Latest news with #WilliamGray
CBS News
03-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Bridging the gap: Miami-Dade youth program builds bonds between youth and MDSO deputies
In neighborhoods across Miami-Dade County, an after-school program is transforming how young people see law enforcement and how they see themselves. The Youth Outreach Unit, or YOU Program, is a mentorship initiative run by deputies from the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. Developed by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's office in 2021, the program serves students ages 10 to 17, many of whom have been directly or indirectly impacted by violence. For students like Nyla Theodore and William Gray, the experience has been nothing short of life-changing. "This was really my first time talking to police officers, like really talking to them," said Theodore. "Honestly, they've been amazing, real good," added Gray. "If I get angry about something, they'll try to do something with me to keep me calm and meditation, so I don't get overreacted." From fear to family Every weekday, deputies pick up participating students from school. They help with homework, provide transportation to extracurricular activities, and even ensure the kids get dinner before heading home. It's a level of care and attention that, for many families, has brought peace of mind and a powerful shift in perspective. "I was nervous and I was afraid of them," Gray admitted, "but then when I constantly kept coming—I started not to get afraid because I knew there was nothing bad or suspicious going on." Gray's mom, Tameka West, says the difference in her son is clear. "Since he started this program, I seen a little big change when it comes to his behavior," she said. "I just love these officers. They're like my family — and when I met them — they stuck with me. They can't go nowhere. I love them to death, I love them." For Theodore's mom, Nicolette Wright, the YOU Program has helped her daughter come out of her shell. "She's been more active, more social and it's been great for her," said Wright. "She loves coming here every day and she loves all of the officers." "As a mom, I know I feel way more comfortable with my child being around a bunch of officers," she continued. "It means a lot to me and they've been nothing but amazing. Very communicative, very upbeat and just helpful in all ways." Mentorship that matters While the program's focus is on youth affected by gun violence, it also supports kids impacted by other forms of trauma—or those simply in need of structure and support. "We provide mentorship for kids that have been affected by primarily gun violence," said Deputy Emory Hudson, who joined the program last year. "But we also know that violence affects children in different ways, so we also extend the program to youth that have been affected by other forms of violence as well." The goal is not only to keep kids out of trouble but to build trust and restore stability. "They're impacted so dramatically that they have a hard time functioning in school or in everyday life," Deputy Hudson said. "We try to mentor them, we try to guide them down the right path, and we try to re-establish that stability within the household." With over 50 students currently enrolled, the YOU Program is creating safer communities—not just by policing them, but by connecting with them on a deeply human level. For more information about the YOU Program, visit Miami-Dade County's Community Affairs Bureau page.
Business Wire
15-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
AviadoBio Announces ASPIRE-FTD Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial in the UK at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, and University College London
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AviadoBio, a pioneering gene therapy company dedicated to developing and delivering potentially transformative medicines for neurodegenerative disorders, today announced that its Phase 1/2 ASPIRE-FTD clinical trial is now open in the UK. The trial is evaluating AVB-101, an investigational gene therapy, in people with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with GRN gene mutations (FTD-GRN). Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), which hosts an internationally renowned center of excellence in providing support and care for families affected by FTD, is now recruiting patients. University College London (UCL) is also expected to open for patient recruitment shortly. The Advanced Neurotherapies Centre at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, one of the first surgical centers in Europe currently able to perform MRI-guided infusions of gene therapies, will provide the capability to dose clinical trial participants from the UK and beyond in the ASPIRE-FTD study. FTD is a devastating form of early-onset dementia that varies in each individual. Symptoms of FTD can include changes in personality or uncharacteristic behaviors, progressive loss of language, loss of executive function and cognitive abilities, apathy, and reduced mobility. 1-3 People with FTD who have disease-causing GRN mutations produce a reduced amount of progranulin protein. AVB-101 is an investigational one-time therapy designed to deliver a functional copy of the GRN gene directly to the brain, thereby potentially restoring progranulin levels and stopping disease progression in patients with FTD-GRN. 