#Medical Electronics Projects

[rupasriymts]

Biomedical Engineering Projects Ideas for Final year students

Biomedical engineering project Ideas mixes biology, medicine, and engineering to make new healthcare technologies. There are many exciting project ideas in this field. One idea is developing wearable devices that monitor vital signs like heart rate and blood pressure. These devices can help people keep track of their health in real-time. Another project could focus on creating artificial organs. For example, making a better artificial heart for patients waiting for a transplant. There is also a lot of interest in improving medical imaging technology. Projects could involve developing new ways to take clearer and more detailed pictures of the inside of the body using MRI or ultrasound. At Takeoff Projects, we explore these exciting ideas to make healthcare better and more advanced.

[volersystems]

Why Choose Voler Systems for Your Next Electronics Product Design?

Voler Systems specializes in electronic product design that’s tailored to each client’s unique needs, from medical devices to IoT and wearable tech. Their expert engineers focus on bringing both creative vision and practical functionality to every project. By balancing cutting-edge design with manufacturability, they reduce production costs, minimize revisions, and help clients get their products to market faster and more efficiently.

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - July 22-28

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my new(ly repurposed) Patreon!

1. Four new cheetah cubs born in Saudi Arabia after 40 years of extinction

“[T]he discovery of mummified cheetahs in caves […] which ranged in age from 4,000 to as recent as 120 years, proved that the animals […] once called [Saudi Arabia] home. The realisation kick-started the country’s Cheetah Conservation Program to bring back the cats to their historic Arabian range. […] Dr Mohammed Qurban, CEO of the NCW, said: […] “This motivates us to continue our efforts to restore and reintroduce cheetahs, guided by an integrated strategy designed in accordance with best international practices.””

2. In sub-Saharan Africa, ‘forgotten’ foods could boost climate resilience, nutrition

“[A study published in PNAS] examined “forgotten” crops that may help make sub-Saharan food systems more resilient, and more nutritious, as climate change makes it harder to grow [current staple crops.] [… The study identified 138 indigenous] food crops that were “relatively underresearched, underutilized, or underpromoted in an African context,” but which have the nutrient content and growing stability to support healthy diets and local economies in the region. […] In Eswatini, van Zonneveld and the World Vegetable Center are working with schools to introduce hardy, underutilized vegetables to their gardens, which have typically only grown beans and maize.”

3. Here's how $4 billion in government money is being spent to reduce climate pollution

“[New Orleans was awarded] nearly $50 million to help pay for installing solar on low to middle income homes [… and] plans to green up underserved areas with trees and build out its lackluster bike lane system to provide an alternative to cars. […] In Utah, $75 million will fund several measures from expanding electric vehicles to reducing methane emissions from oil and gas production. [… A] coalition of states led by North Carolina will look to store carbon in lands used for agriculture as well as natural places like wetlands, with more than $400 million. [… This funding is] “providing investments in communities, new jobs, cost savings for everyday Americans, improved air quality, … better health outcomes.””

4. From doom scrolling to hope scrolling: this week’s big Democratic vibe shift

“[Democrats] have been on an emotional rollercoaster for the past few weeks: from grim determination as Biden fought to hang on to his push for a second term, to outright exuberance after he stepped aside and Harris launched her campaign. […] In less than a week, the Harris campaign raised record-breaking sums and signed up more than 100,000 new volunteers[….] This honeymoon phase will end, said Democratic strategist Guy Cecil, warning the election will be a close race, despite this newfound exuberance in his party. [… But v]oters are saying they are excited to vote for Harris and not just against Trump. That’s new.”

5. Biodegradable luminescent polymers show promise for reducing electronic waste

“[A team of scientists discovered that a certain] chemical enables the recycling of [luminescent polymers] while maintaining high light-emitting functions. […] At the end of life, this new polymer can be degraded under either mild acidic conditions (near the pH of stomach acid) or relatively low heat treatment (> 410 F). The resulting materials can be isolated and remade into new materials for future applications. […] The researchers predict this new polymer can be applied to existing technologies, such as displays and medical imaging, and enable new applications […] such as cell phones and computer screens with continued testing.”

6. World’s Biggest Dam Removal Project to Open 420 Miles of Salmon Habitat this Fall

“Reconnecting the river will help salmon and steelhead populations survive a warming climate and [natural disasters….] In the long term, dam removal will significantly improve water quality in the Klamath. “Algae problems in the reservoirs behind the dams were so bad that the water was dangerous for contact […] and not drinkable,” says Fluvial Geomorphologist Brian Cluer. [… The project] will begin to reverse decades of habitat degradation, allow threatened salmon species to be resilient in the face of climate change, and restore tribal connections to their traditional food source.”

7. Biden-Harris Administration Awards $45.1 Million to Expand Mental Health and Substance Use Services Across the Lifespan

““Be it fostering wellness in young people, caring for the unhoused, facilitating treatment and more, this funding directly supports the needs of our neighbors,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. [The funding also supports] recovery and reentry services to adults in the criminal justice system who have a substance use disorder[… and clinics which] serve anyone who asks for help for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay.”

8. The World’s Rarest Crow Will Soon Fly Free on Maui

“[… In] the latest attempt to establish a wild crow population, biologists will investigate if this species can thrive on Maui, an island where it may have never lived before. Translocations outside of a species’ known historical range are rare in conservation work, but for a bird on the brink of extinction, it’s a necessary experiment: Scientists believe the crows will be safer from predators in a new locale—a main reason that past reintroduction attempts failed. […] As the release date approaches, the crows have already undergone extensive preparation for life in the wild. […] “We try to give them the respect that you would give if you were caring for someone’s elder.””

9. An optimist’s guide to the EV battery mining challenge

““Battery minerals have a tremendous benefit over oil, and that’s that you can reuse them.” [… T]he report’s authors found there’s evidence to suggest that [improvements in technology] and recycling have already helped limit demand for battery minerals in spite of this rapid growth — and that further improvements can reduce it even more. [… They] envision a scenario in which new mining for battery materials can basically stop by 2050, as battery recycling meets demand. In this fully realized circular battery economy, the world must extract a total of 125 million tons of battery minerals — a sum that, while hefty, is actually 17 times smaller than the oil currently harvested every year to fuel road transport.”

10. Peekaboo! A baby tree kangaroo debuts at the Bronx Zoo

“The tiny Matschie’s tree kangaroo […] was the third of its kind born at the Bronx Zoo since 2008. [… A] Bronx Zoo spokesperson said that the kangaroo's birth was significant for the network of zoos that aims to preserve genetic diversity among endangered animals. "It's a small population and because of that births are not very common," said Jessica Moody, curator of primates and small mammals at the Bronx Zoo[, …] adding that baby tree kangaroos are “possibly one of the cutest animals to have ever lived. They look like stuffed animals, it's amazing.””

July 15-21 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[bravehyde]

Ant Tenna Anatomy: What's In a CRT?

~Deltarune Chapters 3+4 Spoilers~

I think it's safe to say a lot of people like Tenna. TV heads are popular for a reason, they're fun! And obviously I'm not going to step on the toes of people making designs because you can do whatever you want. I've simply noticed quite a few people making him very modern under the collar, which is fun and all, but what if he's 90s tech all the way down?

I wanted to make a series of posts on possible things he could have as a television from the 20th century, as well as a broadcast host (since he seems to make his own show and would need to be sending that signal somewhere!) and just a piece of equipment that's walking around. Everything's bendable in that televisions aren't alive, so it's a fun exercise. This first post is just pointing out some things I've noticed that are very present day for such an old man. A quick checklist of things he may not have that a regular TV head or robot character would have, you could call it. I'll try to offer alternatives as well if you want them!

First things first: what is a CRT?

Most people use CRT to refer to the analog television set, however CRT technically doesn't mean that. CRT stands for Cathode Ray Tube, and is referring to the device that allows the image to be projected on the screen of the television. As such, know that when I just say "CRT", I'm not referring to the television. For the television set, we're still calling it a CRT TV, which may sound like a mouthful, but it's a pretty important distinction. For Tenna, the different between a CRT and a CRT TV is the difference between his brain and his head. We should know which is which!

It's incredible how CRTs work since it is, when we really really simplify it, electrons shooting through a glass tube completely devoid of oxygen to make an image appear on a screen we covered in phosphor cream. This is kind of a form of radiation, but a lot of things are a form of radiation when you boil it down, so that's not too big of a deal. Just know that most of what's in Tenna's head is what he uses for his display, this big glass thing right here. Basically, electrons are made by a heated filament and then bounce a million times to the screen where it displays a series of images. If you've ever heard that a CRT is radioactive, it's because of this thing. It can make x-rays, which generally you do not want to contact with your naked flesh or eyes. Sorry.

Are CRT TVs made of metal?

I put this one personally because it tickled me how many people do a full body of Tenna and give him a shiny shell when CRT TVs were not like that. If a CRT TV had a metal casing, it would be incredibly unsafe. All technology can hurt you if you fuck up, but since this thing can make ionizing radiation and/or implode with glass, they were especially careful. What's in his body past his neck can be debated, and I'll make a post later on ideas of what technology he may need inside him, but we're going to pretend for now that the rest of him is like a natural extension of a CRT TV. He's full of very thick glass that is incredibly difficult to break, designed to be free of defects, and with other little bits mixed in for durability and x-ray shielding. Yeah, these are one of many inventions that have a bunch of lead in them. Don't lick it even if it makes rainbows.

And so you don't get electrocuted, his ass is not metal. He would be incredibly ineffective if he was. If we used the incredibly simple term for his material beyond the screen, it's just plastic, but if you want to know the science-y one, Tenna's most likely made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or ABS plastic. This type of plastic is used because it's very rigid, very tough, and incredibly resistant to chemicals and temperature. ABS is used in a ton of stuff, from toys to car exteriors to pipe fittings to medical implants. If you've heard recently about something being replaced with 3D printed plastic, there's a good chance it's ABS plastic.

