Latest news with #Pfeffer
New Paper
3 days ago
- Health
- New Paper
Parents, is it worth dying for a pay cheque?
We spend a lot of time at work. According to the Ministry of Manpower, Singapore workers spend 43.3 hours at work per week, among the highest in Asia. As economic, geopolitical and technological clouds gather, it is no surprise that people are putting in longer hours at work, to get more face time with their bosses, in an effort to increase job security. With longer hours on the job, workers are experiencing more stress and mental health issues in coping with work, family and commitments, such as the care of older parents. The 2018 bestseller by Stanford Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer poses a timely question. His book, Dying For A Paycheck, asks whether it is worth it for workers to lose their health, and possibly their lives, in pursuit of a monthly salary. Prof Pfeffer makes the case that long hours, economic insecurity and the conflict between work and family can be toxic to employees. He accuses corporations of pursuing profitability at all costs by squeezing the maximum productivity from their workers. In doing so, companies are hurting employee engagement, increasing worker turnover and destroying workers' physical and emotional health. The deleterious effects of workplace stress on health are so severe that doctors have assessed that unemployment and increased job demands have a greater effect on worker deaths than the inhalation of second-hand cigarette smoke. According to the book, work-related health risks are systematic and can be linked to cardiovascular disease, poor mental health and suicide. Interestingly, the book has a Singapore connection. Professor Joel Goh from the National University of Singapore collaborated with Prof Pfeffer to quantitatively research the linkage between work and health, and the impact on premature worker death. Using data from the United States, Prof Goh, who was pursuing his PhD at Stanford University at the time, estimated that there are 120,000 additional deaths a year attributable to workplace-related stress and poor management practices of companies, half of which could have been prevented. Prof Goh describes the dire situation of workers in a paper cited by the book: "layoffs, job loss and unemployment adversely affect physical and mental health and mortality... the financial stress resulting from the loss of income, and also separation from the social identity of being productively employed and social isolation from co-workers". I recently spoke to Prof Goh about his research. He believes that his work makes the argument for employer culpability, and that it is worthwhile for employers to invest in practices to support their employees' psychological and social well-being. Like Prof Pfeffer, he believes that healthy workplaces are good for business. Of the different work environments between Singapore and the US, he said: "The current environment in Singapore is tough. Issues like unemployment, underemployment and economic insecurity plague workers in Singapore too, not just in the US." There is a big difference between Singapore and the US, in that healthcare coverage is more universal here, which takes some stress off the table for many local workers. It looks like the stress from the disruption and displacement of jobs does not look to be abating any time soon. To continue being there for our children, what should parents be looking for in their workplace? Job control In the book, Prof Pfeffer shared that in Britain's civil service, government servants of higher rank had a lower incidence of mortality from cardiovascular disease. The study discovered that higher ranked civil servants had more control over their jobs and more discretion over how their work was done. So, even with greater job demands and work stress, job control turned out to be an important predictor of whether a civil servant would eventually get cardiovascular disease. Job control even beat out smoking as a predictor of disease onset. Putting this link between stress and job control into practice, parents should consider choosing employers that allow them to have more autonomy and job control. In many workplaces, it is the supervisors that generate the bulk of the work stress as part of the immediate work environment that a worker is in. Paying attention to interviews with hiring managers can help parents to identify bosses who might be micromanagers or even those who are unfriendly to families. Making informal reference checks of possible supervisors can be helpful as well. If all else fails, checking a potential boss' social media footprint to see if there are red flags could prove to be invaluable. Bullying behaviour is often discoverable via a systematic pattern of comment on social media, especially among high-profile bosses. Open discussion Parents should consider having open discussions with the family about work stress and the challenges faced at work. Frank discussions allow the children to be involved in what is happening at work and, where possible, how it affects the family's finances. As my boys were growing up, I often discussed what would happen if I were to be fired from work. During the global financial crisis of 2008, when our family was based in the US, I would share what was happening in the global financial markets during family dinners. The kids were still young at the