Health
Get that Lymph Moving! – Office for Science and Society
Foreign invaders, be they molds on walls, toxins in polluted air, contaminants in food, viruses, bacteria, parasites, or fungi, represent a threat to our health. Luckily, our body has a way of battling such invaders. A complex network of organs, white blood cells, proteins, and signaling molecules collectively known as the immune system are ready to wage war against the enemy.
The first step is a mobilization of macrophages, a type of white blood cell whose name derives from the Greek for “big eaters”. In a process known as “phagocytosis” macrophages engulf intruders and break them down with enzymes they release from special sacs called lysosomes. If the disease causing organisms (pathogens) prove to be overwhelming, macrophages send out “danger signals” to immune “back-up troops,” most notably two types of T cells. “T” cells originate in the bone marrow but derive their name from the thymus gland in the chest where they mature and learn to distinguish “self” from “non-self.” This prevents “autoimmune reactions” in which the body attacks its own normal components as happens in lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, all examples of auto-immune disease. When “non-self” needs to be attacked, “killer T cells release cell-destroying “cytotoxins” while “helper T cells” coordinate the attack by sending out chemical messages that attract other immune cells and cause killer T cells to multiply.
Although they are formidable workhorses, T cells can suffer from “T cell exhaustion”. Confrontation with cancer cells is notorious for causing such exhaustion. Fortunately, T cells can recover after each immune mission and take on a new challenge.
After macrophages and T cells have chewed up the invaders, B cells come along and sweep away the debris. As they do this, they identify specific components in the debris that were responsible for triggering immune activity (antigens) and learn to produce special proteins called antibodies that will recognize the antigen should they meet it again. Such an encounter will lead to the destruction of any organism that features the antigen. This is known as acquired immunity.
A question often arises about the possibility of “boosting” our immune system. Since food is the only raw material that enters our body, it stands to reason that all body functions, including our immune system, is affected by what we eat. A diet of whole grains, veggies, fruits, and legumes with minimal alcohol, processed foods and refined carbs goes a long way towards improving overall health, including that of the immune system.
But wait. There is yet another way to boost our immune health. Speed up your lymph circulation! Lymph is the pale-yellow liquid that drains out of blood into surrounding tissues where it is collected and then circulated around the body through lymphatic vessels which are much like blood vessels. This “lymphatic system” also stores “lymphocytes,” such as the T cells and B cells we already encountered, along with “natural killer cells” that specifically attack cancer cells as well as cells infected with a virus.
Eventually, lymph, along with the lymphocytes it contains, is returned back into the bloodstream through lymph nodes, some 600 of which are located throughout the body. Intruders are thus fought both in the lymphatic and blood circulation systems.
Lymph nodes store lymphocytes and also filter cellular waste, viral debris, and damaged cells from lymph. During an infection they have to work harder, which is why they become swollen. Immune cells also grow and multiply in the bone marrow, spleen, tonsils, and thymus gland, all of which are considered to be part of the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system has no analogue to the heart which is the “pump” that circulates blood and therefore has to rely on the activity of surrounding muscles for circulation. This is where exercise comes into the picture! The more muscular movement, the faster lymph circulates, and the more continuously lymphocytes are delivered to any site in the body where they may be needed, and the more effectively cellular waste is managed. The old adage “you rest, you rust” makes a lot of immunological sense.
Still, as people age, so does our immune system. The thymus, for example, undergoes “thymic involution” meaning that it shrinks with the passage of time. The regression starts at puberty and by the age of 75 or so, the thymus is reduced to merely fatty tissue.
The smaller the thymus, the less its capability to prepare T cells. A shrunken thymus means our T cells dwindle in number as we age and our immune response is less effective. We cannot slow time, but we can slow down immune aging with exercise. You don’t have to run marathons or buy fancy Peloton equipment. A simple after-dinner walk or 30 minutes of pedaling on the old-fashioned stationary bike works just as well.
Beside boosting immune health, exercise also produces endorphins, the body’s natural pain relievers along with dopamine and serotonin, the “happy hormones.” A win-win.
Dr. Nancy Liu-Sullivan holds a Ph.D. in biology and served as a senior research scientist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She currently teaches biology at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York.
Health
U.S. tightens rules for dairy cows a day after bird flu virus fragments found in pasteurized milk samples – Toronto Star
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Infected cows were already prohibited from being transported out of state, but that was based on the physical characteristics of the milk, which looks curdled when a cow is infected, or a cow has decreased lactation or low appetite, both symptoms of infection.
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NEWS RELEASE
SOUTHLAKE REGIONAL HEALTH CENTRE
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This Cancer Awareness Month, Southlake is adding advanced technologies to detect and treat breast cancer and other women’s cancers thanks to generous community donor support, most recently through the HERE is Where Cancer Meets its Match campaign. New cancer care technology, including new mammography machines, the MyoSure System and the MOLLI 2® System will make a measurable impact in diagnosing and treating women’s cancers in the communities Southlake serves.
Southlake is installing three new mammography machines to expand its breast cancer screening program to 1,500 more women each year. Two of these machines have new biopsy capabilities that will reduce the number of cancelled exams due to equipment failure, ensuring timely care for women. Women ages 40 to 49 years old will be able to self-refer for publicly funded mammograms through the Ontario Breast Screening Program starting this fall.