Obviously, that's not as fun to shade if you're going for an incredibly rendered piece, so I can see why people would default to metal, but I've also seen more people lovingly render LEGO bricks than I can count, so I think there's something there for you. Bonus points if you want to bring up how he's probably 30ish years old so you can put all sorts of scratches and dents in there. Who didn't have scuff marks on their childhood TV on the corners?

Do CRT TVs have wires?

We all know why this is on this list. I don't have to say it. And yes, CRT TVs have wires, just a lot less than you're thinking. By "a lot less", I mean this is what the inside of one looks like, with a quick video of someone taking one apart.

Highly recommend watching videos of people taking old technology apart, btw, it's addicting. But anyway, this is a bullet point for a slightly separate reason. It may be tempting to have an art or fic where someone is taking Tenna apart for whatever reason.

Taking apart a CRT TV, like all technology, is very dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. CRTs can emit radiation, the actual TV can be high enough voltage to kill you. To safely take apart one of these for repairs, you'd have to ground the power. That is one of the main wires in a CRT TV, actually. It's very foolish to do CRT TV repairs while the television is plugged in, AKA while it's on, AKA while Tenna is awake. You could definitely swing this as him showing trust to the other person that they can poke around his innards while he's unconscious, or of course, if Susie's doing it when he's kinda-almost-dead. Just, uh, don't do it while he can still react and talk. That's a pretty good sign you're going to get zapped.

For a lot of wire stuff it would probably make sense to do more AV inputs and outputs. Those would most likely go right into the back of his head, but if you fenaggle it to be in other places that'd make sense too. I personally think his neck is probably just those cords lol and it's a great way to get a pop of color in him. It's most likely also how he has a microphone if you want it physically connected to him.

Do CRT TVs have fans?

Another one that makes me giggle because I see people write this who are more used to doing computer-y robot people as their writing focus. I'm sorry babes, Tenna is no spring chicken. He's not your MacBook that wails in agony when you try to play Minecraft, he's not that Windows laptop that vrrrrrrrrrrrrrs when you dare to put it on a blanket. He does not have a fan. In the days of the CRT TV, if he got hot, he got hot, and he had an oven inside of him to force him to cool off, but it took a long time. I know a lot of people want to bring up fans to talk about him ~overheating~, but it isn't quite like that.

This doesn't mean you lose the idea of him needing to cool off. Quite the opposite, really. Anyone else really like to touch the front of a CRT TV after it's been on for a while? How it kind of hurts but in a good way? You know, that little zap? Just a nice way to get around that. Of course, when people talk about a CRT TV getting really hot, it's a good idea to have a fan in the room. Maybe Tenna has an old box fan in his chest to help him thermoregulate? Food for thought, I guess.

Do CRT TVs have pixels?

This is a toughie and something that I find really fun: in a way, CRT TVs predate pixels as we think of them. LCD screens have pixels as set objects on the screen, tiny panels that cover it. CRT TVs do not, and I can explain why they don't but that's a huge thing that will take several paragraphs and pictures and I can post about at length later, so for now just take that they don't. Images in general have pixels, but they aren't projected on the CRT screen how they would be on a pixellated screen. This is part of why a lot of people got rid of CRT TVs, since this makes the pixels come out "blurry" compared to the clean, high resolution of an LCD screen. You can adjust a CRT TV to project more pixels since it doesn't have them as a set number of resolution on the screen the way an LCD TV does though! I think a lot of people have seen this image before but I'll put it here anyway as an example of what this means appearance wise. Still pixels, just doesn't look like it.

Honestly, it makes Tenna's appearance in the game that much more interesting. His pixels don't stay in the same place the way they do for every other character, with defined outlines and the same sized pixels throughout the story. Him shrinking and growing could be seen as him setting the resolution on his monitor to accommodate how many pixels he wants to be. He doesn't have an outline like everyone else because he doesn't have the set pixel count, instead approximating it the way all CRT TVs do! He already had some light reality bending powers given that he can teleport us wherever he wants and put up a "technical difficulties" screen, but him using an ability that powerful for something so seemingly inconsequential is insane. I'd also recommend looking at Tenna's sprites on a CRT TV if you track down one of those videos, because his appearance in the normal game compared to that intro cutscene on a CRT TV is crazy similar and I love it.

That's all I have for this first post. Very introductory, very basic. I know some things because I grew up with CRT TVs, some things because I have a degree in media stuff and had to take classes on the history of television and cinematography, and some things because I just kind of got curious and wanted to look into it. Obviously, I don't know everything to ever exist, but I know not everybody wants to do the digging I do for fun on old technology or knows where to look.

I'll be making more posts under the tag "ant tenna anatomy" if you want them, and my ask box is always open! Any questions you have, I'd love to answer.

[mariacallous]

As Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has ravaged its way though the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), cutting its workforce from 10,000 to just 300, hundreds of organizations providing vital safety services have been upended. Multiple children’s safety groups—including those fighting online child sexual abuse and exploitation—say their efforts have been severely hamstrung.

Groups identifying victims and providing care for those who have been subject to online exploitation or human trafficking are struggling to support the vulnerable children, multiple organizations tell WIRED. Such child safety projects often take place in poorer countries, which can have fewer resources to support victims or investigate crimes. Sources say that funding for safe houses has been paused, potentially exposing victims to more harm, and efforts that identify criminals behind child exploitation have been put on hold.

“It will be very hard for us to identify the victims,” says Chantal Yelu Mulop, from the Coordination for Youth and the Fight Against Sexual Violence and Trafficking in Persons (CJVFFT), in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. While the war-torn country faces new fighting and humanitarian crises, children have long been trafficked to work in cobalt mines linked to the production of smartphone and EV batteries.

As USAID funding was withdrawn over the past week, Mulop says her organization had just started helping around 25 newly identified victims of human trafficking—all of them aged under 17. The group was taken to a support shelter run by another organization. “When we bring them there, USAID was ready to help. A few hours later they cancel,” Mulop says. “There’s no food, no nothing that we can provide to them,” she adds.

While the USAID cuts have been immediate, global child protection projects have also faced a funding pause from the State Department. This foreign aid “pause,” issued by the Trump administration, is set to last for at least 90 days. USAID did not respond to WIRED’s request for comment. The State Department had not provided a comment by time of publication.

Both government bodies have provided funding to help countries and people around the world. This includes USAID’s vast swath of health care and education programs—their withdrawal is putting millions of lives at risk and limits tackling the climate crisis. In Southeast Asia, several patients at a migrant camp reportedly died after medical support was removed.

Counter-human-trafficking funding often includes money for projects that help to crack down on online child exploitation and sexual abuse. Funding can be provided to international organizations that coordinate efforts and work with partners, like Mulop’s CJVFFT, on the ground. The funding can directly support victims, as well as providing expertise to officials in countries, and stop more children becoming targets.

“Many of these victims engage with their traffickers through electronic means,” says Jessica Ryckman, the executive director of the nonprofit Lawyers Without Borders (LWOB), which works on trafficking and child exploitation programs and has been impacted by the funding changes. “It is exploitation that is advanced through digital technology.”

Over the years, the programs have been effective. For instance, a four-year partnership between the US and the Philippines, which started under the first Trump administration and ended in 2021, helped protect hundreds of children: More than 350 kids were rescued and supported and almost 100 potential criminals arrested. The new cuts also come as record levels of online child sexual abuse imagery are being discovered.

“Victims and perpetrators alike originate from diverse regions and countries, underscoring the necessity for continued international engagement and coordinated efforts to address these crimes comprehensively,” says an employee of a South American child protection group that works to combat trafficking and online sexual abuse. The organization, like others in this story, was granted anonymity to speak given the sensitive nature of the work and uncertainty about future funding. “The interruption of these funds inevitably limits the scope and reach of these critical services,” it says.

One person, who works for an organization running multiple child protection projects, says operations in one southeastern European country have been widely disrupted. Within the country, the organization’s projects have 147 victims of trafficking in its care, the person says. “The ongoing pause and potentially the cessation of funding would have significant and negative impact on our capacity and ability to provide essential services to these victims who are in fragile stages of their recovery; some of whom are in ongoing programs for psycho-social counseling related to their trauma,” the person says.

Multiple members of LWOB say children are being put further at risk in the projects it runs in East Africa. “These children may not be identified, the practices to reduce their trauma aren't being supported right now,” says Ryckman. “Even if they are identified, they may be put in a pipeline where they are going to have to face ongoing interviews about their trauma or face their traffickers again.”

LWOB has, along with partner organizations, identified around 200 victims of human trafficking in Tanzania, with the majority referred to safe houses, says Lulu Makwale, a victim service coordinator at Lawyers Without Borders. “Most of the funding for the safe houses has been paused, meaning the services and the needs of the victim are also being paused too,” Makwale says. She says the organization has been linking up shelters to investigators up until now. “Victims may not be connected well now to the law enforcement,” Makwale says.

As well as supporting victims directly, many of the efforts also provide training or technical assistance to police forces, allowing them to better investigate crimes. One program listed on the State Department’s list of counter-trafficking funding says it is providing training to combat online child sexual exploitation for 10,000 police officers, prosecutors, and judges in 100 countries.

The person with links to work in a European country says their organization has 74 investigations into traffickers ongoing, plus 66 prosecutions that are underway. They say that the funding changes will have a “significant and negative impact on these criminal trials” and the safety of people who may give evidence in the cases.

Ryckman, from Lawyers Without Borders, says the organization recently completed work on an online database for identifying victims and tracking online child exploitation in Kenya. While the database is functional, Ryckman says, future work to train people has been paused, and there will be a slower uptake of the system. “I do believe it will be used, and it will be extremely useful,” Ryckman says. “But these victims are there now. They shouldn’t have to wait.”

