Researchers from 91亚色 U, Environment and Climate Change Canada found chemical compounds trigger inflammatory, toxic responses in human lung immune cells

TORONTO, May 27, 2026 鈥� A published today in the journal Environment International reports that chemicals released from tires can transform into complex mixtures in the atmosphere that may pose previously unrecognized risks to human respiratory health.

Tire rubber contains antioxidant chemicals, most notably 6PPD and DPPD, that are released into the air as tiny particles during normal driving. A single compound formed from 6PPD, known as 6PPD-quinone was previously shown to be implicated in the death of coho salmon in urban waterways, but the broader atmospheric chemistry and potential human health impacts of these compounds have remained largely unexplored until now.

鈥淭he striking finding was that the mixtures were far more toxic than the original tire chemicals themselves and are far more toxic than the one compound previously implicated in environmental studies,鈥� says 91亚色 Associate Professor Ali Abdul-Sater, who co-lead the study with researchers from Environment and Climate Change Canada. 鈥淭his suggests that focusing on a single compound may substantially underestimate the real health risks associated with tire-derived air pollution.鈥�

Abdul-Sater, with the School of Kinesiology and Health Science in the Faculty of Health at 91亚色 and director of the Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) CARE Hub, connected with research scientists John Liggio and Samar Moussa from Environment and Climate Change Canada. The federal government agency has a 鈥渓ibrary鈥� of archived ambient samples on hand from across the country and the researchers used some of these samples from near Highway 401, and close to 91亚色, for the study.

鈥淲hen you oxidize one chemical from a tire, it probably makes hundreds of chemicals in the mixture, and you don't know which one of those, or all of them are causing the toxic effect that we're seeing,鈥� explains Liggio. 鈥淓ven though we can identify what they are chemically, you can't go out and buy that chemical and test only that chemical.鈥�

In this study, they identified at least 150 chemicals and found 88 of them to be present in the roadside samples. They then recreated the mixture of tire derived chemicals in their laboratory and handed them off to Abdul-Sater.

At his lab at 91亚色, Abdul-Sater exposed human macrophage cells to this chemical mixture. Macrophages are immune cells that serve as the lungs鈥� first line of defense against inhaled particles. Surprisingly, while the fish-killing 6PPD-quinone was not found to be particularly toxic, the chemical mixture overall was.

鈥淭he results showed rapid cell death, substantial mitochondrial damage, and strong activation of inflammatory pathways,鈥� says Abdul-Sater. 鈥淭hese effects were far more severe than those caused by the parent chemicals alone or by 6PPD-quinone, the single product that has received the most attention. Importantly, the concentrations that triggered these responses are comparable to estimated levels in human lung fluid based on real-world air quality measurements near busy roads.鈥�

Moussa adds: 鈥淭he original motivation for the project was to assess the toxicity of this one compound, but what we discovered was a potentially more complex issue that we aim to disentangle in future studies. When you breath in air, you take it all in, you are not selectively breathing this molecule or that molecule.鈥�

The researchers say the results are preliminary and not cause for alarm, pointing out that these exposures have existed for half a century or more, but they may be one more environmental exposure that is contributing to the rise of chronic inflammation and related disease. Previous studies have shown negative health effects being correlated with living near major roadways.

鈥淲e have to think about this from a chronic exposure angle,鈥� says Abdul-Sater. 鈥淭hese compounds may be increasing our proclivity to develop certain kinds of diseases.鈥�

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91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for meaningful life and career paths. 91亚色's Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campus in Costa Rica offers students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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Sport has long been intertwined with the study of human movement in North American post-secondary education. Whereas traditionally, the study of human movement and sport was housed within physical education programs, it is now predominantly offered through kinesiology programs that, more than ever before, align with narrowly defined health sciences. Much like how the Olympics celebrate 鈥渇aster, higher, stronger鈥� sporting bodies and performances, the current focus of kinesiology as a field of study is increasingly linked to an Olympic-like emphasis on educating students on how to produce 鈥渇aster, higher, stronger鈥� bodies, optimize performance, and individualizing narratives of health promotion. This intense fixation on functional movement and on narrow conceptualizations of health stands in contrast to kinesiology鈥檚 origins as 鈥溾�he best option in promoting a broad-based disciplinary, professional, and performance approach to the study of physical activity鈥� (). As scholars who study sport from a sociological perspective, we are concerned with these approaches to the study of human movement, as they minimize larger social forces and/or societal structures that impact experience of, access to, and opportunity for physical activity and sport.

