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Medicine & Health

Protein could be used to produce life-saving antifungals: Research

Their findings, published in te journal eLife, not only have implications for drug development, they also provide important insight into the evolution of an ancient growth control pathway found in all multicellular organisms.

Researchers have discovered a protein that is responsible for controlling cell growth in yeasts. Since humans and yeasts have remarkably similar cellular mechanisms, teasing out the differences presents drug developers with new targets for treatments.

Yeast cells and human immune system cells rely on surprisingly similar chemical reactions to know when to grow. University of Arizona scientists have identified subtle differences between the two cell types that could help spur the development of antifungal drugs that are able to attack disease-causing yeasts in the body while sparing the immune system.

Their findings, published in the journal eLife, not only have implications for drug development, they also provide important insight into the evolution of an ancient growth control pathway found in all multicellular organisms.

Protein could be used to produce life-saving antifungals: Research

It is well known in the scientific community that a conglomerate of proteins called TORC1 — short for Target of Rapamycin kinase Complex 1 — controls the growth of cells in everything from humans to yeasts. But researchers have now identified and named the protein that triggers this process in yeasts — a nutrient sensor and TORC1 regulator they named Ait1. When working normally, Ait1 shuts down TORC1 in yeasts when cells are starved for nutrients, blocking cell growth.

“Ait1 is kind oflike a hand holding TORC1 in place, with a finger that reaches over the top and flicks TORC1 on and off depending on how many nutrients a cell has,” said study co-author Andrew Capaldi, an associate professor in the UArizona Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology and BIO5 Institute member.

The Capaldi Lab is interested in determining how cells sense stress and starvation and then decide how fast to grow. Understanding how TORC1 is triggered in different organisms is important for developing treatments for a wide variety of diseases.

TORC1 was originally discovered in yeast, but it is also critical for the activation of cells in the human immune system to mount a response. When TORC1 isn’t working as it should, it can trigger the development of cancer, diabetes and various neurological disorders including epilepsy and depression.

“If TORC1 is too active, it can give rise to cancer or epilepsy. If it’s underactive, then it can cause depression,” Capaldi said. “We call this Goldilocks regulation.”

But the fact that human bodies depend on the same TORC1 pathway as yeast presents a problem.

Capaldi said if scientists develop drugs that inhibit the growth of disease-causing yeasts by controlling TORC1, “we are in big trouble since TORC1 also controls the growth of human immune cells and more.”

“As an example, you can block the growth of yeast very easily using rapamycin — a drug that binds directly to and inhibits TORC1 — so that would fight any infection well,” Capaldi said. “However, that very same drug is regularly used in transplant patients to suppress their immune system, so that would be a disaster.”

The researchers found that while the TORC1 pathway is very similar in yeast and humans, humans don’t rely on Ait1 to regulate TORC1. So, drugs that specifically target Ait1 should inhibit the growth of yeast and not human immune cells.

Ait1 has only evolved in the last 200 million years, which is relatively recent in evolutionary terms. About 200 million years ago a TORC1 regulator called Rheb seems to have disappeared from the cells of various organisms exactly when Ait1 evolved.

The researchers found that while the TORC1 pathway is very similar in yeast and humans, humans don’t rely on Ait1 to regulate TORC1. So, drugs that specifically target Ait1 should inhibit the growth of yeast and not human immune cells.

Ait1 has only evolved in the last 200 million years, which is relatively recent in evolutionary terms. About 200 million years ago a TORC1 regulator called Rheb seems to have disappeared from the cells of various organisms exactly when Ait1 evolved.

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Government Guidelines Medical Updates Medicine & Health Techniques

Government to launch national tele-mental health programme, toll-free helpline number soon

Colorectal cancer patients can benefit from surveillance with chest imaging
Synopsis

The government is preparing to launch a national tele-mental health programme and a toll-free helpline number soon, reported PTI. This is likely to enable wider access to mental health assistance across the country. The national tele-mental health programme (NTMHP) was first announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2022-23.

