Official code repo for the O’Reilly Book — “Hands-On Large Language Models” — HandsOnLLM/Hands-On-Large-Language-Models
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The Genetics of Living Longer: Study Challenges Decades of Aging Research
What determines how long people live, and how much of their lifespan is influenced by genetics?
For many years, scientists believed the genetic contribution to human lifespan was relatively modest compared with other biological traits. Earlier estimates placed the heritability of lifespan at around 20 to 25 percent, and some more recent large studies suggested it might be even lower, in some cases below 10 percent.
A new study from the Weizmann Institute of Science now challenges that view. The research, published in the journal Science, reports that genetic differences may account for roughly half of the variation in human lifespan. This estimate is more than double many previous calculations. The work was led by Ben Shenhar in the laboratory of Prof. Uri Alon of the Weizmann Institute’s Molecular Cell Biology Department.
Electroacupuncture suppresses premature ventricular complexes occurring post-myocardial infarction through corticothalamic circuit
(Cell Reports 45, 116734; January 27, 2026)
When this paper was published on December 18, 2025, Figure S2 inadvertently omitted panel C. The article has since been updated online with the correct, complete figure. For readers’ convenience, both the original and corrected figures can be seen below. The authors apologize for the error.
Study finds CDK4/6 plus EGFR blockade kills pancreatic cancer cells without KRAS drugs
Clinically available KRAS inhibitors mainly target G12C, which is rare in PDAC and often acquires resistance. Oncogenic KRAS inactivates RB1 via CDK4/6, while RB1 mutation is rare. Thus, CDK4/6 inhibition offers an indirect strategy to counter KRAS-driven malignancy without direct KRAS targeting.
Virtually all pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) are initiated by activating mutations in the oncogene KRAS, which occur in multiple distinct allelic forms. Although considerable efforts have led to the development of inhibitors targeting specific mutant KRAS proteins, the only agents currently approved for clinical use selectively target the KRASG12C variant. However, KRASG12C mutations are exceedingly rare in pancreatic cancer.
Furthermore, in patients with KRASG12C-mutant pancreatic cancer, treatment with KRASG12C inhibitors has shown only modest clinical benefit, comparable to that of conventional chemotherapeutic regimens, and even in cases with an initial objective response, acquired resistance almost invariably emerges within a limited time frame.
Autism’s Link to Parkinson’s Risk May Finally Be Explained
People with autism may be up to six times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease in later life. New research offers a potential explanation based on the role of transporter molecules that recycle unused dopamine in the brain.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter crucial for managing movement and executive functions, and for reinforcing behavior. It’s well known that Parkinson’s is characterized by a drop in dopamine levels, while disruptions in the transport of the chemical have also been linked to autism.
With that context, researchers led by a team from the University of Missouri in the US took a novel approach using a technology known as a DaT SPECT scan, which is typically used to diagnose Parkinson’s in much older people.
Urinary Tract Infection in Young Febrile Children in the Emergency Department
UTICalc demonstrated strong diagnostic performance for UTI in febrile children aged 2 to 24 months, supporting its use as an evidence-based adjunct in emergency department patient assessment.
This multicenter diagnostic study prospectively provides the final stage of external validation for UTICalc in young febrile children. We found strong discrimination for the model, which was improved when incorporating dipstick data. This study supports integration into clinical care as a tool for diagnostic stewardship in pediatric care.
Decision curve analysis supported the utility of both UTICalc models across relevant thresholds. However, clinician judgment demonstrated higher sensitivity in the high-volume tertiary centers where this study was conducted, reflecting pediatric emergency medicine practitioner expertise. Because most children presenting for acute care are evaluated outside tertiary centers,27 possibly with limited pediatric expertise and uncertain follow-up, using a 5% risk threshold—despite reducing testing—may not be ideal due to reduced sensitivity. UTICalc may serve as a useful adjunct for clinicians with less pediatric experience or in cases of diagnostic uncertainty, with lower risk thresholds (eg, 2%) potentially more appropriate for patients with persistent symptoms or anticipated barriers to follow-up.
The observed UTI prevalence of 4% in our cohort is consistent with previously reported risk estimates in this population, which ranges from 3% to 11%.2,28,29 Model performance in our study was comparable with the original derivation and validation study published in 2018, which reported an AUROC of 0.80 in the clinical model and 0.97 in the clinical and dipstick model. Low PPV in our sample is reflective of low disease prevalence.
China succeeds in mimicking photosynthesis and transforming CO₂ and water into fuel: the experiment that could revolutionize the production of synthetic gasoline
Could future gasoline come from thin air and sunlight instead of oil wells? A team of Chinese scientists has unveiled a lab system that imitates plant photosynthesis to turn carbon dioxide and water into gasoline building blocks using only sunlight. Their work hints at a way to recycle a major greenhouse gas while still using existing engines and fuel infrastructure.
In an artificial photosynthesis study, the researchers report a “charge reservoir” material that stores solar energy as electrical charge, then delivers it on demand to drive reactions. The system converts carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide, a key building block for synthetic fuels, and uses water as its only electron source instead of extra helper chemicals.
Although still a lab device, the setup works under natural sunlight and is meant to connect renewable energy to industry and transport.
The Rapid Trajectory Of Artificial Intelligence
Please see my latest Forbes article: The Rapid Trajectory of Artificial Intelligence: From Machine Learning Foundations to Generative Creativity, Agentic Autonomy, Human Augmentation, Neuromorphic Intelligence, and the Cyborg Horizon.
Thanks and have a great weekend!
#artificialintelligence #tech #ai #future @forbes
Artificial intelligence continues to evolve at an accelerating pace, transitioning from narrow, data-driven tools to systems capable of reasoning, and autonomous action.
Less Dead
Come with me if you want to live. – The Terminator.
‘Close enough’ only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. – Traditional.