'Launching ASPIRE-FTD and treating our first patients with AVB-101 have been significant milestones in FTD-GRN research and gene therapy development,' said David Cooper, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of AviadoBio. 'AviadoBio was built on pioneering research from King's College London and the UK Dementia Research Institute. The opening of our UK clinical trial sites reflects this strong research heritage, and we're proud to bring this clinical trial to the UK to make it more accessible to people living with familial FTD in the region.' 'We are delighted to be able to surgically deliver AVB-101 in the ASPIRE-FTD trial in Cardiff, offering hope to patients living with FTD in the UK and beyond. The Advanced Neurotherapies Centre is funded by Health and Care Research Wales and is currently the only center in the UK, and one of two European centers, conducting these groundbreaking first in human clinical trials, delivering advanced gene and cell therapies directly to the brain for neurodegenerative diseases. This trial represents a major step forward in the search for a treatment in FTD, potentially bringing a new therapy to reality for patients,' commented Professor William Gray, Local PI and Neurosurgeon at Cardiff University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. 'The potential to halt FTD-GRN with a single procedure could be truly transformative for patients and their families,' said Professor James Rowe, Consultant Neurologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital and Professor of Cognitive Neurology at the Cambridge Centre for Frontotemporal Dementia. 'Combining excellence in clinical care with cutting-edge research is vital to driving progress in this extremely challenging field. Through studies like this we hope to one day be able to provide a potential cure for FTD.' 'UCL is a leader in the Genetic Frontotemporal dementia Initiative, a group of research centers across Europe and Canada with expertise in familial frontotemporal dementia. We are proud to be included in this groundbreaking trial where targeted delivery of a single low dose of AAV gene therapy to the thalamus could be potentially disease-modifying for FTD,' said Jonathan Rohrer, Professor of Neurology at the UCL Dementia Research Centre. AVB-101 is delivered as a one-time-only treatment using a minimally invasive stereotactic neurosurgical procedure directly to the part of the brain called the thalamus. The thalamus is a key hub for connectivity in the brain with widespread projections across the brain including the cortex – a key area affected in FTD-GRN. The neurosurgery procedure to deliver AVB-101 bypasses the blood-brain barrier, thereby limiting it to only the brain itself, where it is needed the most. At the same time, this potentially reduces the amount of dose required and systemic exposure in other parts of the body. More information about the ASPIRE-FTD study can be found at About ASPIRE-FTD ASPIRE-FTD is a Phase 1/2 open-label, multi-center study designed to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of AVB-101 in patients with FTD-GRN. In the study, eligible patients receive a one-time administration of AVB-101 delivered as a set of MRI-guided infusions into the thalamus during a minimally invasive stereotactic neurosurgical procedure at an expert neurosurgical center in the US, UK, or EU. More information about the ASPIRE-FTD study can be found at or About AviadoBio At AviadoBio, we are relentlessly chasing cures by translating groundbreaking science and precision delivery into life-changing medicines for people living with neurological conditions. With our deep understanding of the brain and suite of proprietary gene therapy platforms and delivery technologies, AviadoBio is working to overcome the challenges of delivering the right drug to the right place. Its innovative, neuroanatomy-led approach is designed to maximize the therapeutic potential of gene therapy to halt or potentially reverse neurodegenerative diseases. AviadoBio was founded on pioneering research from King's College London and the UK Dementia Research Institute and has a leadership team with extensive gene therapy development, delivery, and commercialization experience which uniquely positions the company for success in bringing transformative medicines to patients. AviadoBio's investors include New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Monograph Capital, F-Prime Capital, Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc., SV Health Investor's Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF), Advent Life Sciences, EQT Life Sciences (Dementia Fund), LifeArc Ventures, and Astellas Pharma. For more information, please visit and follow us on X @AviadoBio and LinkedIn at AviadoBio. References: Pressman PS and Miller BL. Biol Psychiatry 2014;75:574–81; Young JJ et al. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol 2018;8:33–48; Hogan DB et al. Can J Neurol Sci 2016;43 Suppl 1:S96–109. Notes to editors: The Advanced Neurotherapies Centre, formerly known as the BRAIN Unit, is funded by the Welsh Government through Health and Care Research Wales. About GENFI The Genetic Frontotemporal dementia Initiative (GENFI) is a group of research centers across Europe and Canada with expertise in familial frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and is coordinated by Professor Jonathan Rohrer at University College London. GENFI collaborates closely with other similar studies around the world through the FTD Prevention Initiative, which is helping to design clinical trials for genetic FTD.