The dynamics above are complicated by the postsecondary education landscape in which kinesiology programs operate with dwindling public sector funding, growing corporate influences, and the entrenchment of values that overemphasize individual efforts and competition, to name a few. These forces in part have increased the pressures on academic departments to produce work-ready graduates who respond to current labour trends, including the rise in demand for healthcare sector jobs, as opposed to cultivating critically minded graduates with a breadth and depth of theoretical and practical skills that can address challenges facing our communities. Like others in our field, we are troubled by the reproduction of high-performance sport values (i.e., narrow ways of thinking about what a body should be and do) within kinesiology (i.e., narrow ways of thinking about what a student/scholar should be and do), and raise critical questions about the newly revised Olympic motto 鈥渇aster, higher, stronger 鈥� together鈥� and its influence on both the Olympics and kinesiology.

鈥淭ogether鈥� on the Olympic Stage

The Olympic motto was revised in  to 鈥渇aster, higher, stronger鈥攖ogether鈥�;  a noteworthy change made in order to 鈥渞ecognize the unifying power of sport and the importance of solidarity.鈥�  This overture to the concept of solidarity provides opportunity to further reflect on kinesiology in contemporary higher education as described above.  Despite the International Olympic Committee鈥檚 (IOC) desire to have nothing distract from the spectacle of the Olympics, the Games always reflect, confront, and operate amid a myriad of complex social issues. This in part has led to many athletes over the years using the spotlight of their participation in the Olympic Games to speak out against oppression. In turn, the IOC has routinely attempted to restrict athletes鈥� agency and their ability to articulate their political views ().

This places some athletes in an incredibly difficult bind as they grapple with how to express their political viewpoints on the international stage knowing full well the risks they may incur. For example, in聽, U.S. shot putter Raven Saunders drew attention for their brightly dyed hair, manicured nails, and for wearing a full face-mask and sunglasses while competing. However, in聽, they were investigated but not punished by the IOC for forming an 鈥淴鈥� with their wrists as they held their arms above their head while on the podium鈥攚hat they described as a representation of 鈥渢he intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet.鈥� Contrast this with Afghan breakdancer Manizha Tanish who, in the inaugural breakdancing competition in the 2024 Games, ended her routine by wrapping herself in a cape (made from a burqa) bearing the words 鈥�.鈥� She was immediately disqualified from the competition for her political protest, but expressed no remorse for her actions: 鈥淚 thought: I鈥檝e got one minute when the whole world鈥檚 watching me and I thought, what鈥檚 more important, my dream, my life, or women in聽? I didn鈥檛 go there to win, that doesn鈥檛 matter to me.鈥�

The hypocrisy of the new Olympic motto is not lost on us.聽 stated in a press release that: 鈥淪olidarity fuels our mission to make the world a better place through sport. We can only go faster, we can only aim higher, we can only become stronger by standing together 鈥� in solidarity.鈥� However, as shown by the IOC鈥檚 own actions, acceptable acts of solidarity are those that narrowly conform to the IOC鈥檚 aims and interests. As journalist Shireen Ahmed聽聽of the absurdity of Talash鈥檚 disqualification during a Games that professed a commitment to gender parity: 鈥淓ither you support women in all their entities or you don鈥檛.鈥�

鈥淪olidarity鈥� in Kinesiology?

