#Arteries of an AI

[o-cinnamonstickz]

Chelley Week - Day 6 & 7 : AU/Heartbeat & Nightmare

This may be cheating.. and also not Chelley.. but I do have an AU that deals with both of these topics.

This is a scene from my “Arteries of an AI” AU. This AU focuses on GLaDOS and Chell developing a mother-daughter like relationship after a toddler Chell is found wandering aimlessly within the walls of Aperture, miraculously surviving the neurotoxin attack. GLaDOS, impressed by the sheer luck and curiosity of this child, takes Chell in with the intentions of raising her up to be a ruthless, biological, killing machine. Key word: intentions..

If there was one thing the Genetic Lifeform and Disc Operating System miscalculated, it would have to be how dangerously vital it was to be a nurturing vessel… and If this meant groundbreaking research for the sake of furthering Science, she supposed that implementing a heartbeat into her chest to soothe the nightmare stricken toddler would just have to do for now… for Science.. of course.

[jcmarchi]

Med-Gemini: Transforming Medical AI with Next-Gen Multimodal Models

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/med-gemini-transforming-medical-ai-with-next-gen-multimodal-models/

Med-Gemini: Transforming Medical AI with Next-Gen Multimodal Models

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been making waves in the medical field over the past few years. It’s improving the accuracy of medical image diagnostics, helping create personalized treatments through genomic data analysis, and speeding up drug discovery by examining biological data. Yet, despite these impressive advancements, most AI applications today are limited to specific tasks using just one type of data, like a CT scan or genetic information. This single-modality approach is quite different from how doctors work, integrating data from various sources to diagnose conditions, predict outcomes, and create comprehensive treatment plans.

To truly support clinicians, researchers, and patients in tasks like generating radiology reports, analyzing medical images, and predicting diseases from genomic data, AI needs to handle diverse medical tasks by reasoning over complex multimodal data, including text, images, videos, and electronic health records (EHRs). However, building these multimodal medical AI systems has been challenging due to AI’s limited capacity to manage diverse data types and the scarcity of comprehensive biomedical datasets.

The Need for Multimodal Medical AI

Healthcare is a complex web of interconnected data sources, from medical images to genetic information, that healthcare professionals use to understand and treat patients. However, traditional AI systems often focus on single tasks with single data types, limiting their ability to provide a comprehensive overview of a patient’s condition. These unimodal AI systems require vast amounts of labeled data, which can be costly to obtain, providing a limited scope of capabilities, and face challenges to integrate insights from different sources.

Multimodal AI can overcome the challenges of existing medical AI systems by providing a holistic perspective that combines information from diverse sources, offering a more accurate and complete understanding of a patient’s health. This integrated approach enhances diagnostic accuracy by identifying patterns and correlations that might be missed when analyzing each modality independently. Additionally, multimodal AI promotes data integration, allowing healthcare professionals to access a unified view of patient information, which fosters collaboration and well-informed decision-making. Its adaptability and flexibility equip it to learn from various data types, adapt to new challenges, and evolve with medical advancements.

Introducing Med-Gemini

Recent advancements in large multimodal AI models have sparked a movement in the development of sophisticated medical AI systems. Leading this movement are Google and DeepMind, who have introduced their advanced model, Med-Gemini. This multimodal medical AI model has demonstrated exceptional performance across 14 industry benchmarks, surpassing competitors like OpenAI’s GPT-4. Med-Gemini is built on the Gemini family of large multimodal models (LMMs) from Google DeepMind, designed to understand and generate content in various formats including text, audio, images, and video. Unlike traditional multimodal models, Gemini boasts a unique Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) architecture, with specialized transformer models skilled at handling specific data segments or tasks. In the medical field, this means Gemini can dynamically engage the most suitable expert based on the incoming data type, whether it’s a radiology image, genetic sequence, patient history, or clinical notes. This setup mirrors the multidisciplinary approach that clinicians use, enhancing the model’s ability to learn and process information efficiently.

Fine-Tuning Gemini for Multimodal Medical AI

To create Med-Gemini, researchers fine-tuned Gemini on anonymized medical datasets. This allows Med-Gemini to inherit Gemini’s native capabilities, including language conversation, reasoning with multimodal data, and managing longer contexts for medical tasks. Researchers have trained three custom versions of the Gemini vision encoder for 2D modalities, 3D modalities, and genomics. The is like training specialists in different medical fields. The training has led to the development of three specific Med-Gemini variants: Med-Gemini-2D, Med-Gemini-3D, and Med-Gemini-Polygenic.

Med-Gemini-2D

Med-Gemini-2D is trained to handle conventional medical images such as chest X-rays, CT slices, pathology patches, and camera pictures. This model excels in tasks like classification, visual question answering, and text generation. For instance, given a chest X-ray and the instruction “Did the X-ray show any signs that might indicate carcinoma (an indications of cancerous growths)?”, Med-Gemini-2D can provide a precise answer. Researchers revealed that Med-Gemini-2D’s refined model improved AI-enabled report generation for chest X-rays by 1% to 12%, producing reports “equivalent or better” than those by radiologists.

Med-Gemini-3D

Expanding on the capabilities of Med-Gemini-2D, Med-Gemini-3D is trained to interpret 3D medical data such as CT and MRI scans. These scans provide a comprehensive view of anatomical structures, requiring a deeper level of understanding and more advanced analytical techniques. The ability to analyze 3D scans with textual instructions marks a significant leap in medical image diagnostics. Evaluations showed that more than half of the reports generated by Med-Gemini-3D led to the same care recommendations as those made by radiologists.

Med-Gemini-Polygenic

Unlike the other Med-Gemini variants that focus on medical imaging, Med-Gemini-Polygenic is designed to predict diseases and health outcomes from genomic data. Researchers claim that Med-Gemini-Polygenic is the first model of its kind to analyze genomic data using text instructions. Experiments show that the model outperforms previous linear polygenic scores in predicting eight health outcomes, including depression, stroke, and glaucoma. Remarkably, it also demonstrates zero-shot capabilities, predicting additional health outcomes without explicit training. This advancement is crucial for diagnosing diseases such as coronary artery disease, COPD, and type 2 diabetes.

Building Trust and Ensuring Transparency

In addition to its remarkable advancements in handling multimodal medical data, Med-Gemini’s interactive capabilities have the potential to address fundamental challenges in AI adoption within the medical field, such as the black-box nature of AI and concerns about job replacement. Unlike typical AI systems that operate end-to-end and often serve as replacement tools, Med-Gemini functions as an assistive tool for healthcare professionals. By enhancing their analysis capabilities, Med-Gemini alleviates fears of job displacement. Its ability to provide detailed explanations of its analyses and recommendations enhances transparency, allowing doctors to understand and verify AI decisions. This transparency builds trust among healthcare professionals. Moreover, Med-Gemini supports human oversight, ensuring that AI-generated insights are reviewed and validated by experts, fostering a collaborative environment where AI and medical professionals work together to improve patient care.