Black America Web
28-04-2025
- General
- Black America Web
National Telephone Day: Celebrating the Evolution of Communication
Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE April 25th marks National Telephone Day, a tribute to the invention that revolutionized human communication. From the earliest landlines to today's smartphones, the telephone has undergone remarkable transformations, shaping the way we connect with one another. The Evolution of Telephone Technology 1876 : Alexander Graham Bell patents the first practical telephone. 1889 : William Gray invents the first coin-operated public telephone, installed in Hartford, Connecticut. Early 1900s : Public telephone booths become common in urban areas. 1973 : Martin Cooper makes the first mobile phone call using a prototype of the Motorola DynaTAC. 2007: Apple introduces the iPhone, ushering in the era of smartphones. National Telephone Day: Celebrating the Evolution of Communication was originally published on
USA Today
03-04-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
A top hurricane forecast is here, and it brings bad news: Danger is already brewing
A top hurricane forecast is here, and it brings bad news: Danger is already brewing Forecasters worry about warm water in the Atlantic Ocean where hurricanes form and the predicted absence of an El Niño. Show Caption Hide Caption How to get weather notifications on your smartphone Emergency notifications and local news outlets can help you stay weather aware ahead of major storms. Problem Solved Get ready for another active Atlantic hurricane season, with as many as 17 storms expected, experts from Colorado State University said in their initial forecast released Thursday morning. Of those 17 storms, researchers forecast that nine will become hurricanes. A typical year averages about 14 tropical storms, with seven of them spinning into hurricanes, based on weather records that date from 1991 to 2020. Last year, 18 storms formed, including devastating Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The expected busy season is due to the presence of unusually warm water in the Atlantic Ocean where hurricanes form, along with the predicted absence of an El Niño, which can inhibit hurricane formation. Long considered among the most respected of hurricane forecasts, the Colorado State research team led by pioneering meteorologist William Gray was the first organization to issue seasonal hurricane forecasts back in 1984; this is the team's 42nd forecast. Gray died in 2016. Colorado State University's outlook is one of several major forecasts for the hurricane season that will publish this spring. AccuWeather's forecast, which came out last week, calls for 13-18 named storms, of which 7-10 will be hurricanes. Federal forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will release their forecast in late May. More news about our planet: Sign up for USA TODAY's Climate Point newsletter. Forecasters ponder sea-surface temperature patterns "Two of the big factors that went into this forecast are the state of Atlantic and Pacific sea-surface temperatures," Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach told USA TODAY this week. Both have a major impact on the intensity and severity of the hurricane season. He said that overall, while the Atlantic Ocean is "thankfully not as warm as it was last year at this time," most of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic is still warmer than normal. He added that the current sea-surface temperature pattern is "pretty similar to what we see in Aprils prior to active seasons." A warm Atlantic favors an above-average season, since a hurricane's fuel source is warm ocean water. Additionally, a warm Atlantic also leads to lower atmospheric pressure and a more unstable atmosphere. Both conditions favor hurricane formation. La Niña on the way out "And in the Pacific, we have a La Niña that is likely on its last legs," Klotzbach told USA TODAY. La Niña, a natural cooling of ocean water in part of the Pacific, tends to boost Atlantic hurricane activity, while its opposite El Niño tends to suppress Atlantic storms. Once La Niña fades, "the odds of El Niño appear low for this summer/fall. For example, NOAA's latest forecast only has a 13% chance of El Niño for August-October." Thus, with neither La Niña or El Niño in charge, El Niño-Southern Oscillation neutral conditions appear to be most likely during the heart of the Atlantic hurricane season. This means that ocean water isn't particularly cool or warm. "A warmer-than-normal tropical Atlantic and likely ENSO-neutral conditions typically leads to an above-normal hurricane season," Klotzbach