As a group of scholars who are working in one Canadian kinesiology program, we draw on these Olympic moments as parallels to what we see as pressures on kinesiology to conform to and reproduce narrowly defined understandings of movement and health and to support a political state project aimed at producing work-ready graduates rather than thought leaders of the future. As a part of a larger study that we conducted examining Canadian kinesiology programs, we interviewed academic leaders in kinesiology who routinely pointed to their need to demonstrate the value of their programs in providing work-integrated learning and experiential education opportunities, and to 鈥渄emonstrate [their] post graduate success [rate] and that there is opportunities and job placements [for students].鈥� In our interviews with kinesiology students, they defined the discipline singularly in bioscientific ways (physiology, anatomy, biomechanics, etc.) and spoke about how they saw kinesiology exclusively as a stepping stone to a future career in healthcare. Whereas our student participants were aware that the study of human movement also required some awareness of historical and sociological forces and structures鈥攊ncluding those that work to exclude people and diminish solidarity against injustice鈥攖hey focused on what they perceived as kinesiology鈥檚 unparalleled ability to make them higher, faster, and stronger in their future careers.

The question before us, as members of the kinesiology higher education community, centres on how do we push back against the narrowing of possibilities for students and scholars in our programs. How do we ensure that our students are able to secure meaningful careers for themselves, while also appreciating and protecting themselves as part of local-to-global communities with capacity, if not responsibility, to care for collective interests and identities? Stimulating such awareness and expression runs counter to the mindset that positions both the individual鈥檚 and nation鈥檚 economic success as dependent upon the protection and stimulation of the marketplace at all costs. One way we see this happening is by creating space for students, staff, and faculty to connect and voice concerns regarding work in a constantly changing healthcare labour market and to think through possible solutions together. In essence, perhaps the best way to promote community and collective action is to start in the very departments and academic units within which we find ourselves located.

Author Biographical Notes:

, is Full Professor and Chair of Kinesiology and Health Science at 91亚色. Her academic interests and expertise include: sociology of sport, health and medicine; risk and risk-taking in sport; sport and social inequality.

, is a Post-Doctoral Visitor in Kinesiology and Health Science at 91亚色. Her academic interests and expertise include: sociology of sport and sport coaching; sport coaching-gender-work nexus; sport, inequity and social change.

, is an Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Health Science at 91亚色.
Academic interests and expertise: sociology of sport; intersecting oppressions; diaspora, belonging, and community.

This was reposted with permission from Engaging Sports you can see the .

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Microvasculature is an under researched aspect of effect on cardiovascular system, say 91亚色 kinesiologists, who can give interviews in English and French 

TORONTO, August 23, 2023 鈥� As wildfires continue to have devastating impacts in communities around the world and here in Canada, a team of researchers from 91亚色 say our current understanding of potential long-term health risks from particulate matter (PM) exposure are limited and mostly ignore the microvascular system.

A network of tiny arterioles and capillaries, the microvascular system may be just as important as the heart, lungs and arteries when it comes to understanding the health dangers of PM resulting from forest fires.

and , professors with 91亚色鈥檚 School of Kinesiology and Health Science in the Faculty of Health, spent a portion of their summer on the French Island of Corsica in the Mediterranean, where summer wildfires are common. They have created a partnership with the CNRS Wildland Forest Unit at the University of Corsica Pasquale Paoli (UCPP) and Corsican fire authorities to further their research and outlining the challenges posed by this kind of study on a population level, calling for a rethink to how it's approached.

鈥淲hile it's understandable that initial attention focuses on the immediate impacts of losses and casualties after a wildfire, we know that there are also longer-term impacts from exposure to particulate matter pollution 鈥� but it鈥檚 a very challenging area of study when it comes to wildfires,鈥� says Roudier, who is leading the research project.