The government is preparing to launch a national tele-mental health programme and a toll-free helpline number soon, reported PTI. This is likely to enable wider access to mental health assistance across the country.
The national tele-mental health programme (NTMHP) was first announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2022-23.

“The pandemic has accentuated mental health problems in people of all ages. To better the access to quality mental health counselling and care services, a ‘National Tele-Mental Health Programme’ will be launched,” she had said.

Government to launch national tele-mental health programme, toll-free helpline number soon

This will include a network of 23 tele-mental health centres of excellence, with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) being the nodal centre and the International Institute of Information Technology, Bengaluru (IIITB) providing technological support.

As part of the programme, at least one tele-MANAS (Tele-Mental Health Assistance and Nationally Actionable Plan) cell would be established in each state and union territory and there will be five regional coordinating centres, reported PTI citing official sources.

A toll-free helpline number will also be set up across the country, allowing callers to select the language of choice for availing services. The calls would be routed to tele-MANAS cells in the respective state and union territory, the source stated.

According to a Lancet study published in October last year, the percentage increase in the prevalence of clinically significant depression and anxiety disorders due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was estimated to be approximately 35 per cent in India.

There has been a 10 per cent rise in the number of suicides reported in 2020 in India as compared to 2019, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data.
A study published this year by Dr Rajesh Sagar, professor of psychiatry at AIIMS, stated that India has a huge burden due to mental health problems with one in every seven persons estimated to be suffering from a clinically diagnosable mental disorder.

Further, the COVID-19 pandemic had significant direct and indirect negative effects on the mental health of the entire population, he said in his study titled ‘National Tele-Mental Health Program in India: A step towards mental health care for all?’

The study stated that the vision of tele-MANAS involves linking these new tele-mental health centres with the existing network of locally available mental health resources at nearby centres of excellence, medical colleges, district hospital and other mental health services run by the central and/or state governments.

This will help in providing immediate mental health care to a person in acute psychological distress and facilitate continuity of care by making appropriate referrals to nearby specialised mental health services depending upon the person’s convenience and severity of the mental health problem, it said.

The NTMHP also envisions linking tele-mental health services with other health-related schemes and services provided by the government under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (national digitalisation of health records and services) and the e-Sanjeevani platform (national tele-consultation service).

The effects of COVID-19 on mental health are prevalent. Long-term social distance protocols, fear of illness, death and future unpredictability, loss of educational and employment opportunities, economic downturn, and high work stress environment experienced by frontline healthcare workers have all been raised as concerns regarding the impact on mental health, Dr Sagar said.

“Social media misinformation and excessive screen time have become major issues in a society that is growing. Increasing common mental disorders at an alarming rate is a trend seen today (PTSD, anxiety, depression, suicidality, substance abuse, and post-Covid syndrome).

“Much stress brought on by infection prevention and control because of lockdown, self-isolation, and quarantine has led to a detrimental effect on mental health,” PTI quoted him as saying.

“Although toll-free numbers and telepsychiatry consultations have had a favourable impact on people’s decisions to seek care, prioritising the need of the most vulnerable individuals when allocating resources for mental health care is crucial,” he said.
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Medical Updates Medicine & Health

World Heart Day 2022: Simple habits to keep your heart healthy

World Heart Day 2022: Simple habits to keep your heart healthy
“Indians and Southeast Asians are at a higher risk of contracting a heart condition than their Western counterparts,” said Dr Prashant Pawar, consultant cardiologist.

Actor-comedian Raju Srivastava’s death, after being hospitalised for over 40 days, has once again highlighted the high fatality rate caused by heart diseases. Across the world, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are one of the leading causes of mortality. An estimated 17.9 million people perished due to CVDs in 2019, contributing to 32 per cent of deaths globally. Out of all the people who died from CVD, 85 per cent suffered a stroke and heart attack. Further, a quarter of these CVD deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization.