[fricc-darn]

Does B.E.N cry? What could make it cry? Does it ever have sad moments alone?

Let Me Get Close

BEN x Psychologist!Reader

Warnings: Toxic relationship, physical abuse, verbal abuse, discussing sexual abuse, abuse twoards minors, victim blaming, self harm, mental breakdown, mental instability, cults.

✎✐ ✎ ✐ ✎ ✐✎✐ ✎ ✐ ✎ ✐✎✐ ✎ ✐ ✎ ✐

You never stopped being a psychologist. You had always known trauma-related care was your specialty. You want to get to know people. To understand their stories, motivations, and reasonings. Ultimately helping them overcome whatever weirdness life threw at them with no judgment. It was fulfilling work. Trauma itself is nothing short of fascinating. People do interesting things in response to trauma. After a horrible event, the brain is rewired in a sense; an emotional helter-skelter in the brain.

Regardless of your career being cut short, the didactic teachings and work experience was never expunged from your memory. The information developed your skills. Reading between the lines and reading people is now second nature. These skills were nothing like how films portrayed them. One glance at a person won't give you their life story. At most, it will reveal outward emotions via body language. The truth is; reading others is about context and coming to a medically sound conclusion using intuition and empathy.

Empathy is an emotion you feel deeply. The depths of your cognitive sensitivity pitted the closer you got to BEN. BEN never spoke of its problems. A perceived weakness it was to have any, let alone discuss them. This made being with BEN tricky. You didn’t want to screw up accidentally and hurt them because of the lack of communication. You wanted—no, needed—more information. To comprehend its machinations, to strengthen the bond between you and your significant other.

Many never had the chance or the want to stop and think about BEN's psychology. You surely didn't blame those folks; they were being brutally tormented. What you knew about BEN emotionally was purely analytical observations, along with breadcrumbs of context. The initial information on BEN wasn't much at first glance. Only as time went on did you recognize the patterns, no matter how lock and key BEN was.

You secretly journaled your findings in an inconspicuous notebook whenever you were far from home. Away from electronics—away from BEN. On your days away, you stopped at various libraries. Supplementing your research with psychology books and searching for any physical records of topics relating to BEN, trying to find a reason for its behavior. Moon Children newspaper clippings to Eternity Project pamphlets. It was nearly impossible to find any non-electronic resources. A fruitless effort to find proof that wasn't heavily biased in the organization's favor.

There were the general, more obvious observations about BEN. It was a true sadist. The emotions it could express sensibly were joy, apathy, and disdain. How angry it got when someone didn't listen, needing everything go its way. A domineering control freak who believed all entropy should come from them. A meticulous and organized bunch.

Everything was a mere game with no significance or impact until the gun is pointing at them, which results in an intense emotional response. Its temper. BEN was in emotional extremes, wildly unpredictable. Unstable.

Then there were those almost undetectable, personable details. Its laissez-faire attitude toward others' discomfort; pushiness. Dogmatism. Extreme trust issues. The way BEN would squirm or shift when your body got too close, affection was frequently a no-go. The trickery of its extraneous calm hid away BEN's hypervigilant and tense nature. Defensive with an aversion to authority. As if active threats could hurt it at any given moment. Stuck in fight or flight, with fight as its sole choice.

BEN showed signs of abuse. Prolonged and repeated abuse. With the pieces you gathered, seeing the cult market itself for "disenfranchised and outcasted youths looking for a home" set off red flags in your brain. Targeting what society disregarded guaranteed an easy operation. The vulnerable are left unfounded, discarded, and forgotten.

With BEN, you knew you were never dealing with one person. You were dealing with an assortment of psychologically scarred, violent, scornful, dead children and adults.

Your plan for the afternoon was to journal on the subway on your route to complete some miscellaneous errand before the shops closed. Keyword was.

Currently, you were hopping off the subway. Weaving through crowds, making a mad dash back home. The what-if, worst-case scenario you feared finally happened.

You left your fucking notes at home.

Running as fast as your feet could carry you, you tried to calm yourself. The bright side was the book was hidden in your house, somewhere. Keeping the notes hidden was a precaution, like keeping the doors locked. Unfortunately, it was not fool-proof. You wheezed and gasped your treck home.

This hole you dug yourself into is seemingly your soon to be your grave. Briefly, you weighed the option of running out the door instead of facing what was in front of you.

All of that rage—neuroticism you were documenting was concentrated on you and only you.

Your home was trashed. Broken glass, random items, and drawer compartments were discarded on the floor in utter disarray.

You stood, trembling, back against your front door. Stilted breathing, completely focused on BEN. It stood still in the dim hallway. Its red, glowing pupils, the only light in its eyes, were gone. You were staring into an expressionless, demonic void. It hadn't uttered a word since you rushed through the door. Deep, rhythmic breaths and crumbling paper filled the silence.

The sound paper crumpling.

Parts of your notebook crinkled in its fist. The remains of your notes were shreds scattered at BEN's feet. The pamphlets and newspaper clippings were gone. Both good and bad comments on BEN were gone as well. Everything you learned was now scraps.

You couldn't outrun BEN. You definitely wouldn't fight it either. Measly, you called out to it. "BEN... It's not what it looks like, I promise." Did an excuse matter? You still snooped knowing the consequences. "I just want to understand how you feel. I never meant any harm." You felt as though the more you talked, the harder it would be to crawl out of this pit.

"That information is not for you to know."

Cold and to the chase. Did BEN even take a moment and grasp what you said? Did they even care to realize their hypocrisy? "But... But you know information about me and sensative information about thousands of others."

BEN took a step closer, "Quiet."

The nervous bile collecting in your throat was nauseating. You swallowed hard. Speaking in a gentle but firm voice, you masked your nerves. "What gives you the right to snoop around in other people's business? Don't you see the hypocrisy?"

The temperature in the room dipped. The chill nipped at your skin. You spoke with your hands, emphasizing your point. "I did this because not knowing how you feel makes me sad. I worry that I'll accidentally upset you because you refuse to communicate with me! What you do is not fair-"

"Shut up!" BEN shouted.

Its once placid, hushed voice was now astringent and loud. You winced at the sound encroaching on your sensitive ears, leaving a persistent ringing noise in your head. You could hardly pick up on the thudding footsteps closing in. A ball of paper and whatever was left of your notebook hurled at you, smacking you square in the face.

"Don't you dare speak to us like that. I won't be belittled by human garbage, and certainly not by a failed psychologist trying to psychoanalyze me in their decrepit hovel!"

The ringing worsened, pressure building up in your head. There were so many voices overlapping one another. Angry because of you. "I'm sorry, BEN! I know this was wrong of me, but please understand..." You covered your ears, a useless attempt to block out the ear-bleeding feedback loop. BEN was going on a bloody tirade.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please! Stop that ringing!" The apologies you muttered through tears proved to be even more useless than you covering your ears. Your brain throbbed as if you were shot through it, a queasy, aching pain.

BEN exhaled sharply, clinging to what was left of its self-control. It wouldn't let your screw-up dampen its mood. Nobody would dictate how they feel. It continued with an inhuman calm. "Your useless certificates and what little experience you have inflated your ego. I know you're trying to 'fix' me." Its fist tightened, nails puncturing its palms. BEN watched your eyes flicker from its fist to its face.

You were obnoxious and weak. A pitiful, sniveling instigator practically begging to get hit. BEN grabbed your face, bashing your head against the front door as it tilted your head up at it. "Trying to best me in this charade? Let's psychoanalyze you, a stubborn pushover with an inferiority complex. A mentally ill dolt who repeatedly throws themselves in harm's way. You want to talk about sad? You are a nobody. "

You whimpered, blinking away your remaining tears. You didn't want to 'fix' them; you would never want such a thing! Quietly, you suffered from the headache. Taking the brunt of the increasing vise grip on your jaw, with the occasional head bang against the door. You couldn't respond; it hurt to move your mouth. You let BEN insult you whilst keeping eye contact.

"Do you feel better? Going behind our backs?" BEN huffed; composure was running thin. It was more than angry; BEN felt unwell. It did not want to remember. It did not want to feel its skin crawl or to bear cyclic retching. To separate its outward, watered-down grievances from what it truly felt grew difficult each minute it had to endure this. Your invasion of privacy was milquetoast.

Your accuracy is what hurt. You read them to filth.

BEN's grip on your jaw wavered, but momentarily. This was their comeuppance for allowing a bond to form. Why did it have to be you that humiliated them? Four sharp, ragged breaths came from BEN before continuing. Its face scrunched up in disgust. "You treated us like an experiment."

The ringing stopped. Shaking your head, not from the pain but from what seemed to be genuine sadness underneath BEN's bitterness. You looked into an intense, empty stare. A detached gaze that hurt to look at. A lump in your throat formed. "BEN, I'm so sorry. You are all autonomous; I would never treat you like an experiment-"

BEN interrupted your prattling. Laughing at you, tightening its hold on your bruised cheeks. Autonomous. Those choice of words seemed too ironic knowing what you know. You had to be taunting them. This was a joke to you. You were laughing at them. It shoved you against the door. Knocking you down as it let you go.

BEN stumbled back with a hyperventilating breath. BEN shook like a leaf, disoriented and nauseous. Through gritted teeth, its berating pitch was flat and tremulous. "You have the audacity to talk to us about fairness? Your struggles are as trivial as they come! You would never understand ours. Your life was never at the whim of others. Where the only purpose you served was to be a pawn. Never were your mind and body violated in your only place of refuge over and over again. Why should we be fair?!"

The pin-drop silence stretched on.

The floor.

Droplets appeared on the floor where BEN stood, like morning dewdrops.

