own research has found that eating a diet rich in flavanols, compounds found in apples, berries and tea, amongst other fruits and vegetables, also protects brain health. Scientists are also racing to find medicines to ward off memory-robbing diseases. 'Where we are in the field is trying to develop statins for the brain,' Prof Small says. To do that, researchers need to understand the mechanisms that are causing Alzheimer's, with the brain's immune network and system for moving proteins around our cells (known as the trafficking pathway) under investigation. So far, development has focused on drugs that work by clearing proteins called amyloid from the brain, which have been shown to disrupt neuron function. However, these have so far been blocked for use on the NHS due to their cost (estimated to be £30,000 per patient per course of treatment) and worries over side effects. 'The next generation of drugs are trying to target either the immune response or the trafficking pathway,' he explains. 'Once the biomedical enterprise has a target, where the field at large is so sophisticated, we should be optimistic that we will have a way to intervene,' Prof Small says. 'It could mean that in a year we'll have effective new drugs that target the pathways that I and others believe will be more beneficial than anti-amyloid drugs. It could take a few years but I don't think it's going to take decades. 'I think we're on the cusp of really translating all the remarkable discoveries that happened in the first 20 years of this century into meaningful therapeutics.'
CBS News
04-07-2025
- CBS News
2 Philadelphia sanitation workers struck by vehicle while picketing during DC 33 strike, police say
Two sanitation workers who were on the picket line in the AFSCME District Council 33 union strike were hit by a vehicle in Philadelphia's Port Richmond section late Thursday night, police said. A driver is already in custody and charged with hit-and-run and driving under the influence. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said the crash happened just before 11:30 p.m. on the 3900 block of North Delaware Avenue. When police arrived on scene they found a 36-year-old male as well as a 30-year-old female who were struck by a vehicle. Both victims were immediately rushed to Jefferson-Torresdale Hospital. The male is described to be in very critical condition and was taken to have surgery, while the female is being evaluated for bumps and bruises and is expected to be OK. He says preliminary information indicates the victims were sitting in in chairs in front of the sanitation yard when a black Chevy Tahoe jumped the curb and struck them. The vehicle then fled north on Delaware Avenue, turned around and then went back south. Police located the vehicle within minutes on the 3000 block of Castor Avenue and took the driver and the passenger in the vehicle into custody. Small says that the driver appeared to be intoxicated and police located several containers of alcohol inside the vehicle, some opened and some un-opened. He said police were able to locate the vehicle quickly after the crash thanks to a police presence on scene at the picket line. Several sanitation workers who were also on scene and witnessed the incident are being interviewed by police. Small said while the person was intoxicated it is still unclear if the crash was intentional. He also said there are reports that the female worker struck was pregnant. We've reached out to DC 33 and Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration for responses. This is a developing story and will be updated.
WebMD
25-06-2025
- Health
- WebMD
Skip That, Do This: Tips for Protecting Your Brain
June 24, 2025 – Not to state the obvious, but: You only get one brain. Take it for granted, and your odds of Alzheimer's and dementia increase as you age. Brain-boosting tips and products are everywhere, but most aren't backed by science. So for Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month (and the other 11 months), we asked experts: What's the most overhyped brain-protecting strategy, and what's the one more people should be using? Skip that: Taking nootropic supplements The hype: Sometimes marketed as smart drugs, memory enhancers, or brain boosters, nootropics promise to improve your thinking skills. The industry is enormous, amassing nearly $9 billion in global sales in 2022 – 40% of which came from the U.S. The reality: While prescription nootropics – like ADHD and Alzheimer's medications – are proven to work for their FDA-approved uses, evidence for over-the-counter supplements is thin, said Eva Feldman, MD, PhD, director of the NeuroNetwork for Emerging Therapies at the University of Michigan. Companies get away with vague claims of improved memory or brain function because the FDA only oversees products with specific health claims. That means most makers of these substances are never asked to prove their promises – or even that the supplement includes the ingredients on the label. Science says: One study review of 18 common ingredients in brain-boosting supplements found "no compelling evidence for use of apoaequorin, coenzyme Q10, coffee extracts, L-theanine, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, vitamin B9, or vitamin B12 supplementation for memory." Plus, the lack of regulation may pose a health risk, particularly if undisclosed ingredients cause harmful side effects. Another study tested a dozen "brain health" supplements and found two-thirds were missing at least one ingredient on the label – and all but two