鈥淔irefighters think about lung cancer, because they breathe the smoke, but because the fires are getting higher in temperature, the particulate matter is getting really small, so small that some can reach the bloodstream. The PM are then in the cardiovascular system, they are traveling through our blood vessels. We are questioning whether we are using the right measurements to assess the risk posed to firefighters and the affected population. Having better tools, or additional tools, could hopefully lead to better solutions to mitigate risks.鈥�

The paper notes that in North America, the length of the wildfire season has increased by nearly a fifth in the last 35 years, making the need to answer these questions more pressing. Population growth and development has increased human exposure to wildfire areas, growing the likelihood of both accidental ignition and fire suppression policies that can lead to an accumulation of biomass fuels. While there is a clear link in the literature to PM pollution and cardiovascular disease, linking this to wildfires has been harder to show, given the complexities of studying this on a population level.

Birot, an associate professor who worked as a volunteer firefighter for seven years during his undergraduate and postgraduate studies, teaches a course at 91亚色 that looks at extreme environments and their effects on health, including PM exposure and exercise.

鈥淭his microcirculation is not only important for delivering oxygen and nutrients to our tissues 鈥� it is also key for communication exchanges between organs, for example between the working muscle and the brain. And it is also this microcirculation that鈥檚

key to dissipate excess body heat, moving heat for the core of the body to the peripheral skin. So think about wildland firefighters who are engaging in long periods of intense physical activity, in a context where they're going to produce heat because of their activity. And they are doing that in an environment that is polluted and extremely hot. So you鈥檙e combining a lot of stressors,鈥� he says.

The two have obtained samples of PM from wildland fires in Corsica and have started to analyze them back at their lab at 91亚色 to test their effect on human endothelial cells, which line the inner layer of blood vessels. They are looking for epigenetic biomarkers that could act as early warning systems for those who might be more vulnerable.

A delegation from UCPP will be coming to 91亚色 in October and Roudier and Birot will head back to Corsica in December to do field work where they鈥檒l collect new PM samples from controlled biomass burning and to expand their collaboration with Corsican fire authorities.

About 91亚色

91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91亚色鈥檚 fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario鈥檚 Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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La microcirculation repr茅sente une part sous-茅tudi茅e du syst猫me cardiovasculaire dans le contexte des feux de for锚t selon des chercheurs en kin茅siologie de l'Universit茅 91亚色, qui sont disponibles pour des entretiens tant en anglais qu'en fran莽ais

TORONTO, 23 ao没t, 2023 鈥� Tandis que les feux de for锚t continuent d'avoir un impact d茅vastateur 脿 travers le monde et ici au Canada, une 茅quipe de chercheurs de l'Universit茅 91亚色 soulignent que notre compr茅hension de l'impact 脿 long terme des microparticules pr茅sentes dans les fum茅es reste encore limit茅e, et que dans ce contexte le r么le de la microcirculation est tr猫s sous-茅tudi茅.

La microcirculation englobe nos art茅rioles et capillaires sanguins et pourrait 锚tre tout aussi importante 脿 prendre en compte que nos poumons, notre c艙ur, ou nos art猫res dans le contexte de l'exposition aux fum茅es des feux de for锚t.

Emilie Roudier et Olivier Birot, professeurs 脿 la Facult茅 de la Sant茅 et au sein de l'脡cole de kin茅siologie et science de la sant茅, reviennent de Corse, une 卯le fran莽aise de M茅diterran茅e, o霉 les feux de for锚t peuvent 锚tre fr茅quents. Ils ont en effet engag茅 une collaboration scientifique avec une 茅quipe de recherche de l'Universit茅 de Corse Pasquale Paoli et du CNRS, sp茅cialis茅e dans l'茅tude des feux de for锚t. Ensemble, ils viennent de publier un article qui souligne justement les difficult茅s d'茅tudier l'impact sur la sant茅 des fum茅es de feux de for锚t et notamment le manque de connaissance sur la microcirculation. 