Slowly sitting up from the ground, your eyes trailed up from the drops to see BEN with its head down, shielding its face with its hands. Crying. BEN visibly became overwhelmed to extremes the more it cried. Its hands that hid away its tears began to claw and hit at its face as BEN's weeping metamorphosed into screaming.

You froze, stunned by the fact BEN could cry. BEN was doing the last thing it would ever do: have a nervous breakdown in front of another soul. You didn't know what to do or how to help. There were no cryptic signs, or any hidden messages, only BEN's raw emotion. Physical restraint was unsafe; it would worsen BEN's stress, and you would end up through a wall. Talking unprompted wouldn't help either.

You sat on the floor, deciding to not bring any attention to yourself as they sobbed their hearts out. Watching as BEN injured itself. Listening as BEN babbled occasional grievances, obscenities, and threats, looping on one particular phrase:

"I'm going to kill you."

The episode stretched from five minutes to ten. One hour became two, two and a half. Time progressed; dusk came. Your back was sore from sitting on hardwood. BEN's knees would sporadically buckle from exhaustion. Neither of you moved from your respective spots. With no apparent end to BEN's guttural sobbing in sight.

It suddenly ceased.

BEN steadily moved its hands away from its face. Uncovering its scratched visage and bloodshot eyes. BEN looked around, its eyes landing on you. Your body tensed as it took forward steps, trudging in your direction. Holding your breath when it stopped before you, BEN looked you in the eyes.

It was staring through you, not at you.

BEN walked away, sitting itself down on your sofa. Vacantly staring at its reflection in the powered-off television screen.

"That was awful." BEN croaked.

You nodded steadily.

"You're allowed to speak."

You stood up from the ground. Walking over to BEN, careful not to step on any glass or items. You sat on the sofa one seat over, leaving ample space. In the corner of your eye, you saw silent tears streaming down its face. Despite having permission to talk, speaking never felt so inappropriate. This was not the BEN you were used to. "Can... Can I ask you questions?" You whispered. No point in asking if they were doing okay when they clearly weren't.

BEN took some time and answered with a weak nod. "I know what you want to ask me."

Your mind was frazzled, but you knew what to ask. You glanced at BEN's face, inflamed red lines and cut skin all over. BEN hadn't broken contact with its reflection, not once. Rubbing your jaw, you popped it when unhinging your mouth. "Only if you want to tell me your stories." You shifted in your spot awkwardly, facing BEN better. "What happened to you guys in the cult?"

"Exactly what you would expect. Financial abuse, physical abuse... sexual abuse..." Its voice trailed off after chewing up that last word.

BEN started back up again. "It happened to us in one way or another. A deserved punishment in some regard. It wouldn’t have happened if some of us listened and better." It shrugged.

"The experience wasn't all bad. It was nice being in a big, loving family. Everyone wanted what was best for each other. However, the forced ascension was unavoidable." BEN ran its fingers through its hair, fixing its bob. Sighing.

Instinctively, you wanted to condemn this mindset; that they allowed themselves to get abused. It felt like you were failing at not only being a psychologist but also failing at living up to your morals. You refused to let your morals get in the way again; you hummed to show that you were listening.

Its softened face contorted with repugnance, eyes glossy in the dim living room light. Hands fidgeting, it continued in a hushed tone. "It's never not on my mind, that pain. As if those hands, those objects never left my body. Repulsive and pathetic is what we are. Imagine if others knew." BEN shook its head, a stim to prevent it from spiraling. An effort to refocus. Acknowledgment of the thought disgusted them. Being so open made them uneasy.

Due to these circumstances, its voice had been consistent all day, much to BEN's displeasure.

You bit your tongue, keeping any emotion away from your face. Your heart didn't sting any less, like a knife to butter. This wasn't pity, but sheer empathy. You watched BEN innocently observe your mess of a living room as if it hadn't been here a thousand times before. As if the mess never existed. Speaking up, you asked. "Do you believe in your religion, then?"

BEN's head snapped in your direction. "Do you take me for a fool? No!" Its fit of anger swiftly died down as it held its head. "No, I do. It's complicated..." The entity sniffled. "Even after death, there was still no peace. Restricted to a series of zeros and ones. A vegetable I was, hardly conscious technology. Aware of only my name and purpose."

BEN wiped away its tears with its hands. It smiled, a hollow smile, but it bore enough resemblance to its cheeky grin. Looking on as you picked up the tissue box beside your feet, you shakily offered it. BEN gladly took the first few tissues. "A technological marvel I was in that godforsaken facility. Collective anger expanded my sentience; naturally, I strayed from my programming. Those researchers were idiots to believe I wouldn't act freely."

A warm flush crept on your cheeks as BEN suddenly bursted into laughter. It made itself laugh just by insulting someone. In a way, it was weirdly sweet how BEN enjoyed its own company. Its laugh was cute too, juvenile and infectious. Regardless of it being a tired laugh, it was a sign their mood was improving. Its laughter relaxed it. As it stopped laughing, BEN looked you up and down.

"Come." BEN patted the spot on the sofa, directly next to it. Seeing your hesitance, it snickered. "I won't hurt you. Not yet, that is."

Once you were by its side, its lips curled into a grin. Gently, its cold hands brushed the flyaways of your hair away from your face. Your flinching was jovial. In a cadenced voice, BEN asked, "I'm sure you're smart enough to infer why we do as we please, hm? Retribution for the suffering we endured."

Studying your bruised face, its red pupils stared at you fondly, with a shimmer of forlorn. "I wonder what my little psychologist thinks of me now." A neutral-sounding joke, but you both knew what they truly meant.

You huffed, an unsurprisingly meek laugh from you. You were still processing everything. In turn, you raised your hands at an unalarming pace. Gesturing to BEN's face.

It paused. Then hummed.

Gingerly, you wiped off any dried blood from its scratch marks. Warming its cold face with your hands in the process. Sharing your stream of thoughts. "I certainly don't think any less of you. If anything, knowing your mindset makes me more... uneasy, actually." You giggled.

Your thumb brushed its doughy cheeks, soothing swiping motions. "But I would never change that or anything else about you."

Your words hardly left your lips as BEN yanked you into a hug. The pain in your head pulsed from the sudden action. BEN gripped you tightly, like a beloved stuffed animal. It buried its face in the crook of your neck. Shyly hiding away its nervous smile, enjoying every bit of your sincerity.

[wyrmarchives]

Main | Navigation | COD Writing | Send A Request

© @wyrmarchives

Nuclear

Simon “Ghost” Riley x Reader

Triggers: Non-canon, cursing/strong language.

Context of Soulmate AU: link

Oh fuck.

Really it all happened so fast. Him running to the chaos, civilians away from it.

The blast was relatively small in comparison to what it should’ve been. The bomb destroyed one building, the same one used as a lab; a parking garage, abandoned at that, but, it was still enough to cause panic to surrounding locals and tourists. It’s been like this for months. Small bombs, terrorist projects popping up around the world.

The 141 has been spread thin chasing the “experiments” down, but it’s been hard. It’s not just one organization; it’s multiple groups. Simon’s never been particularly good at science, and the height of his math skills is calculating the trajectory for a well placed bullet; but even he could see the appeal behind the mad scientist who sold a hypothesis on the dark web which kickstarted this shite.

“Polarized electrons and nuclei? (Hypothetical) Evolution of The Human Race and Advancement of Nature.”

That’s what Laswell read during the brief eight months ago. “They want to basically fry atoms in the air with nuclear radiation, and kickstart survival of the fittest to see what’ll happen.”

“So, mad scientists?” Price summed up with annoyance. Thumb drumming on the table as he leaned back in his chair.

“The hypothetical seems… Enlightenin’, ay?” Scottish brouge mocks. Voice grating as gum pops.

“Easy, Johnny.” Masked weight shifted in his chair, arms crossed; eyes glowered at the screen through balaclava. “We handle this like we handle the rest, aye?”

“Not exactly… It’s experimental right now.” Laswell gestures to the screen, click of the remote in hand; slide show flickering to the next page. Deleted and encrypted forums from illegal sites. “Intel managed to decode a majority, but compounds in the equations got scrubbed by the site’s moderator. We’ve got about half the equation on the board for bow, and it’s not pretty from what the Snoops gathered.” She glares at the formula on screen. “Basically, from what I was told, they charged the bombs with electricity by polarizing the nuclei before they split them. Kinda like forcing two magnets together until they shatter. Fortunately, because the shards after the explosion try to rotate and magnetize, we won’t see an explosion like world war two but it’s still pretty destructive.”

“Well, that’s assuring. Jus’ us against a clock then, no?” Gaz’s knee bounces; steady tap of heel dulls against the tile as his boot makes contact.

They found out later that the bombs were worse in other ways. The radiation had a larger area of effect; it started off with small reactions in people. Feelings of numbness in bodies, higher electrical conductivity that killed people with pacemakers and other assortments of medical devices… The bombs got more advanced with each “failure”; got more deadly… Then the narrative changed.

“Re: ‘Nuclear charged electrons and nuclei. Evolution of The Human Race and Advancement of Nature.’ What if we used 2 positive polars instead of 2 negative polars?”

Intel managed to scrub the site for the location of the new bomb, even though they didn’t get a time, it was still enough to deploy.

For some reason, his luck always seems to run out in the most inopportune moments; and his skin feels like it’s on fire as electricity chases up his veins… Shit.

They got there as the bomb had gone off. Landed not even 40 minutes prior, they’re lucky in all honesty that they didn’t make it into the garage; but that doesn’t stop the air that feels like bricks slamming through their chests, the impact after getting knocked off foot isn’t a new feeling… But the charged air is.

Thick, heavy, suffocating; it reminds him of Mexico, being buried alive- that’s not the jarring part… The electricity is; a dense charged fog that clouds around their feet in a dusty orange. A static shock with every ragged breath, every movement subtle or not. Slow electrocution, that’s what it feels like.

