Smokers who make the decision to quit will experience immediate health benefits, including a rapid reduction in their risk of atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), according to new research published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. The study, conducted by Dr. Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, offers compelling evidence for smokers to quit, showing that it’s never too late to avoid the damaging effects of smoking on heart health.

Dr. Marcus, the senior author of the study, emphasized that A-Fib can be prevented even in individuals who have smoked for years. "The findings provide a compelling new reason to show current smokers that it’s not too late to quit, and that having smoked in the past doesn’t mean you’re ‘destined’ to develop A-Fib," Marcus explained. "Even for the current and longtime smoker, A-Fib can still be avoided."

What is Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib)?

"There’s strong evidence that smoking increases the risk of A-Fib," Marcus said. "But the benefits of quitting smoking have been less certain." With this in mind, his team sought to determine whether quitting could significantly lower a person’s risk of developing A-Fib, or if the risk would remain the same.

The research team analyzed data from over 146,700 current and former smokers, tracking their smoking habits and health over a 12-year period using data from the UK Biobank database. The results were promising: former smokers had a 13% lower risk of developing A-Fib compared to current smokers, while those who quit during the study saw an 18% reduction in their risk.

"This is likely a testament to the potency of reducing atrial fibrillation risk pretty shortly after quitting," Marcus said in a statement from the American College of Cardiology.

The findings highlight the importance of quitting smoking, not only for general health but specifically for reducing the risk of serious heart conditions like A-Fib.

Tips for Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the most effective ways to lower the risk of A-Fib and improve overall heart health. While it can be challenging, the benefits of quitting are clear and immediate. Here are some tips to help you quit smoking successfully:

1. Choose a specific date to quit smoking and stick to it. Prepare yourself mentally and physically for this change.

2. Reach out to family, friends, or a support group to help keep you accountable. Sharing your goals with others can provide encouragement.

3. Options like nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges can help ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings.

4. Identify situations that make you want to smoke, such as stress or social gatherings, and find healthy ways to cope with them.

5. Regular exercise can help distract you from cravings and improve your mood during the quitting process.

6. Drinking water can help flush nicotine out of your system faster, reducing cravings.

7. Activities like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises can help manage stress, a common trigger for smoking.

Quitting smoking offers immediate and significant benefits, particularly in reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation. The latest research provides smokers with more motivation to quit, showing that it's never too late to take control of their heart health.

A suspected plague case linked to the death of a lab worker at an anti-plague research facility in Russia has sparked questions about whether the incident could pose a wider pandemic threat.

However, Russian authorities have not confirmed plague. Russia's consumer safety watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, said the woman's diagnosis was “pneumonia of unknown etiology.” Expanded testing of samples taken from her did not identify microorganisms associated with her professional activities, the agency said.

Nearly 200 people who may have come into contact with her remain under medical observation, but authorities have reported no symptoms or positive test results among those monitored.

Could This Become Another Pandemic?

Experts say comparisons with COVID-19 should be treated cautiously because pneumonic plague and viral respiratory diseases behave very differently.

Dr Simon Clarke, an expert from the University of Reading, said pneumonic plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, the bacterium responsible for plague.

“Pneumonic plague is particularly serious because it means the infection has reached the lungs and is nearly always fatal if not treated promptly,” said Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology in the School of Biological Sciences at varsity.

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Unlike bubonic plague, which is commonly associated with infected flea bites, pneumonic plague can spread between people through respiratory droplets during close contact. But there is an important difference from diseases such as COVID-19.

“Unlike many viral respiratory diseases, plague is caused by bacteria and is generally treatable with antibiotics if identified quickly,” Clarke said, in a post on the University's website.

Could Pneumonic Plague Spread Widely?

Pneumonic plague can spread from person to person, making rapid identification and contact tracing important. But that does not mean every suspected case carries pandemic potential.

Clarke said more information is needed to determine whether the Russian incident represents an isolated case, an occupational exposure or evidence of wider transmission.

“Transparency, rapid diagnosis and effective contact tracing would be the most important factors in managing an outbreak,” he said.

Dr Richard Hirschson, a specialist general physician at Sydney Adventist Hospital, said “a local Russian lab leak is a local issue, it will not become a global pandemic”.

In a post on social media platform X, he said isolation and preventive antibiotic treatment for exposed contacts can help limit transmission if pneumonic plague is confirmed.

Expert Says We Don't Even Know If This Is Plague

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Dr Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious disease specialist and Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at University Texas Southwestern Medical Center, urged caution over the growing speculation.

“But right now, we have an unexplained death from pneumonia—not confirmation of plague and certainly No evidence of a plague outbreak,” Kuppalli said on X.

“It’s appropriate to watch closely and ask questions. It’s not helpful to fill gaps in information with speculation and sensationalism. Good outbreak response starts with the same thing every time: -- follow the evidence,” she added.

Kuppalli also stressed the importance of public health preparedness in responding to emerging infectious threats.

“Infectious disease threats don’t follow political calendars,” she said. “This is why public health matters and why weakening our surveillance, expertise and response capacity should concern everyone. Pathogens aren’t political. Preparedness matters.”

What We Know About Pandemic Risk

As of now, there is no confirmed evidence of a plague outbreak or sustained person-to-person transmission linked to the Russian case.

The immediate priority is to determine what caused the woman's pneumonia while continuing to monitor potential contacts.

