ICU
Life Science / Technology

Acronym for Intensive Care Unit. Also known as a "cocoon". A hospital ward designed to monitor the bodily functions, including breathing and circulation, of critically injured or post-operative patients. A patient can be monitored around the clock here, with an artificial respirator to assist or replace spontaneous breathing, an electrocardiogram for observing heart function, and various systems for replenishing bodily fluids and providing the body with nutrients. The ICU also allows hospital staff to respond immediately to any sudden worsening of a patient's condition. BCCH boasts the largest and most advanced ICU on Beyond Coast; the hospital has also been designated the colony's emergency response facility.

Furthermore, an ICU allows a patient to be isolated in a sterile environment for extended periods of time, should they develop an immunodeficiency disease. Their waste products can be removed, they can be provided nourishment through intravenous tubes, and their body can be cleaned all while remaining in protective isolation. All the know-how and technology acquired from the development of spacesuits, cold sleep pods, and monitoring systems for the elderly have been used to refine the ICU over the years, to the point where it has now become semiautomated.

informed consent
Information and Communications / Life Science

In medical terms, this refers to the information a doctor is required to convey to a patient regarding a diagnosis and treatment; they must ensure that the patient understands and agrees to undergo a course of treatment based on the following main principles:

1. Inform the patient of their current condition and diagnosis.

2. Inform the patient, in terms they can understand, the goals and particulars of any procedure deemed necessary for their treatment.

3. Explain any possible risks of a given treatment.

4. Explain the success rate of a given treatment.

5. Go over any other treatment methods applicable to the patient's medical condition, should they exist.

6. Inform them of what might happen should they reject any form of treatment.

They must not simply tell them this information; they must ensure that the patient understands it as well. This doctrine is built on the idea that the relationship between a doctor and their patient is based on mutual agreement, not one where a patient must blindly obey their doctor regardless of the situation.

intraocular lens
Life Science

An artificial lens used in place of the eye's own crystalline lens, placed directly inside the eye and serving the same function. In addition to offering much improved vision, intraocular lenses have a more physiological refractive index than glasses or contact lenses, lowering the mental and physical stress on their owner. All AP members have intraocular lenses in their eyes to assist them in their work, which demands superior eyesight. It is said that intraocular lenses make the owner's eyesight 2 to 3 times more powerful than that of a normal person's, and they are also able to withstand any changes in water or air pressure. Originally developed to safeguard the eyesight of people working in extreme areas.

ISPA
Acronyms / Outer Space / Society

Acronym for International Space Promotion Agency. Formed in the 21st century to help advance peaceful space exploration and development, it was set up as Beyond Coast's own space agency in the image of various space agencies on Earth, such as the ESA, NASA, JAXA, the CNES, and the DLR. However, it frequently acts more like a business than a space organization, as it is run mainly from funds donated by the Tokugawa Group. Headquartered on Beyond Coast, with Joseph Sadaoki Tokugawa serving as its director.