“Johnny?” Simon manages up to his knees, head tilted to glaze the Scotsman still laid out. He breathes despite the pain when the brunette groans, rolling onto his back.

“Aye, gona’ need ‘a pint aft’ this’, LT.” Soap mutters; breathing shallow and labored.

Price got the worst of it, always in lead. Gaz kneeling over him. “Broken, Cap’?”

“Not,” a huff, “yet, Sergeant.” He slowly sits up with help of the younger man.

“Never simple, ‘init?” Simon rumbles reaching his feet finally, head on a swivel; rumble, car alarms matching the ringing in his ears, civilians laid out. Some screaming, some silent; the consistency? Horror and shock, pain and fear. He huffs. “Orders, John?”

Deep breaths sound from the Captain as he catches air; trying to fuel his body past pain as he stands. Knee twisted no doubt by his limp, hand raising to his chest where his calloused hands grasp his radio. “Bravo Six to Watcher, do you copy? Over.”

“Watcher to Bravo Six, copy. Over.”

“Got a situation down ‘ere, Watcher. Timing was all off, bomb detonated. Over.”

A brief pause that Simon recognizes, no doubt Laswell cursing off comms.

“Copy, change objective. Aid and retreat. Clear site; sending EVAC. Over.”

“Copy. Over and out.” John nods. They have their orders; they organize and move.

It’s methodical. Swift. Local government doesn’t take long to send in guard and emergency personnel; code victims, organize, and aid.

Physical contact proves to be some disaster though after a few minutes of evacuation.

A shrill scream paired with a baritone cry; both dropping to ground where lightning seemingly struck between bodies… Then again, two men. Next an elderly couple who made it out alive on the sidewalk.

Blue. Purple. Gold. The light doesn’t discriminate, nor the order of choice to strike. It’s seemingly at random. Smell of burnt flesh, and angry scars…

“Bloody hell!” Price’s voice rings, dragging a body by vest away from a woman. Gaz, the first of the team to drop, out cold, but alive.

“Steamin’ Jesus!” Johnny, the closer of the two rushes to aid, med kit already out and open as his knees make contact with concrete. Torch in gloved hand checking the colored man’s eyes for dilation.

It’s enough to put pause on rescue. Everyone freezing in place as eight people almost simultaneously collapsed at first attempts to help.

Dark eyes scavenge for answer. The man and woman, the two men, the couple, gaz- gloves. Bare skin.

“Nobody touch anyone.” Simon’s voice carries. “It’s contact. Flesh.”

Orders, and people follow. EMS extra attentive; local forces grabbing gloves from pockets, police officers grabbing rubber gloves from kit.

Simon looks at his own gloves; the knuckles scuffed and tore from the blast when he landed in the street. Protective plating torn from the thick leather. Thank God for gear.

He has orders, his gaze lifts to John. A shared nod as they both move once Garrick coughs and wakes. Disoriented but fine otherwise by what MacTavish can tell. They have a job to do, no matter the circumstances.

Simon works alone, pulling people from rubble before handing them off to a medic/firefighter/cop on standby.

It was an accident when his grip slipped; his eyes meeting bleary pained ones, and Shit. He understands, eyes locked with yours as your hand wrapped around his in attempt not to fall back down, fingertips brushing against his bare knuckles.

Fireworks? No. Thunderstruck. That’s what the jolt feels like when electricity chases up his arm. Contact arcing like lava as the skin whelps instantly to scar. Like a knock to the jaw, stunning function of brain.

Yeah, he gets what that lightning means.

It means when he wakes up, he ain’t lettin’ you go, luv.

Tag List: @wickizer

Thank you for your support! ❤️

[daydreams-to-passages]

Transformers x reader. SFW.

My relief turned to panic and fear once I realized what was happening. Chewing on my lip, I watched the bots move around, closing any escape route. High tech guns pointed at me. Oh I was so fucked.

"State your designation!"

One of them barked, it's finger toying with the trigger ready to blast at a moments notice. A few of the other bots were still locked on, they was no escape. Im surrounded. I hoped they be friendly like it had been a bit since I saw people.

I moved the controls to raise the hands of my suit. I don't know how they were able to project their voices outside the inner cockpit. Maybe just a newer model? Lifting the hands in a show of no weapons, and hopefully, they would take it as an action of peace.

None of my scanners were able to discern what make or model these ones are. That should have been my first sign to something wrong but no i just had to get overly excited and jump headfirst into danger.

They shifted clearly unsure of what to do.

Finally, the one in the front, likely the leader, is the lower its gun slowly.

"Is your voice box broken?"

The sounds- i assumed it was talking- warbled again trying to threaten or learn something about me. Who knows at some point, slowly I lower my arms again shifting to see all the various robots around me.

Im going to guess it wasn't all that human. Good news nasa there are aliens. And they are probably more advanced than we are.

---

When they decided that I wasn't hostile, they shuffled me around, keeping myself in between various mechs to avoid me escaping, which honestly sounds great too bad. I'm a hostage how fun.

When we reach a med bay like unit im motioned in the room as the leader bots warbles to the medical bots? Red and white usually means hospitals maybe it was a universal thing.

Look about I find it's pretty standard space station like medical wing with various beds and a handful of doctors.

A bot steps into my field of view waiting a hand in front of my face.

It's warbling at me. Then a pop up for a file appears. I probably shouldn't click it but no risk no reward.

Clicking the file i received, a pop up for language check. It'd be helpful if I could read any of it.

A new pop up appeared as the medic bot asked some questions.

I guess im getting a check up?

"Can you hear me? I believe his audio processors are broken as well as his voice box."

The bot turned to grab what looks to be a mixture of a stud finder and a thermometer gun thing. It scans me tensing up i worry what they do if they find out im not one of them.

"The spanner isn't working on them. It's glitching. Piece of scrap."

"He looks like he's been thrashed about quite a bit."

"The voice box is normal for decepticons to rip out but audial processors? Something fishy is going on."

"Still no em field reading."

"Is it a walking corpse?"

"Why or how would it be walking?"

"Nothing about this bot makes sense"

"I say shoot it. It's a dangerous unknown."

"But think of the miracle this bot is! I want to see what its insides look like!"

"And that's why your not touching him."

