Humans and other animals gradually learn what sounds or other sensory cues in their surroundings are meaningful or potentially threatening. Via a process known as habituation, they gradually learn to ignore non-threatening stimuli so that they can focus on new, unknown, and more significant events happening in their environment. This innate sensory filtering process prevents the nervous system from becoming overwhelmed by the flow of sensory information that animals and humans are constantly exposed to during waking hours.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham have developed a series of artificial intelligence (AI) tools that uses machine learning to identify individuals who may be at risk for intimate partner violence (IPV) using information from their electronic medical records (EMRs). In a study published in npj Women’s Health, the researchers report the tools could detect IPV up to four years before the individual sought care at a domestic violence treatment center. The findings highlight its potential for proactive screening and supporting health care providers in initiating earlier conversations about IPV with patients.

This past Christmas, I helped my parents choose a water filter. The latest “smart” models all came with a smartphone app that promised to monitor filter life, track water quality, and automatically request service. Yet my father, age 75, and mother, 67, were quick to reject them in favor of a nondigital model.

Immunotherapy given during and after chemoradiation did not improve survival for study participants with limited-stage, small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) according to the results of an international clinical trial, NRG-LU005, led by NRG Oncology in collaboration with the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. The results are published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

An estimated 64% of adults in Canada report experiencing at least one potentially psychologically traumatic event during their lifetime, and in the United States, research suggests the figure may be closer to 90%.