godfather of surgery

Chapter 1319 IQ Tax

Several newly arrived young doctoral students huddled together, staring at their phone screens, their arguments rising and falling.

"I need to top up?" Dr. Wang Cheng, a robust man, wondered. "What exactly are the scoring criteria for this thing?"

Zhang Wei, who weighs over 200 pounds, brought up the APP interface: "VIP members can unlock advanced sensor data, the scoring model is more accurate, and comprehensive adjustment suggestions can be given."

Since purchasing VIP membership, Dr. Zhang Wei has consistently received high scores, which has made him feel much more at ease, whereas he used to always worry about his health.

Dr. Li Xiang snatched Zhang Wei's phone and scrolled through the history: "You only had 60 points last week, and you got 90 after recharging? This is obviously..."

"What is it?" Zhang Wei asked confidently. "It's because I made adjustments according to its suggestions that my health score improved. I know in my heart that I feel relaxed and comfortable ever since the score improved."

Dr. Zhao Jing, who had been quietly drinking coffee, suddenly spoke up: "I have to admit that this is a good product, although it is just a health bracelet with a high-end packaging. It has no technological content at all. The so-called 'recharge' is just buying psychological comfort."

Zhao Jing shrugged. "My parents also bought one. They post their ratings in the family group chat every day and compare them with each other. To get a high score, my dad quit smoking and drinking and started going to bed early and waking up early. My mom started practicing yoga. In hindsight, it wasn't a bad thing."

Zhang Wei seized the opportunity to snatch back the phone: "Exactly! At least it made me realize that I should lose weight. Although the rating may not be so scientific, the behavioral change is real."

Upon seeing Yang Ping enter, the doctoral students immediately quieted down.

"Professor, what do you think of these health bracelets that use regulatory theories as their selling point?" Li Xiang asked.

Yang Ping glanced at the exquisite bracelet on Zhang Wei's wrist and smiled: "The reason these products sell so well is that they have grasped the market demand, which reflects the public's desire for health management. The traditional medical system only focuses on diseases, but people want to know how to maintain their health, and this demand is real."

"Are their scientific claims reliable? I think they're probably just simple bracelets, using our regulatory theories to scam people out of their knowledge," Wang Cheng asked.

These words hurt Zhang Wei, who had already recharged his account: "How come everything here is considered a scam? Although the technology isn't perfect, this bracelet must have its own unique algorithm, otherwise why would it sell for two thousand?"

Wang Cheng said something, but Yang Ping gestured for him to stop arguing: "If one day we really understand the theory of human body regulation, I believe that wearable smart devices that truly apply the theory of regulation will definitely appear on the market."

Zhang Wei suddenly raised his hand: "Professor, can I use the data from my health bracelet to do some analysis? Let's see how accurate their scores are, and whether their suggestions for behavioral intervention are truly effective?"

“Good idea.” Yang Ping’s eyes lit up. “It can be an interesting little project. If you really want to evaluate whether it’s a scam or not, we can’t just make baseless accusations; we have to analyze it with a rigorous and scientific attitude.”

“Yes!” Zhang Wei excitedly began to jot down his thoughts.

Before they knew it, lunchtime had passed, and Yang Ping's stomach rumbled at just the right moment.

"Professor, the cafeteria should still have food." Tang Shun packed up his laptop and pointed out the window. "I heard they have braised pork ribs today."

"Let's go." Yang Ping stood up, and the team of seven or eight people rushed towards the cafeteria.

The staff canteen at Sanbo Hospital was already empty at this time, and Chef Chen was wiping down the stove. Seeing Yang Ping and his group, he grinned and said, "I knew you hadn't eaten. I left some food in the warmer."

Braised pork ribs, stir-fried broccoli, Mapo tofu, and seaweed and egg drop soup—simple home-style dishes. Several people sat around the table with their plates.

“So the situation with P-009,” Song Ziming picked up a piece of pork rib, “is not entirely a bad thing. At least it proves that our monitoring system is sensitive enough to detect the problem within 72 hours and prevent the situation from worsening.”

Tang Shun scooped a spoonful of tofu and mixed it with rice: "But the pressure is also greater. Now the whole world is watching us, waiting to see if the system regulation theory can overcome this hurdle, in case a few more adverse reactions occur..."

"You jinx...you bastard." Xu Zhiliang glared at him. "Eating...eating...eating...drinking."