time - six and three years old - but I wanted to prepare them for any eventualities. I also assured them that we had savings tucked away and that we had the resources to tide us through until a new job appeared on the horizon, if anything unexpected happened. I fondly remember the extra hugs at the time, as my sons' way of showing their support and encouragement during a difficult time in my life. Instead of making them anxious, I think that going through that difficult period as a family has given them greater resilience in managing their own financial affairs. It has also provided them a perspective on how they can cope with their own professional lives, should they get fired at some point. Good employers Employers need to be part of the change. In Prof Pfeffer's book, he writes that "if we changed workplace practices and environments to reduce stressful conditions, employers would no longer be damaging, even killing, their people". Employers need to take workplace safety seriously. Physical conditions like lighting, noise and temperature make a huge difference to the well-being of workers. Besides keeping the environment safe, more can be done to create a conducive setting for work. As an example, there is a link between sound and blood pressure. Good employers can provide sound protection, or noise-cancelling headphones, to create a space where productive work can take place. Companies need to consider upgrading their health plans to make employee wellness a central priority. Increasingly, progressive employers are adding mental health benefits into their overall health benefit package, to create the right conditions for employees to thrive. Over a typical employment career, a worker could spend more than 90,000 hours at work. Given how much time we will spend at work, it is so important that we parents choose employers and workplaces that are healthy, happy and fulfilling. Because it is not worth dying for a pay cheque.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Stanford scientists 'totally surprised' by potential Parkinson's treatment discovery
A recent study from Stanford Medicine that "totally surprised" researchers highlighted what could be a promising approach to slowing Parkinson's disease progression. The research, published in the journal Science Signaling, took a closer look at enzymes — proteins in the body that speed up chemical reactions and are essential for digestion, liver function and other key functions, according to Cleveland Clinic — and their role in Parkinson's. The team found that targeting a certain enzyme helped to restore neuron and cell communication in mice. Music Conductor With Parkinson's Sees Symptoms Improve With Deep Brain Stimulation Lead author Suzanne Pfeffer, PhD, the Emma Pfeiffer Merner Professor in Medical Sciences and a professor of biochemistry at Stanford, told Fox News Digital that the team was "totally surprised that we saw as much improvement as we did." In about 25% of Parkinson's cases, the culprit is some form of genetic mutation. One of the most common mutations creates an overactive enzyme called LRRK2, according to a Stanford press release. Read On The Fox News App When there is too much LRRK2 activity, it changes the structure of the brain cells, disrupting important communication between neurons and cells. This system is crucial to movement, motivation and decision-making, according to the researchers. The goal of the study was to determine whether a specific molecule — the MLi-2 LRRK2 kinase inhibitor — could reverse the effect of overactive enzymes. Parkinson's Patients Who Take 'Magic Mushrooms' See Key Benefits, Study Finds Using mice that had the genetic mutation that causes overactive LRRK2 and also had symptoms consistent with early Parkinson's disease, the scientists tried feeding them the inhibitor for two weeks. There were initially no changes detected in brain structure, signaling or function of the dopamine neurons. However, after three months of eating the inhibitor, mice affected by the overactive enzyme appeared to have restored their neurons to the point where they were virtually the same as those without the genetic mutation, the study found. "Findings from this study suggest that inhibiting the LRRK2 enzyme could stabilize the progression of symptoms if patients can be identified early enough," Pfeffer said in the press release. The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged. "This was in mice, not people, but our current results indicate that similar pathways are important in humans," Pfeffer told Fox News Digital. While the study focused on a specific genetic form of the disease, overactive LRRK2 is also present in other cases, meaning this treatment could help multiple types of Parkinson's patients and possibly those with other neurodegenerative diseases, the reseachers claimed. Looking ahead, the team plans to investigate whether other forms of Parkinson's could benefit. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter Parkinson's — a disease that involves the slow death of dopamine-producing neurons, leading to symptoms like tremors and stiffness — affects nearly one million Americans, according to the Parkinson's Foundation, which has offices in New York and Miami. Experts agree that early intervention is key, as Parkinson's symptoms often appear years after the disease begins. Identifying and treating at-risk individuals sooner could potentially halt or reverse neuron loss. "These findings suggest that it might be possible to improve, not just stabilize, the condition of patients with Parkinson's disease," Pfeffer said. For more Health articles, visit The researcher told Fox News Digital that it's important to encourage patients to undergo genetic testing to learn more about their suitability for clinical trials and future treatments. The study was funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's initiative and the United Kingdom Medical Research article source: Stanford scientists 'totally surprised' by potential Parkinson's treatment discovery