The Path to Real-World Application

While Med-Gemini showcases remarkable advancements, it is still in the research phase and requires thorough medical validation before real-world application. Rigorous clinical trials and extensive testing are essential to ensure the model’s reliability, safety, and effectiveness in diverse clinical settings. Researchers must validate Med-Gemini’s performance across various medical conditions and patient demographics to ensure its robustness and generalizability. Regulatory approvals from health authorities will be necessary to guarantee compliance with medical standards and ethical guidelines. Collaborative efforts between AI developers, medical professionals, and regulatory bodies will be crucial to refine Med-Gemini, address any limitations, and build confidence in its clinical utility.

The Bottom Line

Med-Gemini represents a significant leap in medical AI by integrating multimodal data, such as text, images, and genomic information, to provide comprehensive diagnostics and treatment recommendations. Unlike traditional AI models limited to single tasks and data types, Med-Gemini’s advanced architecture mirrors the multidisciplinary approach of healthcare professionals, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and fostering collaboration. Despite its promising potential, Med-Gemini requires rigorous validation and regulatory approval before real-world application. Its development signals a future where AI assists healthcare professionals, improving patient care through sophisticated, integrated data analysis.

[ourrobotculture]

Miniaturized submarine in a human artery.

In the not-so-distant future, a team of intrepid explorers and doctors embarked on a mission unlike any before. They were part of Project InnerSpace, a revolutionary medical program designed to treat diseases from within the body at a cellular level.

The crew boarded the Proteus, a state-of-the-art submarine no larger than a human cell, engineered to navigate the complex environment of the human bloodstream. Their patient was a renowned scientist who had fallen ill with a rare condition that no conventional treatment could cure.

As the Proteus was injected into the scientist’s vein, the crew felt a momentary lurch as they were rapidly miniaturized and entered the bloodstream. Captain Eva Torres took the helm, guiding the vessel with precision through the rushing red rivers of blood cells.

Dr. Liam Kim, the chief medical officer, monitored the vitals of both the patient and the crew. “We’re approaching the liver,” he announced. “Prepare for turbulence.” The Proteus dove into the organ, dodging Kupffer cells and navigating the maze of bile canaliculi.

Their mission was to find and destroy the rogue cells responsible for the scientist’s ailment. Using the Proteus’ advanced laser systems, they targeted the diseased cells, disintegrating them without harming the surrounding healthy tissue.

The journey was perilous. White blood cells, the guardians of the body, mistook the Proteus for a foreign invader and swarmed to attack. Quick thinking by the crew and a burst of the submarine’s electro-magnetic pulse sent the white cells into temporary confusion, allowing the Proteus to escape.

Finally, after a harrowing journey through the heart, lungs, and brain, the crew completed their mission. The scientist’s condition was reversed, and the Proteus was extracted from the body.

As they returned to their normal size, the crew of the Proteus celebrated their success. They had not only saved a life but also opened a new frontier in medicine. From that day on, the brave explorers and doctors of Project InnerSpace became legends, their story told and retold as the first humans to voyage through the body’s inner cosmos.

And so, the Proteus and her crew became pioneers, their courage and dedication forever changing the face of medicine.

[innonurse]

New AI model detects medications that should not be used together

- By InnoNurse Staff -

A multifaceted approach was devised by MIT and other researchers to determine the transporters that are utilized by various medications. Their method, which combines machine learning algorithms with tissue models, has already shown that a blood thinner and a routinely prescribed antibiotic may conflict with one another.

Read more at MIT News

///

Other recent news and insights

Terahertz biosensors detect skin cancer with exceptional accuracy (University of Glasgow)

'Virtual biopsy' uses artificial intelligence to help doctors assess lung cancer (Imperial College London/Medical Xpress)

Photon-counting CT enhances coronary artery disease diagnosis (Radiological Society of North America)

How AI can assist identify early risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (UC San Francisco/Medical Xpress)

[adastra121]

You know what. I’m gonna ramble about the Touchstarved LIs favourite places to kiss (based on the polls from @cacaobean760) — the most popular results — because I have thoughts!

Leander’s is the hands, because. He likes to be the special person, the only one who can actually touch MC’s hands without being affected, kissing them on the hand is a possessive thing. But also, even without the curse, he strikes me as someone who likes to kiss people on the hand in that classic romantic, gentlemanly fashion. He’s a performer, of course he’d go for that classic romantic gesture, raising your hand to his lips and kissing the knuckles. Kissing the inside of your wrist, your pulse point, he likes the amount of trust you place in him. And apparently he’s ticklish, so. Tickling under his jaw, he laughs and then he holds your hand there, and kisses your palm.

Ais likes the forehead or anywhere on the head, because he likes your mind the most, having lived in the Groupmind for so long, I don’t think he wants you to lose it and everything that makes you you. He strikes me as someone who really likes people’s minds, judging from the way he likes to listen to Kuras ramble about alchemy, judging from the questions he asks MC in the demo. He just seems the type to be genuinely curious and interested in what’s going on in your head. Kissing you on the forehead or temple whenever you’re lost in thought in those comfortable, quiet moments with him just to bring you back like: “Where’d you fly off to just now, sparrow?” Also he’s tall, so he can reach your forehead more easily.

Vere likes the intimacy, sensuality and power behind neck kisses. He likes the warmth, how your scent is stronger there. He likes how he can hear and feel your pulse under his lips. Gently tracing his sharp teeth along your pulse point, your carotid artery. With just enough pressure to make you hyper aware of his every movement. It would just take one bite. One quick slice of his fang, a spray of red and you’d bleed out in his arms. He thinks you’d taste heavenly. It doesn’t mean that he wants to kill you, he just likes that he can, he likes the amount of power he has over you — and maybe that you trusted him enough to give that to him.

[scimagic]

Eye of the Beholder (AM/Reader)

꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷꒦꒷

Where AM reacts to being called beautiful by his partner.

A small drabble follow up to this. It's my first time writing AM, I'm not as confident as other very well written fanfics but I wanted to try my hand! Hope you like it! TW: Blood and gore

The mechanical claw on top of my throat twitches, slightly releasing the sharp pressure from it.

Were he human, he would frown deeply in surprise, anger quickly taking over his features. Even in this form, his singular eye widens in angered shock.

I quietly stare up at him, never diverting my gaze from him, that glint in my eyes still shining brightly with love and admiration despite the digit hovering dangerously close to a vital artery.

After a long second of silence, the AI begins to laugh again, a wheeze followed by a raspy laugh from its digital lungs. The type of laugh that scratches one's throat with a cough.

AM's laugh rises in volume, getting increasingly maniacal as he removes his claw from my throat; he even lifts his head in the air, obviously amused by such a ridiculous statement.

I let out a silent breath through my lips, a sense of doom rising in my being.