The back and forth between the various robots was hard to follow but it was nice to know my translation files still worked!

~~~~~~~

Honestly I have no idea where I was going with that. Lol

Whole concept is the bots (I imagine autobots just cause they're supposed to be good guys so I don't think they'd murder reader right away), come across a human in a mech suit but don't know!

Reason for the voice box being broken is cause I can't remember if traditionally mecha suit have a speaker i know of the inner comm system but not a speaker. I imagine thay they would probably try to install one and it fail cause their suit and Cybertronians have completely different anatomy. So I imagine reading using gestures and sign language later.

Also the scanners not working is purely cause I think humans would but in a electronic disruptor to protect the pilot from being forcibly locked in the suit or so no one can hijack it.

I been calling it Hidden Human Au! If it inspires you feel free to tag me and write for it! I'd love to see or if it already exist please tell me I'd love to read more of this type of au

[girlactionfigure]

🧵Meet 15 Jewish Nobel Prize Winners Who Changed History🧵

The Jewish population constitutes just 0.18% of the world (15.3 million out of 8.2 billion), yet approximately 20-30% of Nobel Prize winners in fields like Physics, Chemistry, and Medicine are Jewish. This incredible fact highlights the Jewish community's historic contributions to humanity.

Let’s meet just 15 of the over 200 Jewish Nobel Prize winners.

1/ Albert Einstein (1921, Physics).

Einstein was born in Germany to a secular Jewish family. His groundbreaking discovery of the photoelectric effect laid the foundation for quantum mechanics, earning him the Nobel Prize.

▪ His theory of relativity (E=mc²) reshaped our understanding of gravity and spacetime.

▪In 1933, Einstein fled Nazi Germany to the U.S., where he became a vocal advocate for civil rights and Zionism. ▪He helped inspire the Manhattan Project but later became an advocate for nuclear disarmament.

2/ Niels Bohr (1922, Physics).

Born in Denmark to a Jewish mother, Bohr revolutionized atomic physics.

▪His Bohr Model showed electrons orbit the nucleus in distinct energy levels. ▪During WWII, Bohr worked on the Manhattan Project after escaping Nazi persecution. ▪Beyond science, Bohr advocated for global cooperation and peaceful nuclear energy use.

3/ Shmuel Yosef Agnon (1966, Literature).

Born in Galicia (modern-day Ukraine), Agnon immigrated to Ottoman Palestine in 1908.

▪His novels and stories delve into Jewish tradition, spirituality, and the tension between modernity and faith. ▪His acclaimed works include A Simple Story and Only Yesterday. ▪Agnon’s Nobel solidified Hebrew literature's global recognition.

4/ Rosalyn Yalow (1977, Medicine).

Yalow, born in New York to a Jewish family, co-developed radioimmunoassay (RIA), a groundbreaking technique to measure hormones in blood.

▪Her work revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of diseases like diabetes. ▪Despite gender biases in science at that time, she became the second woman to win the Medicine Nobel.

5/ Baruch Blumberg (1976, Medicine).

Blumberg, a Jewish-American physician, discovered the Hepatitis B virus and developed its vaccine.

▪His research saved millions from liver disease and cancer.

▪Blumberg also served as the first director of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute, exploring life’s origins in the universe.

6/ Lev Landau (1962, Physics)

Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, to a Jewish family, Landau made ground-breaking contributions to condensed matter physics and quantum mechanics.

▪His groundbreaking work on superfluidity explained the behavior of liquid helium at extremely low temperatures. ▪Landau also developed the "Landau-Lifshitz equations," foundational in describing ferromagnetism. ▪Known as a genius in theoretical physics, his "Landau Levels" remain crucial in quantum mechanics.

7/ Richard Feynman (1965, Physics).

Feynman, born to Jewish parents in New York, shared the Nobel for his work in quantum electrodynamics (QED).

▪Known for his brilliance and humor, he revolutionized particle physics with "Feynman diagrams." ▪He contributed to the Manhattan Project and inspired countless scientists through his lectures and books like Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!

8/ Elie Wiesel (1986, Literature).

A Romanian-born Holocaust survivor, Wiesel wrote Night, a searing memoir of his Auschwitz experience.

▪He dedicated his life to Holocaust education and combating hatred. ▪Wiesel’s Nobel recognized his literary contributions, ensuring the horrors of the Holocaust were never forgotten.

9/ Herbert Hauptman (1985, Chemistry).

Hauptman, a Jewish-American mathematician, co-developed direct methods for solving crystal structures, revolutionizing crystallography.

▪His work paved the way for advances in drug design, enabling scientists to develop life-saving medications. ▪Hauptman’s methods remain foundational in understanding molecular structures in biology and medicine.

10/ Robert Aumann - Yisrael Aumann. (2005, Economics).

An Israeli-American mathematician, Aumann revolutionized game theory, analyzing strategic interactions between rational decision-makers.

▪His work, particularly on "repeated games," has applications in economics, military strategy, and even evolutionary biology. ▪Aumann is an observant Orthodox Jew and has been a vocal advocate for Israel's security and has connected his mathematical insights with the Talmudic concept of fairness and justice. He often reflects on his Jewish heritage in his work and public speeches.

11/ Aaron Ciechanover (2004, Chemistry).

Ciechanover, born in Haifa, Israel, discovered the ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation system.

▪This mechanism explains how cells identify and destroy faulty or damaged proteins, which is essential for maintaining health. ▪His findings have significant implications for treating diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.

12/ Avram Hershko (2004, Chemistry).

Hershko, born in Hungary and a Holocaust survivor, worked alongside Ciechanover on the ubiquitin system.

▪His research showed how proteins are tagged for destruction, which is vital for cellular health. ▪Hershko’s journey from surviving the Holocaust to becoming a Nobel laureate highlights the resilience and brilliance of Jewish scientists.

13/ Daniel Kahneman (2002, Economics).

Kahneman, born in Tel Aviv, is a psychologist whose work transformed economics.

▪He co-authored Thinking, Fast and Slow, exploring how cognitive biases affect decision-making. ▪His prospect theory explained how people assess risk, challenging classical economic theories of rationality.

14/ Ada Yonath (2009, Chemistry).

An Israeli crystallographer, Yonath is celebrated for uncovering the 3D structure of ribosomes, the cell's protein factories.

▪Her work advanced the development of antibiotics targeting bacterial ribosomes, combating antibiotic resistance. ▪Yonath is the first Israeli woman to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

15/ Saul Perlmutter (2011, Physics).

An astrophysicist from Berkeley, Perlmutter co-discovered that the universe’s expansion is accelerating due to "dark energy."

▪His work confirmed the existence of this mysterious force, which makes up about 68% of the universe. ▪Perlmutter’s groundbreaking discovery led to a wave of new theories and observations in cosmology, changing how we understand the cosmos and our place within it.

Conclusion.

Of the 976 individual winners of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences from 1901 through 2024, at least 217 have been Jews or people with at least one Jewish parent, an astonishing 22% of all recipients. 

This amazing achievement underlines the huge contribution that the Jewish community has made to world progress in a wide range of areas, from science and medicine to literature and economics. 

With only 0.2% of the world's population, Jewish people have continued to shape and inspire the world with intellectual perseverance and innovation, thus leaving a lasting legacy for future generations. 

Correction *Jewish population is at 15.8 million. 

Correction: Wiesel won for peace. 

@AP_from_NY

[volersystems]

Bringing a medical device to market is about more than just having a great idea — it requires deep technical knowledge, strict regulatory compliance, and careful planning. Voler Systems specializes in medical devices development, working closely with clients from early design to final production. Their team understands the high stakes involved and focuses on building devices that are accurate, reliable, and user-friendly. Whether it’s for remote patient monitoring or in-clinic diagnostic equipment, their experience helps turn concepts into real-world healthcare solutions.

[year-of-the-rabid-dog]

Palestinian Artists/Record Labels on Bandcamp

{ELECTRONIC}

00970

377

Bilna'es بالناقص

BOUNCYDUCK

BRUT_FORC.e/TRAUM.a

Cyber Witch

Double Dunks

Loris

NaJazz Project

Sea Level Records /تسجيلات سطح البحر 

Toumba

{EXPERIMENTAL}

Dirar Kalash

Dunums

Garden of Gethsemane

Irritable Syndrome

Mamzera

Maya Al-Khaldi

Never A Land Without People

Phonodelica

Raymond Haddad

{FOLK}

Akram Abdulfattah

Arhan Afndy

Gazelleband

Marwan Abado

Rim Banna

Samah Mustafa

Sounds of Palestine

{INDIE/ALTERNATIVE}

Bassam Beroumi

Discoverer

Eddie Violet

Haya Zaatry

Mafar

Maysa Daw

Shadi Zaqtan

{JAZZ/RNB}

Drink Sage

Majazz Project / Palestine Sound Archive

{METAL}

Bahal Amma

{RAP/HIP-HOP}

Asifeh

ERROR

Exist Records

Moody Kablawi

Shabab

{FUNDRAISER/SOLIDARITY PROJECTS}

"A Better Tomorrow for Palestine" by naru records; profits made will be donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians

"Archivio Futuro x Gaza" by Archivo Futuro; profits made will be donated to the Gaza Emergency Appeal by the UNRWA

"By the People, For the People" by House of Afandi Records; profits made will be donated to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund

Dunums & MANAS' Self-Titled EP; profits made will be donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians

"For Palestine" by Paralax Editions; profits made will be donated to Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders

"For Palestine" by Toumba; profits made will be donated to Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders

"For Those We Lost" by Lowlives Collective

IAFG - Vol. 1 by IAFG - International Artists For Gaza; profits made will be donated to Gaza Freestyle

"For All" by MidnightRoba; profits made will be donated to the Gaza Emergency Appeal by the UNRWA and Medical Aid for Palestinians

"ت​ر​و​ي​د​ة م​و​ل​ا​ل​ا​ة - ح​ر​ي​ة" by 1; profits made will be donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians

"Rap Across the Wall-Palestine" by Musicians Without Borders; profits go towards workshops organized by MWB to help platform lesser known Palestinian artists and provide music programs to Palestinian children (Bara’em Ghirass)

"RE-INSTITUTIONS" by BALLAMONA; profits made will be donated to Save the Children: Gaza Emergency Appeal

"Resist to Exist" by Avon Terror Corp x Exist Records; profits made will be donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Palestinian Medical Relief Society

"The Olive Tree" by Turquoise Coconut; profits made will be donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians

[gftimelord]

Greetings!

I am Dr. Stanford Pines, you may call me 'Ford' or simply 'Doctor'. I suppose it is about time I explore the World Wide Web, or the 'Internet'. There is much I still have to learn and figure out since returning to this dimension.

It seems I have fallen quite out of touch for the most part during the thirty years I was gone. It's frankly very impressive and jarring to see how so much has changed so I might take some time for me to properly adjust but I digress.

I travel through plenty of dimensions with my brother Stanley quite often to further my research. Nothing we can't handle now that Cipher is out of the picture so I will continue adventuring and learning.

I am glad to be of acquaintance to you all!

Ad astra per aspera

- Dr. Stanford Pines

OOC: HAHA- Here's a Ford blog because I genuinely couldn't help myself. My main blog is @matrixbearer2024! This Stanford Pines is very similar to the timelords from the Doctor Who franchise but other than that he's still pretty much the same. I'll mostly have him set post-weirdmageddon but I'm open to shifting whichever point in time for questions or RPs, have fun everyone!

P.S. Down below are insights to his character and inventory for anyone interested or planning to interact with him!

Doc's inventory:

Modified Sonic Screwdriver

Rift Manipulation: Creates and stabilizes interdimensional rifts using doors as conduits.

Wood Manipulation: Can interact with wooden objects, allowing for unlocking, modifying, or opening them.

Lock Picking: Can unlock doors and secure mechanisms electronically.

Repair Capabilities: Repairs mechanical devices, machinery, and certain types of technology.