Lu Xiaolu sipped his soup thoughtfully: "Although there were adverse reactions in the experiment, didn't the vast majority of volunteers support us? There was no large-scale withdrawal from the experiment. In fact, our treatment plan is much better than the traditional plan in terms of both effectiveness and safety. It's just that our experiment is immature, while those traditional treatment plans are officially approved drugs or methods. The difference is only in the status."

These scientists, who were just having a serious discussion in the conference room, are now just a group of ordinary people who are starving.

“Regarding the design of the second-generation regulatory system,” Tang Shun gestured on the table with his chopsticks, “I think we can learn from the idea of ​​vaccine adjuvants. Instead of simply masking immunogenicity, we should actively guide the immune response toward tolerance. After all, once the new Factor K is designed, it certainly won’t be able to fully adapt to the immune system for a long time.”

“But to be honest,” Song Zimo put down his chopsticks, “I feel like we’re walking a tightrope right now. On one hand, we have to push forward research and verify theories; on the other hand, we have to ensure safety and be responsible for every patient. It’s so hard to find that balance. And there are so many ill-intentioned people watching us all day long. Sometimes even the smallest problem gets magnified.”

Yang Ping took a sip of soup and said slowly, "I remember a saying: the essence of medicine is to make the best decisions in the face of uncertainty. I didn't understand it then, but I understand it deeply now. No experiment is perfect. The key is how we deal with the problems that arise. As long as we maintain a sense of awe and take it seriously, these things are nothing."

Everyone ate and chatted.

……

The other rectangular dining table was surrounded by the young PhDs, who were still discussing the bracelet.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! I know my body. I run five kilometers every day and have 18% body fat. How can your crappy fitness tracker give me a score of 62?"

It was Wang Cheng speaking again, currently angrily tapping his phone screen.

Sitting across from him, Zhang Weibao slowly munched on a chicken leg. "Brother Wang, calm down, calm down." Zhang Bo swallowed the chicken, wiped his mouth, and said, "Science, you have to believe in science. Please believe me, I'm not a sucker, this isn't some kind of scam. The algorithm on this bracelet has been trained on massive amounts of data; it can detect subtle imbalances that you might not even notice. For example, did you stay up late watching the game last night? Did you go for a run this morning without eating breakfast?"

Wang Cheng was taken aback: "How did you know?"

“The heart rate variability data tells me this,” Zhang Wei said smugly, shaking his bracelet. “Look at me, although I’m overweight, I have a regular schedule, stable emotions, and a balanced diet… well, nutrition. So the system gave me a 90, which is reasonable.”

"But you also ordered two chicken drumsticks!"

“Chicken drumsticks are a good source of protein, and when paired with broccoli, the carbohydrate intake is kept within a reasonable range,” Zhang Weiyi said sternly. “This is a calculated nutritional combination. Unlike you, running on an empty stomach in the morning causes your cortisol levels to spike, making your body think you're running for your life, which of course results in a deduction.”

A bystander chimed in, "Zhang Wei, is this bracelet reliable or not? I drank a cup of milk tea yesterday, and it said my 'sugar levels fluctuated abnormally' and suggested I meditate for ten minutes."

Have you meditated?

"...I meditated, and ended up falling asleep." A burst of laughter followed.

Another young PhD student lowered his voice and said, "This thing is just a few physiological indicators plus a simple model. Its score should be positively correlated with the amount you recharge..."

"What do you mean?" Zhang Wei became nervous again.

"The PhD student pulled out his phone to demonstrate, 'Look, before I didn't recharge, my score hovered around 60. Then he gritted his teeth and bought a one-month membership, and then he gave me some advice. I followed his advice, and in just a few days my score rose to 85. How can any behavior have such a rapid effect on the body?'"

An even louder burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

Only Zhang Wei looked extremely unpleasant. He had purchased a diamond-level annual membership, so it seemed he wasn't being taken advantage of.

……

After lunch, everyone continued working in the afternoon.

After getting off work, Yang Ping had already reached the overpass when he suddenly remembered that he had left a document in the office and decided to go back to the research institute to retrieve it.

As Yang Ping passed by the lab's office, he saw Zhang Wei frowning at the computer screen, with three different brands of wristbands and a bunch of disassembly tools on the table.

"Professor! Why are you back?" Zhang Bo quickly stood up.

"I came back to get something. What about you? Still not off work? Still analyzing the smart bracelet?"

Zhang Bo scratched his head sheepishly: "They say I'm a sucker, that I've been ripped off, but I refuse to believe it's a scam. So, as you said, I should treat it with a scientific and rigorous attitude. I'm going to analyze this thing properly."