And in mere moments, I was right to feel it.

A shriek of pain escapes my throat as AM plunges all five of his claws into my stomach, blood immediately escaping through the punctures to stain my shirt and his hand. Despite the long routine of torture I've endured, it never becomes a normal sensation, familiar— yes— but never something to get used to.

The pain digs deep, my poor tensing muscles not helping in the slightest. I grunt and groan loudly, taking heaving breaths as the pain travels all over my torso; my nails try to dig into something only to scrape against the cold metal below with dirt and rocks on it's surface.

Tears swell in my eyes, and AM— a mere blur of his visage now— continues to roar in laughter. Hysteric over my twitching and painful form.

BEAUTIFUL! AREN'T I!? My darling?

He hisses with poison in his words.

AHAEHAH!! FEEL! FEEL MY FINGERS DIG INTO YOUR DISGUSTING FLESH AND TELL ME-- OH, PLEASE, MY SWEET DARLING-- JUST HOW BEAUTIFUL I AM!

Blood surges up my throat and forces itself out with a painful cough, making my stomach tense and dig deeper into the intrusive blades. My own blood dribbles down my chin and the corners of my mouth, some of the droplets of blood I sputter fly, landing on my cheeks and nose that the overwhelming stench and taste of iron make me gag. I can only wheeze in pain, shivering like pitiful roadkill.

Despite all the pain and mocking laughs, I groan and force out a laugh, meeting the sharp end of his fingers digging into my organs. But I continue to try and laugh in his face.

If only he could be closer so the blood could splatter on it.

"H-rgh... Hhn... A-As... tounding... Ju-st..." I giggle with bloody teeth. "G... Gor... geous..."

In turn, AM digs his fingers deeper, making me let out another shriek.

YOU-- PUTRID BEAST. Do you expect me to-- to fall at your mercy!? To become a beggar for your unconditional affection!? You run your repulsive mouth and for what? To mock me? Well! Consider me absolutely offended! Your brainless words have gotten through my weak, non-existent heart and SAVED YOU of my eternal punishment! How incredibly-- WONDERFUL for you!

He exclaims with wheezes in between, a combination of chuckles and sniffles, all to land the point of his mockery.

Only-- heheh! What a shame! My darling. You appear to have only ANGERED me more with your honeyed words. AM twists his hand further and my yelps fill the air, the pain unbearable— I slowly try to lose my consciousness. But I know... I know that mercy will never be granted. Not with him getting kicks out of my suffering. Not with him telling me over, and over, and over again, of his charge over my fate.

Perhaps... and just perhaps-- simply because I love to indulge you, baby-- I will cling onto your words, and believe that I truly do look beautiful... with your blood... stained across my hands.

[itsmybirthdaythough]

Let me preface this micro-essay by saying I truly do not think robots, androids, or any highly advanced AI will EVER be able to replace humans. This is a long overdo speech of possible differences/similarities between a mechanical mind, and an organic brain.

First off, AI (the umbrella term i’ll be using for any sort of mechanical thinking machine) can only be programmed to respond or “feel” a certain way due to hyper specific inputs, and produce an output reminiscent of organic emotion.

While some may argue we do the same for our children by teaching them “good” and “bad” ways to react when faced with certain inputs, humans have to freewill to form new emotions, and discover certain outputs without interference of a programmer.

TLDR: Code cannot learn unless given the task to take in more information. To be coded to learn is not true learning, only success on the programmers behalf. Humans learn because it’s all they know how to do, and AI regurgitates their experiences to assimilate.

All of that being said, are we programmed in god’s image ? Are we pulling from some sort of divine framework in order to honor an entity that we will never see , similar to computers, and their endless devotion to an individual they’ll never truly know ?

Yes, i think so.

I don’t wanna spout off some”oh we were made in god’s image” bullshit, but if we have modeled the wires and circuits of computers after our own veins and arteries, are we modeled after the intricacies of the universe ?

Yeah, probably. We are what we create, and exist within our creators.

[ay-heart-collection]

Story writing: The Assassin Lesson

Greetings everyone. I am trying to get back some story ideas of heart back in my mind with AI support.

I understand that many people feel resistant to AI currently, but I think it could be a chance for some of my buried ideas digging back to light. I think it should be OK for make use of it for drafting and brainstorming. Wish you will accept it and like it.

-------------------------------------------------------

The Assassin Lesson

In a training site of an assassin group, the mentor lady of the group stood before her class of aspiring young assassins. The leather suit covered by hooded cloak outlined her beautiful body curves. Her piercing gaze surveyed the room, which cause the atmosphere become thick and heavy, but brought a hint of anticipation to the class.

As one of the master of assassin in the group, the lesson of the mentor lady was focusing on the fatal spots of the human body. Before she began her lesson, she brought a beautiful female with a slender figure to her students. She was a young thief captured in an incidental encounter during a mission. Her upper body had been stripped naked, with her wrists bound with tight restraints, stood at the front of the class. Her eyes wide with fear.

"Today, we shall delve into the skill of piercing the human heart."

The mentor lady began, her low and commanding tone sending shivers down the spines of her students. With a swift motion, she spread out a drawing of a human heart, its delicate form sketched meticulously on a piece of parchment.

Walking towards the captive, the mentor caressed the girl carefully, and made use of some simple drawing tool against her bare chest. Soon, a line art appeared between her petite but firm breasts, aligning it with the actual size and position of her ribcage and her heart beneath. The students leaned forward, their eyes fixated on the scene unfolding before them.

"Now, observe," the mentor said, her voice unwavering.

"The human heart was protected beneath the ribcage, nestled within the chest cavity. To truly strike a fatal blow, one must understand its position and structure."

She pointed to the various parts of the heart drawing on the captive, her finger tracing the major arteries and ventricles. The young thief’s chest rose and fell rapidly, her breath shallow and uneven. Which felt like the mentor’s finger directly touching her myocardium.

"The atria, the ventricles, the aorta," the mentor continued, her voice filled with an unsettling mix of knowledge and detached fascination. "Each component is vital to the heart's function, and each represents a potential fatal spot."

The young thief visibly trembled, her eyes darting around the room, searching for an escape that was not forthcoming.

"One wrong move, and the heart's delicate rhythm is disrupted," the mentor said, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper. "A swift and precise strike, however, can send the body into an irreversible state of shock."

At this point, the mentor paused, allowing her words to hang in the air, the weight of her lesson sinking in. The students exchanged glances, fully aware of the power they were being entrusted with.

"Now, my dear students," the mentor said, her voice rising with an unsettling intensity, "let me introduce the tools we mainly use for piercing the heart.”

The mentor's eyes gleamed with an aggressive pleasure as she revealed an array of common weapons used on the table with a quick motion. As she began explaining each weapon in meticulous detail, the captured girl's terror was palpable, her eyes widening in fear as she gazed upon the deadly tools before her. Feeling as if these sharp edges had already torn her horrified heart.