said. Will a major hurricane make landfall in the US in 2025? Colorado State researchers said there's a 51% chance of a major hurricane making landfall somewhere along the U.S. coastline. The average, based on records from 1880 to 2020, is 43%. A major hurricane has wind speeds of at least 111 mph. The chances for a landfall are greater along the Gulf Coast (33%) than they are along the East Coast (26%). When does Atlantic hurricane season 2025 begin? Hurricane season officially begins June 1, but storms have formed in May in several recent years. The six-month season lasts until Nov. 30. What happened in the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season? With more than 400 fatalities, 2024 was the nation's deadliest hurricane season since 2005, said National Hurricane Center Director Michael Brennan. It was also the third-costliest on record, after 2017 and 2005. With a U.S. death toll of at least 241, Hurricane Helene was the continental United States' deadliest single storm since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when about 1,400 people died. Other deadly storms in 2024 included Hurricanes Beryl and Milton, each of which killed over 40 people in the United States. In all, 18 named tropical storms and hurricanes formed in 2024, which is above the long-term average of 14. Of those 18 storms, 11 of them strengthened into hurricanes.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Above-average hurricane season, US landfall chances in CSU forecast
The first hurricane forecast of the year from the experts at Colorado State University released Thursday calls for an above-average season with nine hurricanes and a better than 50% chance a major hurricane will strike the U.S. The CSU seasonal forecasts were originated by the late William Gray in 1984, but continue out of the school's Department of Atmospheric Science, and are considered in meteorological circles as among the most accurate in predicting tropical activity. For 2025, forecasters point to warmer than normal waters in the eastern subtropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean has harbingers of another active season similar to 2024. Also feeding a potentially busy hurricane season is the low chance of El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific by the height of hurricane season from mid-August to October, which translates to less chance of wind shear in the Atlantic. No wind shear means greater chance storms won't lose steam as they plow toward targets in the Caribbean, Gulf Coast and U.S. East Coast. For those reasons, CSU forecasters expect 17 named storms, of which nine will become hurricanes. Of those, four are predicted to reach major hurricane strength. That's slightly lower than what 2024 saw with 18 named storms, 11 of which became hurricanes, with five of those becoming major storms of Category 3 strength or stronger. Those included hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton, all of which struck Florida's Gulf Coast. Helene and Milton combined to cause more than 250 fatalities and more than $120 billion dollars in damage in the U.S. The 30-year average from 1991-2020 saw 14.4 named storms, 7.2 hurricanes and 3.2 major hurricanes. The report also predicted landfall probabilities. It called for a 51% chance a major hurricane will strike the U.S. coastline noting the average from 1880-2020 is 43%. The chances a major hurricane will hit the U.S. East Coast including the Florida peninsula is 26%. The chances it would hit the U.S. Gulf Coast from the Florida panhandle to the Texas-Mexico border is 33%. The chances one would hit the Caribbean is 56%. 'It takes only one storm near you to make this an active season for you,' said coauthor of the forecast Michael Bell. Phil Klotzbach, a senior research scientist and lead author of CSU's forecast said the year looks similar to what he calls 'analog seasons' seen in 1996, 1999, 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2017. 'Our analog seasons ranged from having slightly below-average Atlantic hurricane activity to being hyperactive,' said Klotzbach. 'While the average of our analog seasons was above normal, the large spread in observed activity in our analog years highlights the high levels of uncertainty that typically are associated with our early April outlook.' The forecasts follows predictions released last month by AccuWeather that predicted up to six systems to impact the U.S. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration won't release its season prediction until May. CSU will update its forecast on June 11, July 9 and Aug. 6. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1-Nov. 30.