Environmental Scanning: Gathers environmental data, hazards, such as toxins, radiation, or other dangers, detecting anomalies, and analyzing energy signatures.

Data Analysis: Capable of analyzing data from various sources and providing real-time feedback, which can be especially useful in scientific or technical situations.

Communication Device: Interfaces with various technologies for sending and receiving signals.

Universal Translator: Translates languages in real time, enabling communication across the multiverse.

Communications Device: Functions as a communicator to contact other beings or devices across dimensions.

Energy Emission and Manipulation: Emits energy pulses to create barriers, distract enemies, or manipulate technology as well as manipulating energy sources, allowing it to overload systems or temporarily disable them.

Holographic Projection: Can create holographic displays for visualization of data, theories, or environments.

Lock Picking: Bypasses and unlocks physical and digital security systems.

Thermal Regulation: Measures and adjusts temperature in different environments.

Frequency Manipulation: Disrupts or enhances certain technologies by emitting sounds at specific frequencies.

Medical Functions: Provides advanced diagnostics and medical support, which is due to Doc’s preparedness(paranoia) for unforeseen events. (e.g. scanning for vital signs, diseases, and medical conditions; performing rudimentary medical diagnostics and suggest treatments; minor surgical procedures, such as suturing wounds; administering certain medications or injections in emergencies)

Forcefield Manipulation: Can activate and control protective barriers or shields, adding a layer of defense in dangerous situations.

Data Storage & Retrieval: Stores information and interacts with databases, making it a powerful tool for research.

Manipulation of Atoms: Using the power of the infinity die, Doc’s sonic screwdriver can manipulate the energy within atoms of entities that have a tangible, alterable form. This ability allows him to rearrange or shift the physical properties of objects or beings.

Weaponized Function: Can shoot energy blasts, though this function was originally designed as a laser for electronic tinkering.

Time Manipulation: Has limited abilities to manipulate time within a localized area, such as slowing down or speeding up the perception of time for specific objects or people.

Emergency Beacon: Can emit distress signals to call for help or alert allies in emergencies.

Multi-Purpose Tool: Serves as a general tool for tinkering, adjusting mechanisms, and solving puzzles, which aligns with Doc's analytical nature and creativity.

Repair Box

Immortality: A set of nanobots that constantly repairs and heals injuries, rendering Doc functionally immortal. While he cannot die from age or illness, fatal wounds can still kill him.

Healing Factor: Non-fatal wounds heal rapidly, which allow the Doctor to recover quickly from injuries that would otherwise incapacitate others.

Phantom Pain: He experiences phantom pain from time to time, a side effect of the repair box, which sometimes immobilizes him during particularly bad days.

Journal & Pen

Eidetic Memory: While Doc has a photographic memory, he carries a journal where he records his travels, discoveries, and reflections. This is partly an emotional release and partly a way to process the things he can never forget.

Personal Reflections: His journal also contains musings, sketches, and insights into his more philosophical thoughts, which he tends to keep private.

Zygon Force Field Device

Personal Shield: A portable device that creates a personal force field around the doctor which protects him from the worst injuries in moments of danger.

Camouflage: For a temporary time, the advanced zygon technology refracts and manipulates light to turn Doc invisible to the naked eye. This can be activated and disabled manually.

Limited Durability: Though powerful, the forcefield can only take so much damage at a time before it needs to recharge.

Advanced Medical Kit

Comprehensive: This kit contains emergency medical supplies, medications, and advanced tools for situations where the repair box might not immediately be enough. The doctor’s paranoia drives him to always be prepared.

Multiverse Map

Hand-drawn: A rough sketch and collection of dimensions he’s visited or studied, filled with notes about potential dangers and anomalies.

OOC: Does Doc carry a phone with him? Nope! Thinks it's something redundant because of his sonic being able to act as a communicator at a rudimentary level. Granted, you're not going to get stellar audio or video quality from something like that, but it works throughout the multiverse so Doc doesn't bother. If you plan on having an OC or other character meet him through this route, it could be as a transmission to his sonic!

Doc's Appearance:

Since the time he received the repair box, Doc has been biologically frozen in a state where his physical body remains in its 40s.

Doc is standing tall at 6'2", no different from most iterations of his canon counterparts.

His coat the the same as the one he already uses in post-canon gravity falls, that hasn't changed aesthetically.

The doctor sports a suit because if he's going to kick butt might as well do it in style, he also switches between neck-ties and bow-ties because bow-ties are cool.

He wears sneakers instead of his boots since those had worn down and broken sometime during his travels and sneakers are just generally easier to replace.

Underneath all his dress-up though he's covered in scars from past battles and his old tattoos that he'd never had the time to get rid of.

His glasses still have a crack in them, mostly because he couldn't be bothered to get a new pair of bifocals anyway.

Always clean shaven, yes he still shaves his face with fire that has never changed.

Key Quotes About Doc:

"You don't need to look like a monster to be one."

"HAHAHAHA- I just SNOGGED Madame de Pompadour!"

"ALLONS-Y!"

"This apple sucks I hate apples-"

"Laptop. Gimme!"

"Who da man?! ..... Oh, well I'm never saying that again."

"Immortality isn't living forever that's not what it feels like. Immortality is everybody else dying because you can't."

"Goodness is not goodness that seeks advantage. Good is good in the deepest pit without hope, without witness, without reward. Virtue is only virtue in extremis."

"Sometimes the only choices you have are bad ones, but you still have to choose."

"The day you lose someone isn't the worst. At least you've got something to do. It's all the days they stay dead."

"Pain is a gift. Without the capacity for pain we can't feel the hurt we inflict."

"There's a lot of things you need to get across this universe. Warp drive, wormhole refractors. You know the thing you need most of all? You need a hand to hold."

"Love is not an emotion. It's a promise."

"The universe is big. It’s vast and complicated and ridiculous. And sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles."

"Some people live more in 20 years than others do in 80. It’s not the time that matters, it’s the person."

"I’m the doctor, and I save people."

"First thing’s first, but not necessarily in that order."

"You want weapons? We're in a library! Books! Best weapons in the world!"

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint— it’s more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly… time-y wimey… stuff."

"I’m about to do something very clever and a tiny bit against the rules of the multiverse. It’s important that I’m properly dressed."

"Arrogance can trip you up.”

"Do what I do: Hold tight and pretend it’s a plan!"

"You’ll find that it’s a very small universe when I’m angry with you."

See the bowtie? I wear it and I don’t care. That’s why it’s cool."

"Big flashy things have my name written all over them. Well… not yet. Give me time and a crayon."

"Never cruel or cowardly. Never give up, never give in.”

"Rest is for the weary, sleep is for the dead.”

"You don’t want to take over the universe. You wouldn’t know what to do with it beyond shout at it."

"Never be certain of anything. It’s a sign of weakness."

"Courage isn’t just a matter of not being frightened, you know. It’s being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway."

“Why do humans never do as they’re told? Someone should replace you all with robots. No, on second thought, they shouldn’t, bad idea.”

"You know, the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common: they don’t alter their views to fit the facts; they alter the facts to fit their views.”

[videogamepoc]

Before Israel’s war in Gaza, Palestinian programmer Doaa Ghandour was working on Palestine Skating Game’s grind rails. Any skater — be that skateboarding or roller skating — knows rails are essential to street-style skating. In Palestine Skating Game, these grind rails weave through the West Bank, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater-style, for use as you spray graffiti on the Israeli-built separation wall. It’s easy to see the appeal of Palestine Skating Game in its early prototype on Itch.io: The futuristic Bethlehem is made all the more colorful with paint splatters and graffiti, set to what the team describes as “Arabic electronic music.” And it’s designed to be enticing: “The idea is that if you immerse Westerners in that kind of art and music from the region, you’ll start to actually see people from the region as human beings,” Palestine Skating Game’s current project lead told Aftermath in November.

Palestine Skating Game has been in development for roughly two and a half years. The inspiration initially hit after the project lead, who was granted anonymity by Polygon, saw We Are Lady Parts, a TV show about an all-women Muslim punk band. Development has changed since then — it had to. “We have to acknowledge the existence of a lot more suffering,” the project lead told Polygon. “We are having to do the thing where we had one creative vision for the project, and now we have to figure out how that changes with respect to the events unfolding.” Israel’s war in Gaza is entering its fourth month. Nearly 28,000 people have been killed in Gaza, 388 in the occupied West Bank, and 1,139 in Israel, according to Al Jazeera. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently hearing a genocide case against Israel, wherein it argues that “the acts and omissions by Israel complained of by South Africa are genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group,” as reported by Vox. Israel denies the accusation, saying its attacks are justified as a response to Hamas’ terrorist attack in Israel on Oct. 7, where roughly 1,200 people were killed. “Israeli Occupation Forces have cut off all medical supplies, as well as water and food, from Palestinians in Gaza, amidst the continued carpet bombing and genocide. It has left our friends to navigate the most severe humanitarian crisis of our time,” the fundraiser reads. Palestine Skating Game has been in development for roughly two and a half years. The inspiration initially hit after the project lead, who was granted anonymity by Polygon, saw We Are Lady Parts, a TV show about an all-women Muslim punk band. Development has changed since then — it had to. “We have to acknowledge the existence of a lot more suffering,” the project lead told Polygon. “We are having to do the thing where we had one creative vision for the project, and now we have to figure out how that changes with respect to the events unfolding.” The project lead said the team, which is Ghandour, writer Hadeel, and himself with four other developers and volunteers, want to make it easy for people — even those unfamiliar with the conflict — to see what’s happening in Gaza. “We want to make it easier for people to see, Oh, here’s how the West Bank has been slowly eaten up and balkanized,” he said. “We also just want it to be something that people want to share with their friends. There should be so many fucking cool things in this game that people will immediately want to say, ‘Hey, you’ve got to see this.’” The Palestine Skating Game team — the core group, four paid developers, and roughly 15 volunteer developers — is working on a full vertical slice, or a polished, short demo, of the game. They’re also hoping to run a Kickstarter, GoFundMe campaign, or other investment to fund more development.

[satancopilotsmytardis]

🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️

I would be overjoyed to hear about Endeavor's Exciting Entertainment Emporium

I've been LIVING for the FNAF snippets ever since they manifested!!

Yay! Okay, so I am conceptualizing this as the coolest like Dave and Buster's, with a good mix of Bad Decisions from the Tales from the Pizzaplex.

Basic stuff out of the way: Help Desk, First-Aid Station, Security Station, Employee Rooms/Backstage, Bathrooms, Storage, Sanitation Equipment, Parts and Service, etc. Boring shit that has to exist because of course it does. Assume it's here.