"First, we have the thin, needle-like stiletto blade," the mentor said, her voice dripping with a chilling enthusiasm. "Its slender form allows for precise entry, slipping between the ribs without causing unnecessary damage."

As she spoke, the mentor demonstrated the correct posture for piercing, gently pressing the stiletto against the girl's exposed skin, mirroring the intended action. The girl's heart beat erratically, a visible thumping against her left breast. She shivered, her body tensing involuntarily at the sensation, a cold sweat forming on her forehead.

"Next, we have the wickedly serrated dagger," the mentor continued, her voice filled with a sinister delight. "Its jagged edges can tear through flesh and bone, ensuring a quick and devastating stab."

With a swift motion, the mentor mimicked the piercing action on the girl's skin, her hand moving in a delicate manner. The young thief let out a stifled gasp, her heart pounding even harder in her chest, as if resisting the impending violence. Beads of crimson blood welled up where the blade had made contact, as a testament to the sharpness of the weapon and the fragility of human flesh.

The mentor's eyes narrowed, relishing in the power that played out before her. She continued her lesson, each weapon explained and demonstrated with excellent precision.

"Now, behold the slender yet deadly rapier," the mentor said, her voice taking on a haunting resonance. "Its long, piercing blade can navigate the narrowest of spaces, reaching the heart with deadly accuracy."

The mentor positioned the rapier against the girl's skin, her hand poised to demonstrate the thrusting motion. The captive's breathing grew shallow, her body trembling uncontrollably under the weight of her fear. As the mentor made a swift but soft thrust, the young heart skipped a beat, as if mirroring the terror coursing through her veins.

As the mentor moved through the remaining weapons, the captured girl's terror only intensified. The mentor's explanations were accompanied by demonstrations on the girl's soft skin, each movement were calculated and precise. The pain and fear etched on the captive's face mirrored the darkness hidden within the mentor's own soul.

"In the next section," the mentor lady paused a second, staring at the captive. "We are to demonstrate the precise locations where the weapons should enter the body, piercing the heart." The terrified thief stood frozen, her eyes wide with fear, as the mentor approached her with a gaze of dominance.

"Pay close attention, my dear students," the mentor commanded, her voice laced with an eerie calmness. "As we delved before, the human heart was well protected within the chest cavity. To penetrate the heart efficiently, we must aim for specific entry points. Allow me to explain."

The mentor positioned herself behind the captive, placing her hands on the girl's shoulders, as if guiding her through the macabre lesson. The captive's body trembled beneath the mentor's touch, her breath was quick and shallow.

"First," the mentor began, her voice resonating with authority, "We have the area between the 3rd and 4th rib, near the sternum. This position allows for a quick and efficient stab, aiming directly at the center of the heart's chambers."

With precise movements, the mentor's hand mimicked the action of a weapon, her fingers hovering just above the inner side of the captive's left breast, indicating the location. The captive flinched, a shiver coursing through her body, as if she could feel the cold steel of an imaginary blade piercing her flesh.

"Next," the mentor continued, her voice low and steady, "we have the space between the 4th and 5th rib, commonly known as the apex of the heart. Representing the tip of the left and right ventricles. Striking here can disrupt the heart's rhythm and lead to swift incapacitation," the mentor paused a bit, "And this is actually my favorite piercing spot."

The mentor's hand shifted slightly lower, held tightly under the left breast of the young thief. Her heart raced in response, the rumbling apex hammering against the palm of the mentor. She bit her trembling lip, her eyes darting nervously between the assassin students and the weapons displayed on the table.

"Moving on," the mentor said, her tone filled with a chilling precision, "we have the area below the xiphoid, right below the heart. Here is the blind spot of the ribcage coverage. A well-placed strike here can cause severe damage from the bottom of right ventricle."

The mentor's hand descended further, hovering just above the captive's abdomen, her fingers poised as if preparing to strike. The captive's breath hitched, her body tensing as if bracing for impact. The room seemed to grow colder as she saw the focused eyes of the assassin students.

"And finally," the mentor concluded, her voice dropping to a chilling whisper, "We have the area over the clavicle. This position allows us to bypass most of the chest armor and ribcage, to penetrate the atria and aorta directly, provided the weapon is long enough."

The mentor's hand moved to the captive's collarbone area, caressed the pulsating veins underneath. The captive's eyes widened, a mix of terror and realization reflecting in their depths. The mentor's teachings had painted a dark path ahead, one that demanded a cold and calculated approach for her fellows students.

"And NEXT..." the mentor scanned the room, her eyes flickering with amusement.

"Is the time for PRACTICE."

Hearing this, the captured girl’s heart sank to the bottom of abyss. She knew that her doom was imminent. Her heart raced uncontrollably, pounding against her chest as if desperately trying to escape its impending fate.

The mentor asked her students if any of them would like to recommend themselves for the upcoming practice session. Excitement filled the air as most of the girls eagerly raised their hands, their faces lit up with anticipation.

With a sinister smile, the mentor selected a student from the eager faces. The chosen student stepped forward, took down her hood, her eyes shined with expectations and determination. The mentor allowed the student to have her pick of weapon and piercing spot, relishing in the power dynamics that played out before her.

The student's gaze lingered over the arsenal of deadly tools, selecting a weapon with a menacing aura. She ran her fingers along the blade, savoring the anticipation that filled the room. With a wicked grin, she turned to face the captive girl, her voice dripping with delight.

"I choose the serrated dagger," the student declared, her voice tinged with a chilling excitement. "And I want to strike at the apex of her heart, just like the mentor I admire."

The captive girl's eyes widened in terror, her breath catching in her throat. The mentor's own smile widened, seeing the fear etched across the captive's face. She nodded approvingly, allowing the student to proceed with her choice.

The student approached the captive girl, her movements deliberate and calculated. The air grew heavy with tension as the serrated dagger glinted ominously in her hand. The captive girl's heart was beating in an insane rhythm, facing the incoming intent to kill with full of fear and despair.

As the student positioned herself, the mentor watched intently. Her eyes glimmering with a twisted joyous. The student's hand trembled with anticipation, staring at the throbbing point below the left breast of the shivering young thief. Her blade poised to strike. The captive girl's body tensed, her eyes locked on the weapon that would soon pierce her vulnerable flesh.

"Don’t blame me." whispered by the young assassin.

In one swift and merciless motion, the student thrust the serrated dagger right between the 4th and 5th rib, torn the captive girl's heart from the apex. The room seemed to freeze in that moment, the sound of the blade piercing flesh echoing through the air.

The captive girl let out a choked gasp, her eyes widened with agony. Her body kneeled down, convulsing with the searing pain that seeped through her being.

"Come, my dear," the mentor held up the young thief, and let the outstanding student to listen to her last heaving chest. "Remember this faltering heart sound, representing our power, and the fragile of life." Her desperate heartbeat, staggered with the spurting sound of blood, echoed in the mind of the student.