Even if plague is eventually confirmed, experts say its bacterial nature, antibiotic sensitivity and transmission pattern make it fundamentally different from the respiratory viruses that can spread silently and extensively through populations.

For now, the evidence supports close surveillance and investigation—not a conclusion that a new pandemic is emerging, the experts said.

Punjab is implementing routine screening for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C at government de-addiction and rehabilitation centres, highlighting the importance of testing for three major blood-borne infections in addiction patients.

The initiative, referred to as 'Triple H' screening, is being introduced under the state government’s Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign. The aim is to spot infections earlier, ensuring people undergoing treatment for substance use receive appropriate medical care when needed.

The initiative is meant to curb risks of HIV and Hepatitis B and C, especially in people who inject drugs and share contaminated needles and syringes. It is crucial as infections can also remain undetected for years.

Punjab Is Changing Its Screening Approach

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Until now, HIV and hepatitis screening at de-addiction facilities was largely conducted through medical camps, which were often held around every two months. While these camps provided testing opportunities, officials said that there was limited scope to track who had been tested, who had missed screening, and who needed further care.

Under the new system, screening will be integrated into the de-addiction and rehabilitation process. This could give people ample opportunities to get tested and allow those with positive results to be referred for intensive testing, treatment, and timely medical care.

Announcing the initiative, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh spoke about the importance of early detection of blood-borne infections in those at high risk.

Dr. Singh said, “People with a history of injecting drug use face an increased risk of blood-borne infections, and that early detection is important for timely medical care and counselling.”

He also said that the initiative goes beyond treating patients struggling with drug addiction. The minister emphasised that this could indirectly help build better lives for themselves.

He added, “Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Yudh Nashean Virudh is leading a revolution towards a stronger, healthier and prosperous Punjab. Our goal is not simply to help people overcome addiction, but also to enable them to lead healthier lives and contribute to society. By integrating HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C screening into de-addiction services, the Government is taking another important step towards ensuring that recovery leads to a meaningful and brighter future.”

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Punjab Had Already Intensified HIV Screening

The latest announcement comes months after Punjab ordered HIV screening for people registered at its Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centres.

In May, the state had 455 operational OOAT centres with 3,09,918 registered clients undergoing treatment for substance use.

That move came after findings from the National AIDS Control Organisation showed that Punjab recorded a 58.7% increase in annual new HIV infections between 2010 and 2024.

The report also found that 56% of newly detected HIV-positive cases in Punjab were linked with contaminated syringe use.

The state has also said testing for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C is available free of cost at Aam Aadmi Clinics.

Earlier in August, Punjab announced the adoption of Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) and Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA) technologies to strengthen the early detection of infections that are transmitted through infusions and improve blood safety.

Three scientists from the US and Germany have been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for optogenetics — a method that makes it possible to show how nerve cells shape memories, feelings and behaviors in the living brain.

The Prize was awarded to Karl Deisseroth, 54, from the US, and Peter Hegemann,71, and Georg Nagel, 73, from Germany, “for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics,” the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet said in a statement. A prize money of 12 million Swedish kronor will be shared equally between the laureates, it added.

At the Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, in Germany's Frankfurt, Peter and Georg discovered a protein called channelrhodopsin in a single-celled alga. Karl later transformed itinto a light-controlled switch for nerve cells.

The laureates have laid the foundation for a new era in neuroscience, the Nobel Assembly said.

Deisseroth is based at Stanford University in California, while Hegemann is from Humboldt University in Berlin and Nagel from the University of Wurzburg in Germany.

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What Did Their Findings Show?

How the brain governs feelings, behaviors and bodily functions has long been a mystery, but optogenetics has fundamentally changed scientists’ understanding of the brain.

“Optogenetics provides opportunities for mapping the brain in a way that we could once only dream of,” said Per Svenningsson, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine.

In the 20th century, researchers began investigating which areas of the brain affect different functions. However, the methods available at the time could not establish causal relationships. The resulting picture of the brain was like a sketch map, filled with question marks and unknowns. Optogenetics has helped change that.

How Did Optogenetics Begin?

The discovery began with Hegemann, who wanted to understand how Chlamydomonas, a single-celled alga, swims towards a light source.

In the early 2000s, Hegemann and Nagel discovered channelrhodopsin, an algal protein with unique properties found on the surface of the cell.

They found that when exposed to blue light, a channel opens through the protein, allowing charged ions to flow into the cell and create an electrical impulse. They also found that when the protein was introduced into other cells, those cells became sensitive to light.

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How Did Deisseroth Transform the Discovery?

Deisseroth then introduced the gene for channelrhodopsin into nerve cells from rats. By illuminating the cells with blue light, he was able to trigger a nerve signal.

He published this breakthrough in 2005. Two years later, he demonstrated that the light-controlled switch could work in the brains of living mice.

This method of controlling nerve signals with light is now known as optogenetics and has rapidly gained global impact.

Using optogenetics, researchers have been able to reveal neural circuits involved in specific memories, feelings and behaviours relevant to neurological and psychiatric disorders.

In clinical medicine, researchers are also using the method in attempts to restore sight in people with visual impairment.

All About the Nobel Prize

The Nobel Prize was first awarded on December 10, 1901, following the will of founder Alfred Nobel, which he signed in Paris in 1895.

So far, 116 Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine have been awarded. The youngest medicine laureate was Frederick G. Banting, who was 31 when he received the award in 1923. The oldest was Peyton Rous, who was 87 when he received the award in 1966.