A new study published in Environment International has revealed Nanoplastics can still build up in newborn hearts that shed a new light on how such small plastic particle can create such a major hazard in our physical health.

What Are Nanoplastics?

It’s no secret that plastic has become an overabundant material in our daily use, from the cups we use at cafes to the packaging material for every small gift. Plastics that have been exposed to nature in particular start shedding small ‘nanoplastic’ particles wherever they go. Now, these tiny particles are posing a major problem.

From the oceans where we get our fish, to the soil where our plants are being uprooted to our very blood, nanoplastics have gotten anywhere. The presence of these particles in the human body pose a particular concern, as the researchers started to ask the question: what happens now if these nanoplastics are present inside newborns of the coming generation.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The study was conducted on chicken embryos by a group of researchers from Leiden University. According to the researchers, the study was conducted on chicken embryos, as it is easier to inject substances and take precise, observable measurements to see how the embryo develops inside the mother’s womb.

Since these nanoparticles are so small, it’s practically impossible to see them through conventional microscopes. As a result, the progress is tracked by tagging the nanoparticles with a clearly visible metal.

Their main finding was that these nanoplastics are capable of crossing the walls of the blood vessels themselves, leading them to build up to relatively high levels in the hart and kidneys.

Interestingly enough, the researchers also found nanoplastics in the avascular heart cushions that do not contain blood vessels. This suggests that these nanoplastics could pass into the heart of the embryo, directly through the fenestrate, which is a small opening that plays a role in forming and remodeling the heart’s structure during its development.

The study could potentially lead interesting results for the future, as we better our understanding of how these nanoplastics are spread to such an extent. Even if the outlook isn’t necessarily good, it could bring a change to how we approach our plastic consumption. As of right now, there’s already an understanding of how there needs to be more mindful use of nanomedicines when it comes to pregnant women.

While the world is still trying to catch its breath from the aftermath of COVID-19, a new virus is quietly gaining prominence in the headlines—H5N1 avian flu, or bird flu. The recent upsurge of this highly pathogenic virus among the dairy cattle of the United States, and the increasing number of human cases, has raised alarm among global health experts. Is H5N1 taking silent steps toward becoming the next pandemic? The key is to carefully look at the numbers, the science, and the public health response.

In a frightening trend, Idaho has become the hotbed of the ongoing H5N1 outbreak in U.S. livestock, with the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) verifying 86 cases in dairy cows—the second-largest in the nation following California. The outbreak, which took a massive turn in March 2024, has now reached 17 states, with more than 1,047 cases detected in dairy herds.

This is a troubling change in the behavior of the virus, previously recognized to infect wild birds and poultry. The spread of the virus into mammalian livestock and now into humans suggests a chilling evolutionary trend that health authorities are scrambling to contain.

Why the H5N1 Human Infections Is Growing?

As reported by the Global Virus Network (GVN), more than 70 human infections have been confirmed in the U.S. since the outbreak began, with one reported fatality. Although human-to-human transmission has not yet been reported, scientists caution that virus mutations—particularly in mammalian hosts—may enhance the potential for person-to-person spread, potentially leading to a pandemic.

Dr. Sten H. Vermund, GVN Chief Medical Officer, explains, "In its capacity to infect animals and humans, as well as in recent genetic evolution, the threat of H5N1 disease highlights the need for active surveillance and immediate response."

Why Is H5N1 a Serious Threat?

Avian influenza A(H5N1) is an extremely contagious virus that, while initially infecting birds, can also cross-species, including to mammals and humans. When contracted by humans—most commonly through close contact with infected animals or contaminated surroundings—the disease tends to be severe and potentially deadly.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has cautioned that if this virus develops to transmit effectively among humans, it has the potential to create a world health emergency equal to previous pandemics. Already, 168 million birds have been slaughtered in the U.S. since 2022 because of avian flu outbreaks, and the threat to food supply chains, animal well-being, and human health is staggering.

The GVN, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has called on governments around the world to implement a multi-pronged preparedness strategy to prevent the virus from spreading before it mutates into a pandemic-strain. The strategy entails:

• Increased surveillance on farms, milk chains, and wastewater, as well as systematic testing of those who have been exposed to infected animals.
• Accelerated genomic data sharing to monitor the mutation and spread of the virus.
• Improved farm biosecurity, such as compulsory PPE use and sanitization practices.
• Rapid diagnostic testing of farm workers, especially self-testing with rapid healthcare access.
• Development and deployment of human and animal vaccines at high risk.
• Readiness for clinical research, such as pre-approved vaccine and antiviral trial protocols in the event that the virus continues to spread.
• Collaboration at the international level to exchange real-time information, coordinate response strategies, and support vulnerable areas.

What Is the Risk to the General Public?

Even as the outbreak was large, the CDC insists that the risk to the general public is still low. The agency has, however, suggested added caution for those who are in close contact with animals, particularly dairy and poultry workers. Hygiene, wearing of PPE, and prevention of exposure to ill animals continue to be paramount.

The CDC also insists on vigilance and says:

"We are following people with exposures to animals very closely, and continue to closely monitor the situation."

Could H5N1 Be the Next Pandemic?

The short answer is: not yet—but we shouldn't wait for it to do so. The virus has yet to reach sustained human-to-human transmission, the key element which converts an outbreak into a pandemic. But the spread of the virus in cows, coupled with the number of human infections and a confirmed death, are troubling indications that urgently need global notice.

Learning from COVID-19, experts call on policymakers to act now and not respond later. Research on vaccination, quick diagnostics, public health preparedness, and international collaboration need to be prioritized in order to remain ahead of the next move of the virus.