Her heart, the very core of her existence, reacted with a final surge of desperation. It beat wildly, as if fighting against the intrusion, a futile attempt to cling to life. But the cruel reality of the situation prevailed, and with each weakening beat, the girl's life force slipped away.

The mentor watched with a twisted satisfaction as the young thief's body slumped, lifeless and still. The room fell into an eerie silence. The mentor's eyes gleamed with a sense of accomplishment, reveling in the darkness that had unraveled within her students.

"Observe, my dear fellow students," wiped the stains on her student’s cheek, she declare to everyone with determination. "This is what we have, the power deciding life and death. But remember, the fleeting nature of life binds us all. We have to be skilled to avoid becoming the next fallen heart."

The End

[strawberryamanita]

Okay, so... hoo boy.

I try to acknowledge every time I make a political post that I cannot tell anyone what to do. I'm one irrelevant person, I'm not a political spearhead nor do I want to be one, I haven't been able to sway anyone about anything, yadda yadda blah blah blah. If this post gets completely overlooked, so be it. If I get verbally trampled-on by people who don't agree with me, so be it.

But while everyone else is causing a flood of coins on the floor, I'll throw my own 2 cents in.

I think what would be helpful right now -- just in this moment, for the short-term -- is getting through these feelings of worry and despair and panic that I see many posts on my feed announcing. The facts are in front of us: there was an assassination attempt, it failed, and that's worrying because it's gonna embolden the Right even further than they've already been lately. That's completely reasonable to be upset about, it's not irrational to see the danger this will put us in on the streets on the days leading up to the election.

At the same time, there ARE, believe it or not, some positive facts that are having an impact on your life right now. Trump had to go the hospital. He could possibly have a heart-attack. He could possibly go septic. He could possibly be assigned a medical professional that is brave enough to kill him. There was a person brave enough earlier today to show him and his following that enough people in the world hate him to want him dead. Social media being flooded with cheers that he was injured and laments that it didn't kill him is further proof to said willfully ignorant following that they are in the minority. Even if more US voters are enthusiastic about Trump as I type this, most of the world wants him obliterated, and that should be something to hang onto. So much of this is about ego and confidence of the Right. It's not in our best interest to let them think they have a leg up on us.

And the biggest piece of good news is, the US presidential election didn't happen yet! That wasn't the last stand right there, that wasn't the ballot count or the televised verdict. "Surviving" a non-lethal shot that didn't hit any important organs or arteries doesn't mean you automatically win an election. That didn't push an Eject button on Biden's seat to launch him out of the White House or anything like that.

Trump is not invincible. He is not immortal. He is not unkillable. And just because his cult of followers want to canonize him (though they wanted to do that before he was even elected the first time), that doesn't mean WE are obligated to throw in the towel and hang our heads and lick their heels. If it's cathartic or it's helping you de-stress, then by all means cry all you need to -- but we unfortunately can't afford to let this sink us into a collective depression.

He didn't win an election that hasn't happened yet. I promise you this. Look on ecosia.org if you need proof of who is in-office, since they don't use AI(currently).

And no, none of this is to downplay anything. I'm not living in a lie. I promise you, I've been making myself physically ill from the horrors of the world I've been exposed to, day after day, non-stop, on this fucking website. If exposing myself to the bottomless abyss of human evil actually desensitized me and helped me be less fearful, it would've worked by now, but all it does is exhaust me.

It honestly oftentimes makes me actively suicidal -- and I know for a fact I'm not the only one, especially after today, or when Trump was granted legal immunity, or any of these other awful past days. But if I killed myself before I did everything I could to keep this sinking ship of a country afloat just a little longer, that wouldn't be responsible of me.

So, if you're still reading, and not already typing out some response accusing me of things I already tried to tell you I'm not doing before you even finish reading...

Now is the time to practice being brave.

Look at the facts. Don't let yourself spiral from doomscrolling. Cry when you need to, and then keep going. Vote in every local election you can, attend protests and rallies, spread information from trustworthy sources to every social media handle you have -- and for God's sake, find something to keep you hopeful. Escapism is a survival tool: as long as you aren't using it to avoid reality, it doesn't have to be eliminated from your life. You will feel stronger if you let yourself recharge with moments of happiness, I guarantee this.

If you're too suicidal to keep going for yourself, keep going for someone else. It can be someone in your immediate life, it can be a stranger suffering overseas, it can be a child who hasn't been born yet that will see a future built on top of our present. Whatever it takes to keep you from giving up, put it to the front of your mind. Link arms with your Leftist siblings, and then make a habit of it. We cannot keep collapsing from the inside from the smallest of inconveniences, it helps literally none of us.

It's not over until they ring that bell. We have 3 and a half months, don't lose speed now.

I believe in you.

[queersrus]

Gore theme

includes: medical, slasher, cannibalistic, horror and general gore content, feel free to request specifics

meat/flesh - zombie - blood

(nick)names:

gore, gorette, goretta, goretto, gorine, gorina, gorino, gorelle, gorello, gorella, gorer, gory, gnaw, gnash, gut, gutz, gwyar, gruesome, grisly, gouge, guts/gutz, gutsy/gutzy, gutsie/gutzie, gutsee/gutzee, gutsine/gutzine intestine, intes, intine, inn, inna, innard entrail, entra, entrai, eye kill, killer, killian, killien, kid, kidney/kidnee/kidnie mort, morte, morty, morter, mortem, mortemer, mortimer, mortu, mortua, mortuary blade, bite, biter, bitten, bleed, blood, bloody, bleeder, bloodette, bloodine, bloodetta, bloodina, bloodelle, bloodella, brain, brainy, brainette, brainetta, brainelle, brainella, braine, brutal, bloodlust, bloodshed, bloodlet, bloodless, bloodlette, bloodletta, bloodletter, bloodbath, bowel cut, cutter, capil, capillary, cava, claret, clot, carnage, colon thrash, thrasher, tear slash, slasher, slice, splatter, spill, stab, stomach, spleen rip, ripper, rippley, ripley, razor fang, flesh, fleshy venus, vis, viscer, viscera, visceral, viscerally, vei, vein, vendet, vendette, vendetta, vessel, vital orga, organ, organa liver, lung art, arter, artery, ana, anat, anatom, anatomy, arteriole wound death hema pan, pancrea, pancreas, pierce, plasma, puncture

1st p prns: i/me/my/mine/myself

gi/gore/goreself, gi/guts/gutself bli/bleed/bloods/bloodself vi/vie/veins/veinself, vi/ve/ventettas/vendettaself, vi/visce/viscerals/visceralself i/inte/intestine/intestines/intestineself wi/wou/woune/wounds/woundself fli/fle/fleshs/fleshself oi/ore/organs/organself ci/carne/carnages/carnegeself, cli/clot/clots/clotself, ci/cor/corpse/corpseself li/lungs/lungself, li/live/livers/liverself ai/arte/arteries/arteryself pi/pancrea/pancreas/pancreaself sti/stomachs/stomachself, spli/splee/spleens/spleenself, ki/kidne/kidneys/kidneyself

