Latest news with #Stefanovska
Ottawa Citizen
24-05-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
ESDC to track individual workers' sign-in location to enforce return-to-office rules
Article content The largest department in the core public service will begin producing reports on whether individual employees are signing in from the office beginning in July. Article content Article content The new initiative deepens the data collection and surveillance of employees at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), as the department pushes to meet return-to-office directives. Article content Article content The department was formerly producing aggregate data reports from a 'roll up of all login data,' ESDC spokesperson Maja Stefanovska said in an email. The department will now provide information at an individual employee level. Article content The so-called 'low on-site connectivity reports' will be compiled with employee log-in data, approved leave and employee work arrangement information. The data will also reflect statutory holidays to make sure it doesn't overcount the days employees aren't in the office. Article content Stefanovska said ESDC 'will begin producing a Low Onsite Connectivity Report that will support managers and direct supervisors, including those with large and geographically dispersed teams better understand whether all employees are fully meeting the expectations of ESDC's common hybrid work model policies.' Article content The department defines low-connectivity as an 'individual's low connection to ESDC's network in the office as per their hybrid work arrangement.' Article content Article content Workers inside the department were told of the new reports last week. Data for the July report will be collected from June 2 to June 29. Article content Article content These reports will be sent to supervisors and managers who may follow up with their staff to ask why they fell short of the requirement that they be in the office for three days a week. If the supervisor finds that there is no justification for low onsite connectivity then 'employees may face administrative and/or disciplinary action.' Article content ESDC told the Ottawa Citizen that the department has 'consulted key stakeholders such as they Office of the Privacy Commissioner and completed Privacy Impact Assessment's to ensure that the information gathered respects employee privacy.' Article content Since September 2024, many public servants have been required to work in the office for three days a week. Executives must be in the office for at least four days a week. At the end of that month, only 73 per cent of employees were compliant with the new rules, according to documents obtained by the Ottawa Citizen through an access-to-information request.
Ottawa Citizen
24-05-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
ESDC to track individual workers' sign in location to enforce return-to-office rules
The largest department in the core public service will begin producing reports on whether individual employees are signing in from the office beginning in July. Article content Article content The new initiative deepens the data collection and surveillance of employees at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), as the department pushes to meet return-to-office directives. Article content Article content The department was formerly producing aggregate data reports from a 'roll up of all login data,' ESDC spokesperson Maja Stefanovska said in an email. The department will now provide information at an individual employee level. Article content The so-called 'low on-site connectivity reports' will be compiled with employee log-in data, approved leave and employee work arrangement information. The data will also reflect statutory holidays to make sure it doesn't overcount the days employees aren't in the office. Article content Stefanovska said ESDC 'will begin producing a Low Onsite Connectivity Report that will support managers and direct supervisors, including those with large and geographically dispersed teams better understand whether all employees are fully meeting the expectations of ESDC's common hybrid work model policies.' Article content The department defines low-connectivity as an 'individual's low connection to ESDC's network in the office as per their hybrid work arrangement.' Article content Article content Workers inside the department were told of the new reports last week. Data for the July report will be collected from June 2 to June 29. Article content Article content These reports will be sent to supervisors and managers who may follow up with their staff to ask why they fell short of the requirement that they be in the office for three days a week. If the supervisor finds that there is no justification for low onsite connectivity then 'employees may face administrative and/or disciplinary action.' Article content ESDC told the Ottawa Citizen that the department has 'consulted key stakeholders such as they Office of the Privacy Commissioner and completed Privacy Impact Assessment's to ensure that the information gathered respects employee privacy.' Article content Since September 2024, many public servants have been required to work in the office for three days a week. Executives must be in the office for at least four days a week. At the end of that month, only 73 per cent of employees were compliant with the new rules, according to documents obtained by the Ottawa Citizen through an access-to-information request.