The H5N1 epidemic sweeping the United States is an awakening call. Short of a pandemic, it is a definite indication that the edge between animal and human viruses is rapidly growing thin. Whether or not H5N1 becomes an actual worldwide menace hinges on how quickly and efficiently we act now.

Heart failure continues to pose a major health threat in the United States, with approximately 6.7 million adults currently living with the condition. Alarming projections suggest that this number could climb to more than 8 million by 2030.

However, a promising new analysis published in Circulation: Heart Failure reveals that hospitals involved in the American Heart Association’s multiregional IMPLEMENT-HF initiative have significantly improved their adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF)—the most prevalent form of heart failure.

Launched in 2021, the American Heart Association’s three-year quality improvement initiative was designed to drive the uptake of quadruple medical therapy and incorporate assessments of patients’ health-related social needs into standard care. This quadruple therapy includes a combination of four proven, evidence-based drugs that reduce mortality: angiotensin receptor–neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), evidence-based specific β-blocker (BB), mineralocorticoid antagonist (MRA), and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i).

The initiative built upon the Association’s long-running Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure program and involved over 100 hospitals nationwide. The latest study, drawing on data from more than 43,000 patients across 67 participating hospitals, highlighted several key outcomes:

The use of all four recommended drug classes for HFrEF patients increased from 4.7% to 44.6% at hospital discharge and from 0% to 44.8% within 30 days after discharge.

The improvement in care was observed consistently across race, ethnicity, and gender.

Hospitals also made significant strides in implementing tools to assess patients’ social needs, marking a vital step toward equitable heart failure care.

"This initiative represents an important leap forward in closing the treatment gap in heart failure," said Dr. Andrew Sauer, a volunteer with the American Heart Association, lead author of the study, and cardiologist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City. "By supporting collaborative learning and leveraging real-time data, IMPLEMENT-HF enabled hospitals to better serve patients in varied communities."

HFrEF accounts for nearly half of all heart failure hospitalisations and is associated with a grim five-year mortality rate of 75%. Although clinical trials have long demonstrated that quadruple therapy can significantly enhance survival, its adoption has remained frustratingly low across the U.S., especially among underserved and underrepresented populations.

The IMPLEMENT-HF initiative created a collaborative “all-teach, all-learn” environment that empowered participating hospitals to identify care gaps, share effective practices, and monitor outcomes at both the local and regional levels.

The impressive results underscore the value of collaboration in healthcare. “The improvements we’ve seen through IMPLEMENT-HF highlight the power of teamwork,” the American Heart Association said in a statement. “We remain committed to transforming systems of care to ensure every person—regardless of where they live—has access to the highest standard of heart failure treatment."

Snakebites are a common problem, globally, while to people in the urban areas, it may not seem like an issue. However, those, living in rural, or areas connected with forest, snakes are a common occurrence, and thus snakebites are a significant global health problems. Antivenom in such cases has been crucial in saving lives, but the traditional method of making them has remained largely unchanged, for over the century.

Recently, however, scientists have developed a new antivenom that could offer broad protection against a wide range of venomous snakes. It thus is a groundbreaking advancement in snakebite treatment. This new antivenom is based on antibodies from a human donor, who has been self-immunized against snake venom over several years. This has also opened doors to potentially universal treatment for venomous snakebites.

Traditional Antivenom Development

The process of creating antivenoms typically involves immunizing animals like horses or sheep with venom from a single species of snake. These animals then produce antibodies that are harvested and used to treat envenomated patients.

While this is an effective treatment, the method has some limitations. It includes the possibility of adverse reactions to non-human antibodies. The fact that treatments tend to be species-specific, it could then mean that if a person is bitten by one type of snake, then it may not benefit from an antivenom developed from a different species.

Human Donor and Self-induced immunity

This breakthrough came when scientists discovered a human donor Tim Friede, who had developed hyper-immunity to snake venom. Over nearly 18 years, he had exposed himself to venom from 16 species of highly venomous snakes, which includes black mamba, king cobra, and taipan.

Through this process of self-immunization, he had developed antibodies that were effective against a wide range of snake neurotoxins. His unique immune history has made him an ideal candidate for this study. This has also offered researchers the chance to develop a more broadly effective antivenom.

A Broad Spectrum Antivenom

The team of researchers, led by Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, Inc., set out to create a new antivenom by isolating antibodies from Friede’s blood. They focused on venomous snakes from the Elapidae family, which includes some of the deadliest species, such as cobras, mambas, and kraits. Using these antibodies, the researchers created a cocktail that was effective against venom from 13 out of 19 species in their testing panel. The cocktail was made up of three key components:

LNX-D09 Antibody: This antibody protected mice from a lethal dose of venom from six different snake species.

Varespladib: A small-molecule toxin inhibitor that enhanced the protection and covered an additional three species.

SNX-B03 Antibody: A second antibody that extended the protective coverage to the full range of snake species in the study.

These components worked together to neutralize the neurotoxins in snake venom by binding to conserved sites on the toxins, preventing them from interacting with their targets in the nervous system. This innovative combination provided broad protection against multiple venomous snakes.

Promising Result From Mouse Trials

In initial mouse trials, the cocktail showed excellent results, providing full protection against the venom of 13 of the 19 tested species, and partial protection against the remaining species. However, some challenges remain, such as the short half-life of the small-molecule inhibitor, which may require redosing for full protection. Despite this, the results are promising, suggesting that the cocktail could be effective against many elapid snakes and potentially other species not included in the study.

While this new antivenom shows promise for treating bites from elapid snakes, further work is needed to extend its effectiveness to other venomous snakes, particularly the viperids, a family that includes species like rattlesnakes and vipers. The researchers are now focusing on developing a similar antivenom for viperid venom, with the goal of creating a universal antivenom that could treat bites from most venomous snakes worldwide.