"Il est tout 脿 fait compr茅hensible que l'attention imm茅diate porte sur les pertes humaines, animales, environnementale et mat茅rielles lors des feux de for锚t, mais nous savons tr猫s bien que l'exposition aux microparticules pr茅sentes dans les fum茅es peuvent repr茅senter un risque certain que ce soit 脿 court-terme ou 脿 plus long terme. Ce domaine de recherche reste toutefois assez compliqu茅, particuli猫rement dans le contexte des feux de for锚t" selon professeure Roudier, pilot  du projet de recherche.

"Les pompiers engag茅s sur les feux de for锚t pensent par exemple au cancer du poumon car ils respirent bien 茅videmment les fum茅es. Certaines microparticules lib茅r茅es 脿 hautes temp茅ratures peuvent 锚tre suffisamment petites en taille pour passer dans la circulation sanguine. Elles sont alors libres de circuler dans l'ensemble de notre syst猫me cardiovasculaire. Avons-nous alors les bons outils pour 茅valuer un tel risque tant au niveau des pompiers que de la population? Peut-锚tre que de meilleurs outils, ou des outils compl茅mentaires, notamment l'茅valuation de la microcirculation, pourrait permettre de mieux cerner, voire de limiter, ces risques."

L'article indique qu'en Am茅rique du Nord la dur茅e des saisons de feux de for锚t a augment茅 par environs 20% au cours des 35 derni猫res ann茅es, rendant toutes ces interrogations plus pressantes. L'augmentation de la population et le d茅veloppement des zones habit茅es contribue 茅galement 脿 exposer plus fr茅quemment la population aux feux de for锚t, notamment via une augmentation du risque de feux accidentels mais aussi 脿 la suite des politiques de suppression des feux de friche qui peuvent conduire 脿 une accumulation de mati猫res combustibles. Si le lien entre microparticules et maladies cardiovasculaires est bien 茅tabli, celui avec les feux de for锚t reste toutefois plus difficile 脿 d茅montrer sur le plan scientifique notamment en raison de la complexit茅 d'茅tudier cela 脿 l'茅chelon de la population.

Professeur Birot, qui a travaill茅 comme pompier volontaire pendant 7 ans durant enseigne 茅galement un cours 脿 91亚色 traitant de la physiologie en environnements extr锚mes et notamment l'activit茅 physique en pr茅sence de pollution aux microparticules.

"La microcirculation n'est pas simplement importante pour approvisionner nos tissus en oxyg猫ne ou en nutriments. Elle est par exemple impliqu茅e dans la capacit茅 de communication entre diff茅rents tissus, comme le cerveau. C'est aussi cette microcirculation qui va jouer un r么le cl茅 pour dissiper la chaleur produite par l'organisme. Pensez aux pompiers forestiers qui sont engag茅s pendant de longues p茅riodes d'activit茅 physique soutenue, un contexte o霉 l'organisme va lib茅rer beaucoup de chaleur, et cela dans un environnement tr猫s chaud et pollu茅! On combine l脿 plusieurs stress physiologiques et environnementaux" dit-il.

Les deux chercheurs ont obtenu des microparticules isol茅es lors de br没lage v茅g茅taux en Corse et ils ont d茅but茅 脿 91亚色 une s茅rie d'exp茅riences afin d'茅valuer l'impact de ces microparticules sur des cultures de cellules endoth茅liales humaines, ces cellules qui composent principalement nos vaisseaux sanguins. Ils recherchent notamment des biomarqueurs 茅pig茅n茅tiques qui pourraient servir 脿 mieux prot茅ger les individus les plus vuln茅rables aux fum茅es.

Une d茅l茅gation de l'Universit茅 de Corse sera en visite 脿 91亚色 en octobre prochain. Quant 脿 Roudier et Birot, ils retourneront sur le terrain en Corse en d茅cembre afin de collecter de nouveaux 茅chantillons de microparticules et de renforcer leur collaboration avec le service incendie de Corse.