He showed Yang Ping the computer screen, which displayed complex code and waveforms.

“The algorithm for this ‘Balance Technology’ product is actually quite simple, mainly relying on a weighted score of several physiological indicators. But what’s interesting,” Zhang Bo brought up another window, “is that their data collection frequency is abnormally high, recording data such as heart rate variability and skin conductance every five minutes. This high-frequency data could have been used to make more accurate analyses, but they only use the most crude statistics.”

"and then?"

“Then I hacked in—uh, I mean I accessed their server’s anonymous logs through technical means,” Zhang Bo said in a low voice. “I discovered that this high-frequency data was packaged and uploaded to another address, not the ‘local encrypted storage’ they claimed to have.”

Yang Ping frowned: "Data leak?"

“It’s more like… reuse.” Zhang Bo pulled up the analysis results. “I traced the data flow, which ultimately pointed to the R&D center of a multinational pharmaceutical company. It seems that ‘Balance Technology’ sold the bracelets to consumers, while simultaneously selling the high-frequency physiological data to pharmaceutical companies for use in control group monitoring during drug clinical trials.”

Yang Ping shook his head. These bastards.

"Regarding privacy issues, the user agreement covers them with vague terms, but no one reads them carefully," Zhang Bo said indignantly. "What's even more infuriating is that their health scoring algorithm deliberately includes an anxiety-inducing mechanism—if your score is low for several consecutive days, the system will push an 'expert consultation' advertisement, charging 500 yuan for a single video consultation."

Yang Ping fell silent.

“Professor, should we expose them?” Zhang Bo was eager to try. “I’ve collected all the evidence. I can’t let this sucker go unpunished, or I’ll lose face at the research institute.”

Yang Ping thought for a moment: "Don't rush. Focus on your analysis and write a detailed report. There's a 'Digital Health Ethics' seminar next month, where you can present your case as a case study. Make sure you have solid reasoning and evidence."

"Understood!" Zhang Bo's eyes lit up. "Then can I apply to buy more professional monitoring equipment? Like medical-grade ECG patches, continuous glucose meters..."

"Write a budget request, and I'll approve it."

"Great! Science's counterattack against metaphysics has officially begun!" Zhang Bo rubbed his hands excitedly, completely forgetting that he was off work.

Yang Ping took the documents and prepared to leave, but turned back at the door and said, "Dr. Zhang."

"Ok?"

"Thank you for your work. Also," Yang Ping paused, "although your bracelet shows a score of 90, I still suggest you lose some weight. Scientific bracelets can fool you, but your body can't."

Zhang Bo was stunned, then burst into laughter: "Professor, what you said hit home! But... you're right. Starting tomorrow, I'll go for a morning run with Wang Cheng, and I'll run even more than him every morning."

“Don’t go to extremes.” Yang Ping smiled. “Remember, the core of system regulation is balance, not extremes. You can start by ordering one less chicken leg or by running one lap.”

"Okay, Professor!" Zhang Wei scratched his head. "Professor, can I ask you for a favor?"

"What is it? Tell me."

Zhang Wei stammered, "It's just a small research project I'm working on with wristbands. Can you keep it a secret for me?"

"No problem! But this is a good thing, why are you afraid of spreading it around?" Yang Ping asked curiously.

Zhang Wei said embarrassedly, "I'm just afraid that people will laugh at me because of the recharge. They've been laughing at me because I recharged several thousand yuan at once. If they knew that this bracelet is really a scam, they would laugh at me again."

"You, just laugh it off, it's not a big deal."

Yang Ping thought to himself, "Now everyone knows this is a scam, it's common knowledge."

“Okay, I can keep this topic a secret for you, but I'm afraid everyone already knows that this bracelet is a scam,” Yang Ping said, feeling that Zhang Wei was being a bit too sensitive.

"But...but...I just can't admit it's a scam so quickly. Even though I know it is now, apart from one person who bought a one-month membership to try it out, no one else has paid. If I spend several thousand at once, people will think I'm stupid." Zhang Wei sounded a little anxious.

Yang Ping found this guy a bit funny: "So what if you recharged? Just think of it as buying experimental equipment for your research project. Even though they didn't recharge, didn't everyone buy the bracelets? Actually, you all wanted to buy them to study whether the bracelets are real or fake. So, if we're talking about paying the 'IQ tax,' haven't you all paid it? Why are you so nervous? It's just that you're richer and more generous."

(End of this chapter)