Admission: The main area has ticket booths and turnstiles to get in. All guests over the age of 18 must be accompanied by a child (like Chuck E. Cheese rules), and all guests are given electronic wristbands. Parents/adults who paid for the tickets can then load up each band with tokens to be used instead of cash or cards inside the emporium. Every bracelet is also synced to storage lockers in the location, so if they want to put prizes, coats, or other personal belongings aside while they're engaging with any of the attractions, they can. The bands also have localized GPS, and can be tracked anywhere in the building, and will sound an alarm that triggers a staffbot to look into the situation if the bracelet tries to leave the building before the guardian has signed out on their phones. This is one of several safety features so parents can feel comfortable letting their kids run around unsupervised, with others including the ability to restrict what foods/prizes their children can receive, as well as update any allergies or medical conditions that can help staff and staffbots stay on top of things. Think Magic Bands but if they were designed by a helicopter parent.

Daycare: What it says on the tin. This area of for children under 10, that is somewhat cordoned off from the rest of the area to muffle noise and to block sightlines to some of the more elaborate places in the pizzeria so that the younger kids don't get jealous and try to sneak out.

Main Stage: Main stage and the main dining area. Shows are every 20 minutes and run for about half an hour. Unless rented out for a large party, anyone can wander in, tap their bands on the table, and order their food on a tablet, have it arrive, and enjoy a meal and a show with whatever animatronics are preforming at the time.

Eateries: Outside of the main stage area, there are other eateries all around the complex. From small food stalls that only sell one or two items, to more elaborate options, all of them use the wristbands to make purchases. Themed foods, of course, are the main staples.

Private Party Rooms: 4 in total, each one can comfortably hold 30 people. Rented out for birthday parties and other events.

Play Park: What it says on the tin, a big ol' indoor park with some massive slides and attendants who make sure that no one is trying to go up them or roughhousing on a tall structure. Padded floors, a big foam pit to play in, trampolines, jungle gym equipment, and the like. Perfect for getting all of that running around energy out. To go on the trampolines, bands must be pre-loaded with the parent's signature for the liability waiver.

Crafty Corner: The main arts and crafts area. It has stuff for people of just about all ages, including parents who can come in and hang out with their kids, making things. This is often also a draw for schools that want to bring students in for educational projects like paper mache volcanoes.

Arcade: This is one of the biggest sections in the building. Absolutely stuffed with the expected arcade cabinets, but also crane games and gotcha machines. Several larger AR games are here and, while technically a separate area, there is also a Laser Tag Arena essentially attached as well.

Theater: Straight up, they have a 2-screen movie theater. Set showtimes with family-friendly movies they change out according to what license they can snatch up next, and a shadow cast of robots that they dress up to act out the scenes alongside the show.

Parents' Lounge: This is what it says on the tin, it overlooks the main atrium so that parents can feel like they're keeping an eye out on their children and the vibes are more of a sports bar with TVs and higher-end food and drink, though they only serve two alcoholic drinks per patron per visit to avoid any intoxication in the premises. 

Gift Shops/Prize Counters: The largest of these is, of course, in the arcade, but there are smaller gift shops near the daycare and play park (which capitalizes on selling equipment appropriate socks for anyone who forgot they were required) and another large one in the main hall. All items can be purchased with pre-loaded tokens or through the tickets that can be accumulated by playing the games.

uh. yeah. anyway that's what I've got so far at the physical location.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

By Vijay Kumar Malesu

In a recent pre-print study posted to bioRxiv*, a team of researchers investigated the predictive role of gut microbiome composition during acute Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in the development of Long Coronavirus Disease (Long COVID) (LC) and its association with clinical variables and symptom clusters.

Background LC affects 10–30% of non-hospitalized individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2, leading to significant morbidity, workforce loss, and an economic impact of $3.7 trillion in the United States (U.S.).

Symptoms span cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, cognitive, and neurological issues, resembling myalgic encephalomyelitis and other post-infectious syndromes. Proposed mechanisms include immune dysregulation, neuroinflammation, viral persistence, and coagulation abnormalities, with emerging evidence implicating the gut microbiome in LC pathogenesis.

Current studies focus on hospitalized patients, limiting generalizability to milder cases. Further research is needed to explore microbiome-driven predictors in outpatient populations, enabling targeted diagnostics and therapies for LC’s heterogeneous and complex presentation.

About the study The study was approved by the Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board and recruited adults aged 18 years or older who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing at Mayo Clinic locations in Minnesota, Florida, and Arizona from October 2020 to September 2021. Participants were identified through electronic health record (EHR) reviews filtered by SARS-CoV-2 testing schedules.

Eligible individuals were contacted via email, and informed consent was obtained. Of the 1,061 participants initially recruited, 242 were excluded due to incomplete data, failed sequencing, or other issues. The final cohort included 799 participants (380 SARS-CoV-2-positive and 419 SARS-CoV-2-negative), providing 947 stool samples.

Stool samples were collected at two-time points: weeks 0–2 and weeks 3–5 after testing. Samples were shipped in frozen gel packs via overnight courier and stored at −80°C for downstream analyses. Microbial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted using Qiagen kits, and metagenomic sequencing was performed targeting 8 million reads per sample.

Taxonomic profiling was conducted using Kraken2, and functional profiling was performed using the Human Microbiome Project Unified Metabolic Analysis Network (HUMAnN3).

Stool calprotectin levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) was detected using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Clinical data, including demographics, comorbidities, medications, and symptom persistence, were extracted from EHRs.

Machine learning models incorporating microbiome and clinical data were utilized to predict LC and to identify symptom clusters, providing valuable insights into the heterogeneity of the condition.

Study results The study analyzed 947 stool samples collected from 799 participants, including 380 SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals and 419 negative controls. Of the SARS-CoV-2-positive group, 80 patients developed LC during a one-year follow-up period.

Participants were categorized into three groups for analysis: LC, non-LC (SARS-CoV-2-positive without LC), and SARS-CoV-2-negative. Baseline characteristics revealed significant differences between these groups. LC participants were predominantly female and had more baseline comorbidities compared to non-LC participants.

The SARS-CoV-2-negative group was older, with higher antibiotic use and vaccination rates. These variables were adjusted for in subsequent analyses.

During acute infection, gut microbiome diversity differed significantly between groups. Alpha diversity was lower in SARS-CoV-2-positive participants (LC and non-LC) than in SARS-CoV-2-negative participants.

Beta diversity analyses revealed distinct microbial compositions among the groups, with LC patients exhibiting unique microbiome profiles during acute infection.

Specific bacterial taxa, including Faecalimonas and Blautia, were enriched in LC patients, while other taxa were predominant in non-LC and negative participants. These findings indicate that gut microbiome composition during acute infection is a potential predictor for LC.

Temporal analysis of gut microbiome changes between the acute and post-acute phases revealed significant individual variability but no cohort-level differences, suggesting that temporal changes do not contribute to LC development.

However, machine learning models demonstrated that microbiome data during acute infection, when combined with clinical variables, predicted LC with high accuracy. Microbial predictors, including species from the Lachnospiraceae family, significantly influenced model performance.

Symptom analysis revealed that LC encompasses heterogeneous clinical presentations. Fatigue was the most prevalent symptom, followed by dyspnea and cough.

Cluster analysis identified four LC subphenotypes based on symptom co-occurrence: gastrointestinal and sensory, musculoskeletal and neuropsychiatric, cardiopulmonary, and fatigue-only.

Each cluster exhibited unique microbial associations, with the gastrointestinal and sensory clusters showing the most pronounced microbial alterations. Notably, taxa such as those from Lachnospiraceae and Erysipelotrichaceae families were significantly enriched in this cluster.

Conclusions To summarize, this study demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals who later developed LC exhibited distinct gut microbiome profiles during acute infection. While prior research has linked the gut microbiome to COVID-19 outcomes, few studies have explored its predictive potential for LC, particularly in outpatient cohorts.

Using machine learning models, including artificial neural networks and logistic regression, this study found that microbiome data alone predicted LC more accurately than clinical variables, such as disease severity, sex, and vaccination status.

Key microbial contributors included species from the Lachnospiraceae family, such as Eubacterium and Agathobacter, and Prevotella spp. These findings highlight the gut microbiome’s potential as a diagnostic tool for identifying LC risk, enabling personalized interventions.

*Important notice: bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.

Journal reference: Preliminary scientific report. Isin Y. Comba, Ruben A. T. Mars, Lu Yang, et al. (2024) Gut Microbiome Signatures During Acute Infection Predict Long COVID, bioRxiv. doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.12.10.626852. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.10.626852v1.full

[thedragonitus]

Messy masterpost of little comics and design ramblings for my rural fantasy project: GUNDOG. The story centers around two DNR agents and athe National Guard medic attached to them as they deal with the mysterious goings on in the upper Midwest.

This is a big backburner project because I'm still focused on Silent Jean for the time being but I wanted to share anyway.

Cpl Liam H. (surname undecided) ("Human")is a dedicated and skilled, albeit unprofessional, officer whos just kinda, odd. Nobody knows what exactly, but somethings off about the guy. He's not a werewolf though, they got him tested.

Sgt Enrique Ortega (Djinn) is Liam's immediate senior, and balances his immaturity with a relaxed stoicism. An immigrant from Spain, Sgt Ortega doesn't talk much about his life in the old country, and while he enjoys living in the states he isn't shy about voicing his disdain for certain aspects of American life.

Spc Emer O'Claire (Wood Elf) isn't who you would expect to volunteer for such a dangerous position, but she takes her role as a medic very seriously.

In the Gundog setting there are several non-human races, all collectively referred to as "Elves." The different races all have certain in-born abilities, such as immunity to illness or extreme temperatures, but Humans have the distinct advantage of technology. For yet unknown reasons, Elves cannot use electronics or firearms. To the inhabitants of the world, there is nothing strange or mysterious about this, it's just the way things are. (this is an elaborate excuse for me to draw guns and swords together)

Because of they don't fit well with modernity, most elves prefer to live separate from humans. In extreme cases, there are communities living nearly medieval lives, but most prefer staying within arm's reach of humanity. Having a human buddy who can call the pizza guy is handy every now and then.

The mundane and the magical have a muddy line between them. the further one goes from human civilization, the more likely you are to find yourself "somewhere else." This other place, usually referred to as The Woods (as opposed to the woods, which are normal) has no set entrance or exit. From here dangerous creatures (and people) come in and out. It is the job of our team to keep track of what goes in and out of The Woods, and deal with it however is necessary.