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Population-level research suggests nearly all of us have something we could work on

TORONTO, July 04, 2023 鈥� A new long-term study of population-level data shows that when it comes to health, pretty much everyone could make improvements, plus the relationship with risk factors and mortality changes over time, sometimes in surprising ways.

鈥淵ou can take this as a good news story or a bad news story, depending on how you want to look at these numbers,鈥� says Faculty of Health Associate Professor with the School of Kinesiology and Health Science , lead author of the study. 鈥淲hat we discovered is that the relationship with risk factors and mortality changes over time, which could be explained by factors such as evolution in treatments and changes in social stigma. Overall, most of us have something wrong with us, and we鈥檙e more likely to have a lifestyle health-risk factor now than in the 鈥�80s and that鈥檚 actually associated with even greater mortality risk now than before.鈥�

The research,, took United States survey data from 1988 to 1994 and 1999 to 2014, and looked at the five-year mortality odds for people 20 or older. The research team looked at 19 different risk factors and then adjusted the data for age, sex, obesity category and ethnicity. What they found overall was that less than three per cent of people had none of the risk factors. While previous research has documented the risk factors very well, Kuk says what was less understood was the relationship between various risks and the likelihood for mortality over time. Kuk and the research team found that that relationship could sometimes be paradoxical.

For example, says Kuk, rates of smoking, long linked to conditions that can lead to death such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes, have overall decreased thanks to strong public-health campaigns. However, the overall risk of being a smoker increased over time, which Kuk says could perhaps be explained by increased stigma as the addiction became less common and awareness of risks grew, which may also be reflected in research funding.

鈥淚f you look at cancer research, there's a lot of funding overall, but specifically for lung cancer, it seems to be associated with moral fault and as a consequence lower funding,鈥� says Kuk. 鈥淲hen you look at the mortality risk associated with having lung cancer relative to all the other common cancers, it's extremely high. So I think that this lack of push is detrimental.鈥�

Kuk鈥檚 main area of research is obesity, and here she found that while the prevalence has gone up, the risks have gone down.

鈥淓ven though there's more and more people with obesity, it's actually not resulting in more deaths over time. And so I think that that's another clear thing we need to recognize, that we're very good at treating the outcomes associated with obesity. And regardless of what our body weight is, most of us have something that we can probably work on.鈥�

Some of the other health trends that Kuk found in the data include:

• Diabetes and hypertension rates have gone up over time, but risks have gone down.
• More people aren鈥檛 exercising, and this is now related to worse outcomes than it once was.
• Being on mental-health medications was not a significant risk factor in the 1980s, but in the later dataset was associated with increased mortality.
• Not finishing high school is associated with health risks, while it was not in the 1980s.

While Kuk says the research points to nearly all of us having room for improvement when it comes to various factors like diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol and drug intake, she also says that there are factors that are out of many people鈥檚 individual control.

鈥淲hen we look at things like food insecurity, low education 鈥� as a society, we're making it so that health might not be an easy choice for a lot of people. We need to be sensitive to that when we take a look at these risk factors.鈥�

of Jennifer Kuk explain the research.

About 91亚色

91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91亚色鈥檚 fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario鈥檚 Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

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Moderate exercise changes function of macrophage cells in bone marrow, new mouse-model research out of 91亚色 finds 

TORONTO, June 15, 2023 - Researchers have long known that moderate exercise has a beneficial impact on the body鈥檚 response to inflammation, but what鈥檚 been less understood is why.  done on a mouse model suggests that the answers may lie at the production level of macrophages 鈥� white blood cells responsible for killing off infections, healing injury and otherwise acting as first responders in the body.  

鈥淢uch like if you train your muscles through exercise, we showed that exercise of moderate intensity ended up training the precursors of those macrophages in the bone marrow,鈥� says Faculty of Health Associate Professor and 91亚色 Research Chair  with the School of Kinesiology and Health Science. 鈥淭he way that exercise is doing this is by changing the way those cells breathe, essentially, how they use oxygen to generate energy and then changing the way they access their DNA.鈥� 

While many studies look at temporary boosts to the immune system immediately after exercise, this study, published in the journal AJP-Cell, found these changes occurred even a week later, suggesting that the changes were long term.  