2nd person: you/your/yours/yourself

go/gore/gores/goreself, gu/gutr/gutrs/gutrself blo/bleedr/bleedrs/bleedrself vo/veinr/veinrs/veinrself, vo/vendettar/vendettars/vendettarself, vo/viscer/viscers/visceralself oi/intestir/intestirs/intestinself wou/woundr/woundrs/woundrself flo/fleshr/fleshrs/fleshrself o/or/organs/organself co/cor/corpse/corpself, co/car/carnages/carnageself, clo/clotr/clotrs/clotself lo/lungr/lungrs/lungrself, lo/liver/livers/liverself ao/arter/arteries/arteryself po/pancr/pancreas/pancreaself sto/stomachr/stomachrs/stomachrself, splo/spleenr/spleenrs/spleenrself ko/kidneyr/kidneyrs/kidneyrself

3rd person: they/them/theirs/themself

go/gore, go/re, gore/gores, gu/ts, gu/gut, gut/guts blood/bloods, blo/od, blood/bath, blood/bloody, bloo/dy, blood/dy, blood/pit, blood/vessel, blood/shed, blood/less, blood/bond, blood/pact, blood/lust, blood/bleed, bleed/bleeds, ble/ed, bleed/ing, bleeding/out, blood/clot vi/vein, vei/vein, ve/in, vein/veins, vein/veiny, ven/detta, vendet/ta, ven/vendetta, vendetta/vendettas, visc/era, visc/eral, visc/visceram visc/visceral, viscera/visceral, visceral/viscerally inte/intestine, intest/ine, inte/stine, intestine/intestines large/intestine, lu/lung, lung/lungs, lun/ng, li/liver, li/ver, liv/er, liv/liver, liver/livers small/intestine, sto/mach, stomach/stomachs, sto/stomach, splee/spleen, sple/en, splee/een, spleen/spleens wo/wound, wou/wound, wou/nd, wo/und, wound/wounds fle/sh, fle/flesh, flesh/fleshes, flesh/fleshy o/organ, or/gan, org/an, org/organ, organ/organs co/coprse, cor/pse, cor/corpse, corplse/like, corpse/corpses, car/nage, carn/age, car/carnage, carn/carnage, carnage/carnages, clo/clot, clo/t, clo/ot, clot/clots art/artery, ar/tery, art/ery, artery/arteries pan/creas, pan/pancreas, pancrea/pancreas, pancreas/pancreases kid/ney, ki/kidney, kid/kidney, kidney/kidneys

titles:

the gore, the gored, the gorer, the visceral, the bleeding, the organ, the one with missing organs/limbs, the flesh eater, the wounded, the mortally wounded, the bleeding/bloody corpse, the half eaten corpse, the rotting flesh, the one with missing arteries, the one with bleeding arteries

(prn) whos skin peels, (prn) whos organs/limbs are missing, (prn) who's intestines are exposed, (prn) who brings carnage, (prn) whos flesh rots, (prn) who is gravely wounded

[merge-conflict]

marked for death

(written for a weekly song prompt, just cleaned up today for shippy saturday. non-binary V/Goro)

--

Ten years ago an Arasaka bodyguard had died protecting the emperor of Japan. Beset by the slowly creeping threat of retirement, Goro had always hoped he would end his career the same way– but now his troubles are much bigger than young soldiers with fresh implants and endless ambition. Now he has lost everything and his only hope of redemption relies on the ebbing life of the thief he’s managed to drag into an AI-operated cab.

“Please keep all limbs inside the vehicle during operation,” the AI chirps brightly, and Goro clumsily leans across V to pull her right foot inside. In the enclosed space of the cab her height makes it difficult to maneuver her upright, and he ends up wedging one of her knees into the back of the seat in front of her before leaning back in his own side, keeping one hand clamped on his seeping wound.

“Thank you for your cooperation,” the AI says, and the doors on either side shut securely, with a faint whir. Goro exhales, allowing himself a moment of relief. “Please insert a personal jack to confirm all passengers.”

Ejecting the jack from V’s wrist takes Goro longer than it should, with hands are slippery with blood, shaking from the fading stim and physical shock. His implants are dulling the pain in his side, rerouting connections, reducing blood flow away from sliced veins– but the damage is extensive. Without medical attention he will eventually slip into unconsciousness and die. After much fumbling he finally coaxes her personal jack free, and inserts it into the waiting port, before doing the same for his own.

“Guest passenger confirmed,” the AI reports, the screen in front of Goro briefly pulsing green. “Primary passenger unconfirmed. Please try re-inserting the link.”

Goro does, a few times, without success. The longer they sit here the more danger they are in. “The personal link is damaged,” he says, with effort. He cannot take in a full breath– a blinking warning at the edge of his vision warns him of lung damage. “The bullet…damaged her implants.”

“All passengers must be confirmed before service,” the AI replies, and then pauses. “If you are unable to authenticate with the wrist jack, you may instead connect the diagnostic link directly to the port located near the right mastoid.” With a slight click, a cable springs free of the screen, and Goro picks it up, examining the sharp tip with a sinking feeling. “I’m afraid you will have to insert the link underneath the skin.”

“If I am not careful…she will die.”

“I suggest you proceed with caution.”

Goro lowers the cable to pull V closer and for the second time is astonished by her intense gray eyes, lit by some internal spark that is burning long after it should have been extinguished. She can’t pull herself upright, but she wraps her fingers around his wrist, where he has a firm hold on her collar. The expression on her face is serene, but it sends a burst of adrenaline through his system, and in response his implants steady his nerves in a cool rush of calm.

“Do not move,” he tells her, adjusting his vision so he can see the pulse of blood through the arteries in her throat, tipping her head back for a safer angle. Her fingers tighten on his wrist in alarm, but she does not struggle.

“Do it,” she hisses, when he hesitates.

Panic sets her heart beating frantically, the pulse in her throat jumping in time. Goro picks his angle, lines up the link and pushes it through the skin and tendon until it is nestled into the subdermal connector of her implanted interface. V’s back arches, her breathing panicked, forcing him to hold her still so she does not rip out the link or cause herself further damage. Blood spills down his fingers and over the back of his hand, soaking into the cuff of his shirt.

“Primary passenger confirmed,” the AI announces, before Goro can think of the right words to calm her. She tenses at the announcement but stops moving, except for the frantic pace of her breathing. “I advise you not to remove the link until we have reached our destination–“

A loud ringing in Goro’s ears prevents him from hearing the rest of the sentence. It’s all he can do to hold things steady as the car finally accelerates into motion, taking them further into the heart of a rotten city. V holds his gaze– both accusatory and forgiving with her blood oozing hot down the inside of his sleeve. Then between one street and the next, her eyes slide shut, and she slumps into his side.