Newsweek
01-07-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Parkinson's Breakthrough Could Help Prevent Brain Cell Loss
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new treatment for one type of Parkinson's disease may be on the horizon after researchers discovered a "brake" that can halt cell death. The study, led by researchers from Stanford University, California, involved a form of the neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by a single genetic mutation. This mutation causes an excess of a protein that interferes with the brain's ability to protect itself. Inhibiting this protein, the team found, can halt the damage and even allow dying neurons to recover. "These findings suggest that it might be possible to improve, not just stabilize, the condition of patients with Parkinson's disease," said paper author and Stanford biochemist professor Suzanne Pfeffer in a statement. Key, however, will be "if patients can be identified early enough," she added. While Parkinson's most recognizable symptom might be resting tremors, the earliest signs of the disease typically manifest some 15 years earlier. These first signs, Pfeffer said, include constipation, a loss of smell and REM sleep behavior disorder, a condition in which people act out their dreams while sleeping. Artist's impression of neurons in the brain. Artist's impression of neurons in the brain. FlashMovie/iStock / Getty Images Plus In the U.S, it is estimated that some 1.1 million people are living with Parkinson's disease—a figure only expected to rise in the near future, according to the Parkinson's Foundation. As Pfeffer and colleagues explain, around a quarter of all cases are caused by genetic mutations, with one of the most common being one that increases the activity of an enzyme called leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2). Too much LRRK2 in the brain changes the structure of cells by causing them to lose their "antenna" (technically the primary cilia) that allows them to send and receive chemical messages. In a healthy brain, communications are relayed back and forth between dopamine neurons in two regions of the brain known as the striatum and the substantia nigra. When dopamine neurons are stressed, they release a protein-based signal in the striatum called sonic hedgehog (after the video game character)—this causes neurons and support cells to produce so-called neuroprotective factors that shield other cells from dying. When LRRK2 activity crosses a certain threshold, the loss of the primary cilia in the cells of the striatum prevents them from receiving the sonic hedgehog signal; as a result, the neuroprotective factors are not produced. "Many kinds of processes necessary for cells to survive are regulated through cilia sending and receiving signals," explained Pfeffer. "The cells in the striatum that secrete neuroprotective factors in response to hedgehog signals also need hedgehog to survive. "We think that when cells have lost their cilia, they are also on the pathway to death because they need cilia to receive signals that keep them alive." A diagram shows how neurons (blue) rooted in the substantia nigra provide dopamine (dark green dots) to striatal neurons (red). A diagram shows how neurons (blue) rooted in the substantia nigra provide dopamine (dark green dots) to striatal neurons (red). Emily Moskal / Stanford Medicine It is possible to combat an excess of LRRK2 using a so-called "MLi-2 LRRK2 kinase inhibitor," a molecule that attaches to the enzyme and reduces its activity. In their study, Pfeffer and colleagues set out to test whether this inhibitor could also reverse the effects of too much LRRK2, as well as whether it was even possible for fully mature neurons and supportive glia to regrow lost cilia and regain their communication ability. At first, the results were not promising. The team gave the inhibitor for two weeks to mice that had the LRRK2 mutation (and show symptoms consistent with early Parkinson's disease)—to no effect. However, the researchers were inspired by recent studies into sleep-wake cycles, which found that the primary cilia on the mature cells involved grew and shrank every 12 hours. "The findings that other non-dividing cells grow cilia made us realize that it was theoretically possible for the inhibitor to work," said Pfeffer. Inspired by this, the team decided to try giving the mice the inhibitor for a longer time—with the results at three months being "astounding," the biochemist added. The longer treatment saw the percentage of striatal neurons and glia with primary cilia in the mice with the mutation increase to the same level as regular, healthy mice. This had the effect of restoring communication between the dopamine neurons and the striatum, leading to