We often hear about inflammation in the body in the context of its negative effects, but inflammation is the body鈥檚 response to infection and other stressors, and some level of inflammation is necessary and desirable.  

鈥淚nflammation is amazing, it's a very important part of our normal immune response,鈥� says Abdul-Sater. 鈥淲hat we鈥檙e concerned about is excessive inflammation. Heart disease, diabetes, many cancers and autoimmune diseases, all essentially begin because there was an inappropriate inflammatory response.鈥�  

He says it is around the six-to-eight-week mark into the exercise regimen where changes really became apparent, compared with sedentary mice. 鈥淭here's a lot of rewiring that's taking place in the circuitry of how the cells breathe, how the cells metabolize glucose, how the cells then access DNA. So all that just takes time.鈥�  

Abdul-Sater says that because the inflammatory response is a very ancient one, this aspect of the immune system is generally very similar across mammals, and he expects the research would translate well to humans. In the next phase, Abdul-Sater and collaborators from the university will collect immune cells from human volunteers who will do exercises of various intensities to see which workout routines are most beneficial to balance the inflammatory response. They will also look at inflammation in mice in more complex infectious diseases similar to COVID-19 and autoimmune disease, where overactive inflammatory responses lead to poor outcomes.  

鈥淧eople that got seriously ill from COVID-19, went into what is called a cytokine storm essentially, they released this massive number of cytokines, those mediators that are produced by inflammatory cells, which then cause that accumulation of fluid in lungs.鈥�  

While the findings that exercise is beneficial will not come as a surprise, Abdul-Sater says he hopes that by finding the underlying mechanisms of the beneficial impact, this knowledge can be put to good use.  

鈥淭he thing with humans is there's no intervention that will work on everyone. We know that, but what this study suggests is that moderate and persistent exercise not only improves metabolic health, but also will improve immune health in the long run.鈥澛犅�

About 91亚色

91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91亚色鈥檚 fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario鈥檚 Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

The post New study gives clues on why exercise helps with inflammation appeared first on News@91亚色.

March 17, 2023, TORONTO 鈥�   led by researchers at 91亚色 has found a link between shift work and frailty among middle-aged and older workers in Canada, especially for women on rotating shifts. 

鈥淲e cannot ignore the negative health outcomes related to shift work, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke and certain cancers,鈥� says 91亚色 Faculty of Health PhD student Durdana Khan, a trainee with the 91亚色 Centre for Aging and Research and Education. 鈥淥ur study is the first to investigate the relationship between shift work and frailty for middle-age and older adults.鈥� 

For the study, which will be published in the May edition of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Khan, along with 91亚色 professors Heather Edgell, Hala Tamim and Michael Rotondi, and immunologist and epidemiologist Chris Verschoor of the Health Sciences North Research Institute, looked at 48,000 participants across Canada from the  and followed up at three years to measure for frailty. 

Frailty is defined as someone鈥檚 likelihood towards disease and death. The researchers used an index that looks at 52 factors that can likely lower lifespan, including depression, osteoarthritis, history of heart attacks and mobility issues. Mildly frail people are considered those that have at least five factors. Having at least 11 factors would put people in the 鈥榲ery frail鈥� category. 

The study found one in five adult Canadians were involved in shift work, defined as work that falls outside of a nine-to-five schedule. People who had a history of shift work had a higher likelihood of frailty compared to people who only worked daytime hours. More than one in four were found to be mildly frail, and seven per cent were very frail. Women whose longest job consisted of rotating shift work were especially likely to be considered frail, with more than 31 per cent falling in the mildly frail category and nearly 11 per cent classified as very frail.