The Independent
25-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
The common clue to your risk of Alzheimer's just discovered by scientists
Measuring variations in the brain's respiration patterns could help detect Alzheimer 's disease early, according to a new study that may lead to better diagnosis and treatment. Changes in oxygen supply to the brain can contribute to the degeneration of nerve cells, leading to Alzheimer's, the study by Lancaster University researchers says. Nerve cells and blood vessels work together to ensure the brain receives sufficient energy. The organ needs as much as a fifth of the body's total energy consumption despite weighing just 1.4kg. Researchers examined how changes in the brain's neurovascular unit, which consists of blood vessels connected to neurons via brain cells called astrocytes, affect the Alzheimer's condition. 'Alzheimer's can be hypothesised as being a result of the brain not being appropriately nourished via the blood vessels,' said biophysicist Aneta Stefanovska, a co-author of the study. In the new study, published in the journal Brain Communications, researchers connected probes to the scalp to measure brain blood flow and electrical activity as well as an electrocardiogram and a belt wrapped around the chest to monitor heart rate and breathing. By simultaneously capturing these parameters, researchers could capture the body's natural rhythms and their imperfect timings. Scientists found that the efficient functioning of the brain depends on how well all these rhythms are orchestrated. They also found that the respiratory frequency at rest is significantly higher in participants with Alzheimer's disease. For instance, while the control group had an average respiration rate of about 13 breaths per minute, the Alzheimer's group had 17 breaths per minute. 'This is an interesting discovery - in my opinion a revolutionary one - that may open a whole new world in the study of Alzheimer's disease,' Dr Stefanovska said. 'It most likely reflects an inflammation, maybe in the brain, that once detected can probably be treated and severe states of Alzheimer's might be prevented in the future,' she said. Researchers said the findings could yield promising drug targets as the current protein-focused trials had produced 'disappointing results'. 'We show clear results of our approach and how Alzheimer's can be detected simply, noninvasively, and inexpensively,' Dr Steganovska said. 'Of course, more research is needed.'
The Independent
24-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Your breathing pattern may hold clue to Alzheimer's risk
Measuring variations in the brain's respiration patterns could help detect Alzheimer 's disease early, according to a new study that may lead to better diagnosis and treatment. Changes in oxygen supply to the brain can contribute to the degeneration of nerve cells, leading to Alzheimer's, the study by Lancaster University researchers says. Nerve cells and blood vessels work together to ensure the brain receives sufficient energy. The organ needs as much as a fifth of the body's total energy consumption despite weighing just 1.4kg. Researchers examined how changes in the brain's neurovascular unit, which consists of blood vessels connected to neurons via brain cells called astrocytes, affect the Alzheimer's condition. 'Alzheimer's can be hypothesised as being a result of the brain not being appropriately nourished via the blood vessels,' said biophysicist Aneta Stefanovska, a co-author of the study. In the new study, published in the journal Brain Communications, researchers connected probes to the scalp to measure brain blood flow and electrical activity as well as an electrocardiogram and a belt wrapped around the chest to monitor heart rate and breathing. By simultaneously capturing these parameters, researchers could capture the body's natural rhythms and their imperfect timings. Scientists found that the efficient functioning of the brain depends on how well all these rhythms are orchestrated. They also found that the respiratory frequency at rest is significantly higher in participants with Alzheimer's disease. For instance, while the control group had an average respiration rate of about 13 breaths per minute, the Alzheimer's group had 17 breaths per minute. 'This is an interesting discovery - in my opinion a revolutionary one - that may open a whole new world in the study of Alzheimer's disease,' Dr Stefanovska said. 'It most likely reflects an inflammation, maybe in the brain, that once detected can probably be treated and severe states of Alzheimer's might be prevented in the future,' she said. Researchers said the findings could yield promising drug targets as the current protein-focused trials had produced 'disappointing results'. 'We show clear results of our approach and how Alzheimer's can be detected simply, noninvasively, and inexpensively,' Dr Steganovska said. 'Of course, more research is needed.'