the normal secretion of neuroprotective factors. The researchers also found that the level of hedgehog signaling from the dopamine neurons decreased—suggesting that they were under less stress. Moreover, the density of dopamine nerve endings in the mice's striatum was found to double, suggesting that neurons which had been in the process of dying had recovered. LRRK2 inhibition decreased stress in dopamine neurons in mice models of Parkinson's (top right vs. bottom right—with healthy mice on the left for comparison.) LRRK2 inhibition decreased stress in dopamine neurons in mice models of Parkinson's (top right vs. bottom right—with healthy mice on the left for comparison.) Ebsy Jaimon & Suzanne Pfeffer With their initial study complete, the researchers say that their next step would be to determine whether other forms of Parkinson's that are not associated with the LRRK2 mutation could also benefit from the new treatment. This is possible, Pfeffer explains, because the mutation is not the only way to end up with an overactive LRRK2 enzyme. In fact, she added, the inhibitor treatment might even help with other neurodegenerative diseases. "We are so excited about these findings. They suggest this approach has great promise to help patients in terms of restoring neuronal activity in this brain circuit, said Pfeffer. She concluded: "There are multiple LRRK2 inhibitor clinical trials underway—and our hope is that these findings in mice will hold true for patients in the future." Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about Parkinson's disease? Let us know via health@ Reference Jaimon, E., Lin, Y.-E., Tonelli, F., Antico, O., Alessi, D. R., & Pfeffer, S. R. (2025). Restoration of striatal neuroprotective pathways by kinase inhibitor treatment of Parkinson's disease–linked LRRK2-mutant mice. Science Signaling, 18(793).
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Steering technology towards better vehicle dynamics
Until autonomous cars become mainstream, which some argue is a really long time away, if at all it happens, the steering wheel isn't going away and the vehicle steering system will continue to see technology development. 'I don't think that the steering system is disappearing in the next 30 years,' Dr. Peter Pfeffer , CEO, MdynamiX , and Professor, Automotive Engineering , Munich University of Applied Sciences. A joystick could also replace the steering wheel, but at the system level there's a change happening, and that's software replacing hardware. Steer-by-wire technology is set to be the next big thing in steering system engineering. 'A lot of OEMs have large projects to get the steer-by-wire in mass production. Some of them stopped the game because of the economic pressure, but some others are still working,' says Dr. Pfeffer. ADAS and vehicle dynamics With the ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) trend increasingly gaining traction, vehicle driveability, handling and comfort, or vehicle dynamics in other words, is attracting more attention. That's also leading to more hardware-in-loop (HIL) testing. The HIL test benches, linked to the driving simulators, can help gauge and calibrate the steering feel and brake feel on the driving simulator. 'This is a new trend, and a lot of people say that then driving simulator makes really sense, because then we can calibrate the systems like steering system, brake system, lane keeping system and so on, and make the evaluation of the tyres too,' says Dr. Pfeffer, who's also a global expert in steering systems and vehicle dynamics. The Pfeffer Steering System designed by Dr. Pfeffer is a well used conceptual framework for engineering vehicle dynamics, with a special focus on steering behaviour and its effect on droveability. It was first developed as a "very large research project" for BMW, which focused on strong driving dynamics as a brand attribute, with also a tagline of 'Sheer Driving Pleasure'. The German luxury car major's goal was to find objective targets for steering feel. They wanted to develop the steering feel with virtual methods. 'And here one part was to make this evaluation of the steering system with test drivers, subjective evaluations, and the other side was the objective evaluation. And the next step was that we want to produce these objective values out of the simulation tools. And this was the driver of this development,' explains Dr. Pfeffer. Good steering feel or feedback is key for a better driveability or driving experience. Will a drive-by-wire system be able to match the experience of a mechanically linked steering system? Yes, according to Dr. Pfeffer. He says, 'We made such a car, in partnership. It was also used for racing, and the feedback from race drivers was very, very positive, but this is not in mass production. It was just some first prototypes.' Autonomous, ADAS tech will see gradual progression Autonomous Driving is one of the key global megatrends but its progression has significantly lagged behind other megatrends such as electrification, Connected Vehicles. Assisted driving in the form of ADAS tech is paving the path for it, but time will have to be invested too for the requisite technology maturity. 