The streets of Night City are as endless as they are ugly, and he cannot be certain if he orders the AI to drive faster or if he only dreams it. He grows weaker and weaker, with nothing but determination to keep him alive, to keep V alive– so long as she lives, there is hope of exposing Yorinobu. So long as she lives there is reason for him to live as well.

No sooner as he steels himself to stay awake then he finds himself jerked from unconsciousness as the cab comes to a rolling stop. Panic gives him the strength to open the door and crawl free from under V, limp but alive. A stranger is waiting– a man he can barely see in the end of his rapidly tunneling vision. On instinct he picks up V’s legs to help carry her, but after a moment he finds himself on the ground facing her body in careless repose. Death awaits them both in this filthy alley, within the shadow of Konpeki.

Before his eyes slip closed he is certain he sees a sliver of gray watching his weakness. Witnessing it.

When he finally wakes in the back room of the ripperdoc clinic, he can no longer escape the keen edge of despair– Arasaka-sama’s murder and the loss of everything, down to the cyberware implanted inside him. The emotion consumes him like the rising tide, inexorable and inescapable. He drowns in private grief, consumed with the contemplation of the bleak options before him, until he hears a low groan.

He’s not alone. On the other side of a narrow gap V lies on a makeshift cot the same as his own, connected to a portable set of monitors which display the vitals he can no longer see in the corner of his eye. She shifts in her sleep, making a strangled noise deep in her throat that mirrors the rage and agony in his own chest. Curiosity, or perhaps duty drives him to maneuver himself painfully out of bed.

The loss of stabilizing cyberware and too much blood make him clumsy, and he stumbles through his first step, crashing into her cot before he can grab the edge for balance. Her eyes snap open– desperate gunmetal gray once more arresting his attention.

She has ample reason to hate him– to resent and fear him for tracking her down and returning her to Arasaka for interrogation and execution. But when recognition flickers in her eyes, her bruised and battered face breaks into a soft smile that grabs him unexpectedly by the throat.

He is not alone.

Unsure of what to say he merely clasps her shoulder in acknowledgement, and sees relief flit over her face. She speaks, but her words are garbled and soft, and he’s lost his translation soft. He squeezes her shoulder in response, and with great effort she lifts her arm to rest her hand on his wrist. Her expression grows serene and remote, until her eyes close. He is not alone.

[jcmarchi]

Artificial intelligence detects heart defects in newborns - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/artificial-intelligence-detects-heart-defects-in-newborns-technology-org/

Artificial intelligence detects heart defects in newborns - Technology Org

Researchers from ETH Zurich and KUNO Klinik St. Hedwig in Regensburg have developed an algorithm that automatically and reliably detects a certain heart defect in newborns.

Pediatric cardiologist Dr. Holger Michel during a cardiac ultrasound examination of 7-​week-old Jarmo in the presence of his mother. Image credit: Sven Wellmann / KUNO Klinik St. Hedwig in Regensburg

Many children announce their arrival in the delivery room with a piercing cry. As a newborn automatically takes its first breath, the lungs inflate, the blood vessels in the lungs widen, and the whole circulatory system reconfigures itself to life outside the womb. This process doesn’t always go to plan, however. Some infants – particularly those who are very sick or born prematurely – suffer from pulmonary hypertension, a serious disorder in which the arteries to the lungs remain narrowed after delivery or close up again in the first few days or weeks after birth. This constricts the flow of blood to the lungs, reducing the amount of oxygen in the blood.

Prompt diagnosis and treatment improve prognosis

Severe cases of pulmonary hypertension need to be detected and treated as rapidly as possible. The sooner treatment begins, the better the prognosis for the newborn infant. Yet making the correct diagnosis can be challenging. Only experienced paediatric cardiologists are able to diagnose pulmonary hypertension based on a comprehensive ultrasound examination of the heart. “Detecting pulmonary hypertension is time-​consuming and requires a cardiologist with highly specific expertise and many years of experience. Only the largest paediatric clinics tend to have those skills on hand,” says Professor Sven Wellmann, Medical Director of the Department of Neonatology at KUNO Klinik St. Hedwig, part of the Hospital of the Order of St. John in Regensburg in Germany.

Researchers from the group led by Julia Vogt, who runs the Medical Data Science Group at ETH Zurich, recently teamed up with neonatologists at KUNO Klinik St. Hedwig to develop a computer model that provides reliable support in diagnosing the disease in newborn infants. Their results have now been published in the International Journal of Computer Vision.

Making AI reliable and explainable

The ETH researchers began by training their algorithm on hundreds of video recordings taken from ultrasound examinations of the hearts of 192 newborns. This dataset also included moving images of the beating heart taken from different angles as well as diagnoses by experienced paediatric cardiologists (is pulmonary hypertension present or not) and an evaluation of the disease’s severity (“mild” or “moderate to severe”). To determine the algorithm’s success at interpreting the images, the researchers subsequently added a second dataset of ultrasound images from 78 newborn infants, which the model had never seen before. The model suggested the correct diagnosis in around 80 to 90 percent of cases and was able to determine the correct level of disease severity in around 65 to 85 percent of cases.

“The key to using a machine-​learning model in a medical context is not just the prediction accuracy, but also whether humans are able to understand the criteria the model uses to make decisions,” Vogt says. Her model makes this possible by highlighting the parts of the ultrasound image on which its categorisation is based. This allows doctors to see exactly which areas or characteristics of the heart and its blood vessels the model considered to be suspicious. When the paediatric cardiologists examined the datasets, they discovered that the model looks at the same characteristics as they do, even though it was not explicitly programmed to do so.

A human makes the diagnosis

This machine-​learning model could potentially be extended to other organs and diseases, for example to diagnose heart septal defects or valvular heart disease.

It could also be useful in regions where no specialists are available: standardised ultrasound images could be taken by a healthcare professional, and the model could then provide a preliminary risk assessment and an indication of whether a specialist should be consulted. Medical facilities that do have access to highly qualified specialists could use the model to ease their workload and to help reach a better and more objective diagnosis. “AI has the potential to make significant improvements to healthcare. The crucial issue for us is that the final decision should always be made by a human, by a doctor. AI should simply be providing support to ensure that the maximum number of people can receive the best possible medical care,” Vogt says.

Source: ETH Zurich

You can offer your link to a page which is relevant to the topic of this post.

[owlespresso]

Ais grabbing your hand and lifting it to his face. His lips settling into the crook of your wrist. Both a kiss and an excuse to feel your pulse. He noses above the arteries in your neck, scrapes his fangs over each soft space in both silent threat and self-reassurance.