contained ingredients that weren't on the label. What to do: Talk to your doctor before taking any OTC nootropic product, said Scott Small, MD, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Columbia University. "The first issue is, do no harm. And harm can be both health and financial," he said. "I have patients who come in spending hundreds of dollars on false claims. It's shocking." Do this: Protect your hearing – and get hearing aids if you need them. Why it matters: People with hearing loss have a 37% higher risk of getting dementia than people with no hearing impairment. And the longer that hearing loss goes untreated, the worse your odds get. Hearing aids reduce that risk. What we know: "Your brain is made up of billions of nerve cells that communicate with each other using electrical signals and chemicals," Feldman said. "Hearing loss decreases the communication between nerve cells, and this communication is important for keeping the brain healthy." With untreated hearing loss, you're missing out on more than just speech. Studies have found that musicians and piano tuners – people who listen closely to music – often show increased brain volume. With hearing loss, you miss that brain-boosting opportunity. Science says: A mounting body of research shows a strong link between hearing loss and risk of dementia. How long you've had hearing loss and how severe it is matter: People who've been living with hearing loss for more than 25 years have the highest risk. One study found that for every 10-decibel loss in hearing (the difference between a quiet conversation and a whisper), dementia risk increases by 16%. What to do: If you think you've lost hearing, get tested ASAP – and get hearing aids as soon as you're told you need them. Remember, the problem isn't so much hearing loss itself – it's untreated hearing loss. Across the board, people in studies who wore hearing aids had a lower likelihood of dementia.
Cision Canada
20-06-2025
- General
- Cision Canada
Grand Opening of Polycultural Reception House: A New Chapter in Supporting Refugees in Peel Region
MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services proudly opened the doors to the Polycultural Reception House at 73 King Street West—the first dedicated shelter and service hub for Refugees including Government-Assisted Refugees (GARs) in the City of Mississauga. GARS, unlike other categories of refugees, are resettled to Canada by the Canadian government and are identified as convention refugees by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). "This newly renovated, purpose-designed facility represents a pivotal step in addressing the housing and integration needs of newcomers to the region," said Scott Small, Director of Resettlement Programs at Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services. "Polycultural's Resettlement Assistance Program has helped over 1,350 people in the past year alone. This new site ensures we can continue doing that work in a space that's built for the job. It reflects our values—compassion, inclusion, and care." After acquiring the site in October 2024, Polycultural began welcoming GARs in January 2025, transitioning away from a hotel-based model that had become increasingly unsustainable. "The opening of the Polycultural Reception House will help newcomers from around the world build and live the Canadian dream," said Peter Fonseca, Member of Parliament for Mississauga Cooksville. "This project reflects our government's commitment to building a more inclusive, equitable, and compassionate Canada. By investing in organizations like Polycultural, we're ensuring that newcomers—especially Government-Assisted Refugees—are welcomed and supported so they can thrive and be successful." "This centre is about more than shelter. It's about dignity, stability, and a strong start for families who have faced immense challenges," said Mayor Carolyn Parrish, who delivered remarks at the grand opening. "Mississauga is proud to be one of Canada's most welcoming and diverse cities—and this project is a powerful example of how we can support successful integration of newcomers through infrastructure and resettlement services." The new facility provides temporary housing (typically for three weeks) wraparound resettlement services, and a foundation for newcomers to transition into permanent housing. Importantly, it fills a longstanding gap in Mississauga's infrastructure: until now, the city had no dedicated resettlement facilities for refugees. The Reception House includes services to ensure children are quickly enrolled in local schools and receive appropriate supports, while adults receive assistance navigating employment, health care, and language services. Polycultural's leadership acknowledged the vital partnership of all levels of government, including Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Province of Ontario, and the United Way, for their support in bringing the project to life. Polycultural also works closely with community agencies in the region to deliver services in-house to the residents of the Reception House. This includes collaborations with the Region of Peel, Peel Children's Aid Society (CAS), Peel Police, and others. The event concluded with a tour of the facility, followed by a networking lunch. About Polycultural: Polycultural Immigrant and Community Services has been supporting newcomers, youth, and seniors for over 50 years across the GTA. Its mission is to deliver inclusive, client-centred services that empower diverse communities to thrive.