Circadian rhythms are moderated by sunlight exposure. When sunlight hits the eyes, signals are sent to the pineal gland in the brain 鈥� triggering certain hormones and responses that regulate alertness, mood and appetite, and a lack of light sets off other responses. In shift workers, this process is dysregulated, and research suggests this disruption can contribute to a host of health issues.  

鈥淎lthough these findings are preliminary, they suggest that circadian disruption may play an important role in frailty, and this warrants further investigation,鈥� says Khan. 

This latest study builds on Khan and Edgell鈥檚  that suggests that shift work may be linked to delayed menopause. 

鈥淭he circadian rhythm influences your brain's ability to control your hormones, which can influence your menopause,鈥� explains Edgell. 鈥淪o, there are a lot of physiological changes that can occur because of shift work.鈥�

While women were more likely to be frail, health research overall shows women to be more resilient to succumbing to disease than men, so this study does not necessarily suggest higher mortality. Still, it does point to sex-based differences that would be important to consider as more women do work outside a nine-to-five schedule, says Khan, who adds that keeping on top of exercise and nutrition can combat some of the negative effects. 

鈥淲e can鈥檛 make shift work go away, but we can reverse frailty to a degree,鈥� she concludes. 

About 91亚色

91亚色 is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change, and prepare our students for success. 91亚色鈥檚 fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario鈥檚 Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91亚色鈥檚 campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contacts: Emina Gamulin, 91亚色 Media Relations and External Communications, 437-217-6362, egamulin@yorku.ca

The post Women working rotating shifts especially likely to be frail, 91亚色 study finds appeared first on News@91亚色.

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TORONTO, Tuesday October 1, 2019聽鈥揥hen mental health is your opponent as a young athlete, it can change the game.聽聽 Mental Health Awareness Week begins October 6 and it is estimated that of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder 鈥� the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide.

Four-time Olympian and elite athlete Silken Laumann knows firsthand about the link between good mental health and physical health.聽 As reigning world champion in 1992, Silken fought back from a devastating rowing accident to win a bronze medal in the Summer Olympics in Barcelona.聽 She overcame physical adversity and personal challenges and today speaks candidly about the importance of nurturing mental health resilience in young people.

Silken Laumann

鈥淚 speak openly about my experiences with depression because this is a part of my life and I feel no shame or embarrassment about struggling,鈥� says Laumann. 鈥淲e know one in four Canadians will struggle with a mental illness in their lifetime so we need to start talking openly and honestly about our experiences. This helps other people open up and ask for help as well as educating people who don鈥檛 struggle about how they can support their friends, employees and family members who may be struggling.鈥�

On October 2, Laumann will speak to Faculty of Health students and 91亚色 athletes about the pressures of competition, preparing mentally for competitions and how students can stay mentally fit while balancing the challenges of school.

Who: Silken Laumann meets and delivers talk with 91亚色 U students

When: Wednesday October 2 at 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Where: Tait Mackenzie Centre, 91亚色 Keele Campus, 1 Thompson Rd, North 91亚色, ON M3J 1P3. See .

Laumann is available for interviews after meeting with the students.

She will also be the keynote speaker at the 2019 Dr. Eric Jackman Lecture and 10^th anniversary of the 91亚色 Psychology Clinic from 4:30 to 6:30 on Wednesday, Oct. 2. The Hon. Michael Kirby, retired Senator and founding Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada will also speak. For more details, click .

91亚色 champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91亚色 students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91亚色 U is an internationally recognized research university 鈥� our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91亚色 is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni.

91亚色 U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

To attend please contact: Anjum Nayyar, 91亚色 Media Relations, 437-242-1547,聽anayyar@yorku.ca

or Vanessa Thompson, 91亚色 Media Relations, 647-654-9452,聽vthomps@yorku.ca

The post 鈥楥hanging the Game鈥� on mental health in sports: Former Canadian Olympian Silken Laumann to speak to 91亚色 U athletes about pressures of competition appeared first on News@91亚色.