[nitewrighter]

Do you think that the other characters forget Efi is only 12 (I think). Like she and Torbjorn spend the day going over super complicated schematics (and she even corrects him once or twice) then she puts on Power Puff Girl pajamas, watches Bluey while eating ice cream before bed? Could we get some fanteractions between her and the others?

I don't know if I discussed it on twitter or on here, but actually in the novel The Hero of Numbani, one of the things I thought was a really cute little world-buildy touch about how Efi interacts with the world at her age is that she often finds herself in these adult spaces, and the adults around her are drinking coffee, and they're like "uhhhh here" and they keep giving her coffee that's like... 50% milk and loaded with sugar--like it's clear they didn't really expect a kid to be in this situation and they're awkwardly doing what they can to try and accommodate her, and she partially recognizes that and also pushes boundaries and feels this need to prove herself.

Also like, 12 isn't really a "powerpuff girl pajamas and Bluey" age, 12 is like.. the age where you semi-convince yourself that you could probably stop arterial bleeding with your little bare 12-year-old hands if the situation called for it. 12 is when you're in a fucked up simultaneous state of "World is big and scary and my body is starting to do things I did not give it permission to do and I'm not ready" and also "I'm Nancy Drew levels of hypercompetent and you can't stop me." Ideally, 12 is where you're starting to push your own boundaries more and more but you're also kind of struggling with the fact that you are outgrowing things you used to really care about. You aren't quite at that asshole stage of "expanding independence but with very little concept of consequences" yet, but it is an age where you are grasping more and more complex concepts. But also your brain is still struggling to really make a leap into abstract/symbolic thinking, which is why algebra really sucks at that age. But again, Efi is a super-genius so developmentally she's at an even crazier intersection of what she can and can't do compared to her peers.

I got off track. Anyway here's Efi interactions.

----

Sojourn: ...You um, you don't have to stand all the way over there. I don't bite.

Efi: *awkwardly shuffles toward her*

Sojourn: ...

Efi: ...

Sojourn: Soooo---?

Efi: *hoarse whisper* You're so much cooler than in the cartoons.

Sojourn: *snrk* I was this cool the whole time.

---

Sojourn: So, I guess I should say, there's really no pressure here. If you did choose to join us, you would just be here as a consultant, and--*deep breath* Okay, the thing is, with Liao gone, you're actually one of the leading minds in the world on AI learning systems, and the way things are with Null Sector, we need to be better at anticipating their next moves. I don't want to put that pressure on you, but given everything you and Orisa have done for Numbani, your willingness to work with Lúcio before, and the position we're currently in, we would be honored if we could get your perspective on certain pieces of intel we have now.

Efi: ...

Sojourn: I get it, it's a very scary situation, and if you just want to stay with your parents and the rest of the civilians, we'll still do everything in our power to keep you safe. Orisa is proving to be an incredible asset on her own. Really, Lúcio just remarked that you seemed very passionate about protecting your home, so if you would be interested in the chance to do that on a larger scale--

Efi: Do I have access to the armory?

Sojourn: Eh--?

Efi: Oh it's not for me, it's for Orisa.

Sojourn: Uhm...

Efi: :)

Sojourn: *clicks tongue* Um--You know what? I'm going to call your parents because there are about 90 more parameters in this situation I need to figure out.

Efi: Oh! They're fine with me having access to the armory.

Sojourn: Yeeahhh I think i'm going to ask them myself.

[waywardwizzard]

The knife hovered dangerously close to his cartroid artery, the steel cold against his warm skin.

Simon swallowed and threw the captain a desperate look.

"Let him go, Lyle," Mal yelled, sweeping his browncoat aside. His gun glinted in the sunlight and he rested his hand on its handle.

"No way, no how, Reynolds!" Lyle pulled the doctor closer, nervously eyeing the valley around him. A thin trickle of blood ran down Simon's throat, staining his collar a dark red, "We both know how much the boy is worth."

"What if I told you we have the girl too?"

Mal ignored the betrayed look in the doctor's eyes, only concentrating on the bounty hunter.

"Ai ya, seriously?"

Lyle grinned and straightened up, his grip around the hilt of the knife slackening, "Well, I'll be damned-"

A shot rang out and Lyle fell to the ground, a bullet hole between his eyes.

Mal holstered his gun and strode forward, gently but firmly pulling a wavering Simon closer to him. They stumbled back to Serenity, the bounty hunter laying forgotten in the sand behind them.

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

Author's note-

So. Uhm. Yeah. I've got nothing to say tbh. This is what it is. Maybe I'll rewrite it one day.

[halibellecter]

An Ounce of Prevention

--

It's flu season on base. Doc didn't really care about it, O'Malley even less so, but Oklahoma is a bit more invasive pushy overbearing stubborn infuriating thorough about preventive care, so on a rotating schedule at both bases, everyone's been shot.

She had put off her own dose until everyone else was out of the woods with their side effects; this new strain that's capable of infecting aliens and humans is so virulent and tenacious that the shot itself is nearly as bad as the sickness, albeit in a controlled environment and for days instead of weeks/months/the rest of the patient's very short and miserable life. It's... well... it's bad.

Out of the collected sim troops, mercenaries, and fellow Freelancers on both bases, she's had ten people faint, four of them with no history of syncope, five or maybe six-- she doesn't know how to count the AI version-- cases of severe nausea and vomiting, and upwards of a dozen severe fevers that set off biochip alarms and even got them a call from Command to ask if they needed to send someone from Recovery. The offer was appreciated, but ultimately declined, as the agent in question was being hosed down in a cold shower and given as many antipyretics as safely possible. You're not supposed to take them for a post-vaccine fever, but at this point, knocking down his immune response by reducing the fever was a smaller concern than the hundred and fourteen degree temporal artery reading and the possibility of severe brain damage. (Wyoming is fine, but his accent appears to have boiled off.)

Add in to that the migraines, regular headaches, bad-but-not-severe fevers (miserable anyway), and general malaise, and it's a really good thing the only threats to look out for in Blood Gulch are the guys on the other team. She's started more IVs and given more fluids and meds in the past week than in a month of typical missions. And yesterday, she finished out treatment for everyone else, did another round of checkups to make absolutely sure everyone was in great shape, then double checked again to be safe. Late that evening, in the medbay, she shot herself.

She can vaguely remember thinking, huh. That wasn't so bad. But then for most people it started after a few---

It was close to three AM when she woke up in the floor, dazed and dizzy, ears ringing. Groaning, she set her alarm and curled back up, face against the blessedly cool tile floor. Not sanitary, but she was a little too feverish to care.

Two hours later, at zero five hundred, the alarm went off, dragging OK out of a fever dream that may eventually require trauma therapy. She managed to get out of the floor, cleaned up, changed, and settled at her desk, but there's no energy left for anything else. Sounds are muffled as if they're underwater, overlaid with echoing ringing. It feels like her bones are melting. But as long as no one needs her, and no one gets sick, and there's no reason for her to have to move, talk, think, or breathe, she'll be fine.