“Early detection is critical when treating breast cancer and other women’s cancers,” said Lorrie Reynolds, Director, Regional Cancer Program at Southlake. “We treat more than 1,700 breast cancer patients at Southlake every year. By adding advanced technology, like the new mammography machines, we’re ensuring women have the best experience at Southlake.”
Southlake is also introducing the MyoSure System, an innovative technology that can help detect female reproductive cancers. Damaged tissue in a woman’s uterus such as fibroids and polyps can now be removed in a precise, minimally invasive procedure that leaves the rest of the uterus intact. This will improve the overall patient experience by supporting faster recovery, reducing the risk of infection and giving more women the option to have children. An estimated 200 women per year will benefit from the MyoSure System.
The new mammography machines and the MyoSure System build on Southlake’s recent investment in the MOLLI 2® System, a made-in-Canada wire-free breast localization technology. This technology is considerably less invasive and more accurate when compared to wire-guided localization, resulting in a better patient experience and improved cosmetic outcomes. More than 200 women each year will benefit from this innovative medical device as they are treated for breast cancer at Southlake.
“As a clinician caring for women with cancer in our community, I’m incredibly proud of the work Southlake is doing to advance women’s health and improve patient experiences,” said Sara Temple, MD, Surgical Oncologist and Chief of Surgery at Southlake. “Women who visit Southlake can be confident that they are receiving leading edge care, close to home when they need it most.”
The World Health Organization anticipates a 77 per cent increase in cancer diagnoses by 2050. Southlake serves some of the fastest growing communities in Canada and anticipates that the number of patients requiring cancer care will grow. By investing in new technology, Southlake is ensuring that women in the communities it serves have access to leading edge cancer care. All of these investments were funded with support from community donors who generously gave to Southlake to support investments into women’s health at the hospital.
“The generosity of our donor community and the impact they have made for women receiving cancer diagnosis and treatment at Southlake is something we can all take great pride in,” said Jennifer Ritter, President and CEO of Southlake Foundation. “From our Women’s Health Initiative donors supporting new mammography machines, to the Ladies in Philanthropy for Southlake funding the MOLLI 2 System, to our long-standing partners The Edge Benefits and Pheasant Run Golf Club enabling the introduction of MyoSure System through their joint annual charity golf tournament, we are incredibly lucky to share a vision of access to exceptional care for everyone who depends on Southlake when they need us most. Thank you, to every donor who contributed to these important upgrades to care for women.”
Southlake Foundation’s HERE is Where Cancer Meets its Match campaign supports the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre at Southlake. For more information or to make a donation, visit: southlake.ca/HERE.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says that samples of pasteurized milk have tested positive for remnants of the bird flu virus that has infected dairy cows.
The agency stressed that the material is inactivated and that the findings “do not represent actual virus that may be a risk to consumers.” Officials added that they’re continuing to study the issue.
“To date, we have seen nothing that would change our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe,” the FDA said in a statement on Tuesday.
The announcement comes nearly a month after an avian influenza virus that has sickened millions of wild and commercial birds in recent years was detected in dairy cows in at least eight states. The Agriculture Department (USDA) says 33 herds have been affected to date.
FDA officials didn’t indicate how many samples they tested or where they were obtained. The agency has been evaluating milk during processing and from grocery stores, officials said. Results of additional tests are expected in “the next few days to weeks.”
WATCH | Bird flu spread in U.S. cows:
For the first time ever, avian influenza, or H5N1 bird flu, was detected in roughly a dozen dairy cow herds across the U.S. About That producer Lauren Bird explores why scientists and public health officials are concerned about the cross-species transmission and whether humans are now at higher risk.
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) lab test the FDA used would have detected viral genetic material even after live virus was killed by pasteurization, or heat treatment, said Lee-Ann Jaykus, an emeritus food microbiologist and virologist at North Carolina State University
“There is no evidence to date that this is infectious virus, and the FDA is following up on that,” Jaykus said.
Officials with the FDA and the USDA had previously said milk from affected cattle did not enter the commercial supply. Milk from sick animals is supposed to be diverted and destroyed. Federal regulations require milk that enters interstate commerce to be pasteurized.
Tests for viable virus underway, agency says
Because the detection of the bird flu virus known as Type A H5N1 in dairy cattle is new and the situation is evolving, no studies on the effects of pasteurization on the virus have been completed, FDA officials said. But past research shows that pasteurization is “very likely” to inactivate heat-sensitive viruses like H5N1, the agency added.
The agency said it has been evaluating milk from affected animals, in the processing system and on the shelves. It said it is completing a large, representative national sample to understand the extent of the findings.
Matt Herrick, a spokesperson for the International Dairy Foods Association, said that time and temperature regulations for pasteurization ensure that the commercial U.S. milk supply is safe. Remnants of the virus “have zero impact on human health,” he wrote in an email.
Scientists confirmed the H5N1 virus in dairy cows in March after weeks of reports that cows in Texas were suffering from a mysterious malady. The cows were lethargic and saw a dramatic reduction in milk production. Although the H5N1 virus is lethal to commercial poultry, most infected cattle seem to recover within two weeks, experts said.
To date, two people in the U.S. have been infected with bird flu. A Texas dairy worker who was in close contact with an infected cow recently developed a mild eye infection and has recovered. In 2022, a prison inmate in a work program caught it while killing infected birds at a Colorado poultry farm. His only symptom was fatigue, and he recovered.
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