'When you look back, the first ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) was launched around 2000, and now 70 or 80% of cars in Germany are equipped with this system. It has taken more than 20 years (for the tech) to get to a maturity level, and the same will be for lane keeping tech which started later. So it takes time,' says Dr. Pfeffer, who is confident that Autonomous Driving will 'of course' become a reality. Role of Industry-Academia collaboration In an increasingly technology-intensive, disruptive era, automotive industry players have to innovate and develop technologies faster than ever before. In such a scenario, the value of or need for industry-academia collaboration may be stronger than ever. Dr. Pfeffer, who also had a stint at Audi as a chassis and NVH engineer, many years ago, believes that it's important for academia to be in tune with the trends and needs in the industry landscape. 'The big benefit of having worked in industry is that you know what the industry is needing, and you are not teaching stuff which is not for any use in the industry,' says Dr. Pfeffer, who also points out that in Germany it's essential for an individual to have industry work experience to apply for professorship. Academicians-led enterprise Dr. Pfeffer, and his core teammates at MdynamiX also form an interesting example of academicians and entrepreneurs at the same time. Peter Pfeffer, Bernhard Schick, Stefan Sentpali, and Markus Krug, all professors, came together to form MdynamiX, an engineering firm specialising in ADAS/AD, UX, vehicle dynamics, steering & brakes and NVH, in 2014. Why did a group of professors form an engineering firm when they could have done developmental projects in their labs? 'Because there are so many PhD theses, tons of papers written, there's so much knowledge in this. But development engineers don't have time to read the PhD for the whole day or so. And so to make it easier to use them, we said, okay, we have to develop easy to use products and software out of the best ideas,' says Dr. Pfeffer. MdynamiX also has an academy automotive engineers are trained to use such methods. Given the growing ADAS trend in India and the opportunities arising thereof, the Munich based MdynamiX has also established an India presence with a joint venture with Delhi based Automotive Test Systems . To get more insights and also discuss the various vehicle dynamics related topics with Dr. Peter Pfeffer, be at the 6th ETAuto Tech Summit, where the technologist and academician will participate as a Keynote Speaker.
Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Man predicted own murder in chilling Facebook post one day before he was tied up and shot
Sean Pfeffer, 45, said 'I hope you shoot me' in a furious Facebook post about his alleged killer just a day before his body was found in the back of a pickup truck in California's Santa Cruz Mountains A man named his alleged killer in a chilling Facebook post just a day before he was found dead in a remote area. The bodies of Sean Pfeffer, 45, and Colter White, 53, were discovered in the back of an abandoned pickup truck in the Santa Cruz Mountains in California on April 24. Both men were found to have been tied up with rope and shot. On Monday, officers from California Highway Patrol announced that James David Collier, a 66-year-old from the small town of Boulder Creek, had been arrested "without incident" over the weekend, and is being held at Santa Clara County Jail on two charges of murder. Now, a final social media post by Sean Pfeffer written the day before he died has emerged. In it, Mr Pfeffer, who worked as a mechanic in Boulder Creek, claimed that he had invited a man named James Collier to the area - but suggested he had since become a problem and had begun pressuring his cousin. He wrote: "If today isn't work out know that it was James Collier the piece of crap that I invited to this mountain that still hasn't left it and is working the f*** out of my f****** cousin,' he said. "I'm rolling down there right now Jimmy, I hope you shoot me." On the following day, March 23, highway patrol officers responded to reports of two bodies in the area, and found them underneath a 1988 Harley Davidson motorbike, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Court documents alleged the motorcycle had been taken to the scene by tractor. Detectives and crime scene investigators from the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office were also at the scene, and a coroner's report issued three days later officially classified the incident as a double homicide. It found Mr Pfeffer was killed by a "'gunshot wound of the left chest" while Mr White was killed by "gunshot wounds" to his "torso and left upper and lower extremities." Police have not stated what they believe to be the motive for the killing, though local reports said it could have centred around Collier's refusal to leave a property that was being put up for sale. On April 9, a swat team and detectives raided Collier's home, using the evidence to arrest him for double homicide on Sunday. California Highway Patrol's Golden Gate Division Chief Don Goodbrand said in a statement: "I want to commend our detectives for their incredible dedication and exceptional investigative efforts in bringing a suspect into custody in this tragic case. "The successful outcome would not have been possible without the outstanding partnership of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office and the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. "We are grateful for their collaboration and unwavering commitment to justice."