Keeping these statistics in mind, experts stress on the enormous need for awareness about the prevention of heart disease. As such, World Heart Day is an incredible platform to spread awareness about how people can prevent cardiac issues and reduce the burden caused by this condition, said Dr Prashant Pawar, consultant cardiologist, Fortis Hospital Vashi. “Since the heart is crucial to a person’s survival, it is important to keep it healthy with a well-balanced diet, adequate sleep, and stress busters like meditation and yoga coupled with daily physical exercise while avoiding things like smoking and alcohol that can damage its arteries,” said Dr Pawar.

World Heart Day 2022: Simple habits to keep your heart healthy

 

Lack of physical activities

According to National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health, a lack of physical activity can increase the risk of cardiac issues, even if a person does not have any other risk factors. Besides cardiac problems, being sedentary can also increase the likelihood of several other chronic diseases like obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

Timely treatment is essential

Coronary arteries are only about 3-4 mm in diameter. Over time, a person consuming too many processed foods, including fatty and greasy items, can cause extreme damage to them. Additionally, if any significant heart artery is blocked for more than 30 minutes, it can impact the muscles in the heart, leading to a severe medical condition. This is a sign of a heart attack or cardiac issues; if a person suffers from it, they require immediate medical attention. In such a scenario, a common symptom is chest pain that must be brought to a doctor’s attention immediately.

The risk of blood pressure increases with age

Dr Pawar mentioned that in people above the age of 80, there is a 60 per cent chance of them having high blood pressure. This is mainly because as we get older, the arteries in our body get stiffer, affecting the blood pressure level. This can be true even for people with heart-healthy habits. Hence, the vulnerable population must monitor blood pressure regularly. A recent nationwide survey by ICMR has shown that 28 per cent of adults in India have hypertension, and nearly 77 per cent are undiagnosed, leading to a high burden of hypertension in the country.

The prevalence of coronary heart disease has increased in India

“Indians and Southeast Asians are at a higher risk of contracting a heart condition than their Western counterparts. This is evident in the prevalence of heart-related diseases that have substantially increased in rural and urban India over the past several decades. The rate of coronary incidences has risen from 1.6 per cent to 7.4 per cent in rural people and from 1 per cent to 13.2 per cent in urban populations. In 2021 there was a six-fold rise in cases related to cardiac issues in Mumbai,” Dr Pawar said.

Today, this condition claims as many lives each year as cancer, chronic lung diseases, accidents and diabetes combined. Some simple habits that can help you prevent a heart attack include the following

World Heart Day 2022: Simple habits to keep your heart healthy

*Focus on a diet rich in fibre, high protein, and low fat.
*Have a hearty breakfast that keeps you full for the day. Your lunch and dinner should be smaller in comparison.
*Be physically active for at least 30 minutes daily, at least five days a week.
*Use the staircase whenever possible and avoid lifts. Alternatively, it would help if you also chose to walk small distances instead of using vehicles.
*Get adequate sound sleep for at least eight hours a day.
*Quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption as far as possible.
*Practice stress busters like meditation, yoga, and breathing tactics.

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Medical Updates Medicine & Health

Can knee osteoarthritis be treated without surgery?

Can knee osteoarthritis be treated without surgery?

Knee osteoarthritis or knee joint pain is a non-inflammatory, degenerative joint disease that causes progressive loss of articular cartilage. “Cartilage is a strong, flexible tissue that helps avoids injury by preventing the bones from rubbing against one another,” said Dr Vivek Loomba, Consultant Pain Physician at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi, adding that as the cartilage degrades and the bones rub against one another, it may lead to knee osteoarthritis. “It is one of the most common reasons for knee pain and disability in older adults,” he told.

Who is at risk?

Osteoarthritis of the knee is more common in “women than in males”. “Some other factors that can contribute to the condition of the knee include advanced age, being overweight or obese, previous knee injuries or surgery, and certain jobs that require constant knee bending,” he shared.

Symptoms

The primary symptom of knee osteoarthritis is pain. In addition to pain, patients may have swelling, knee stiffness, function-limiting knee discomfort, loss of flexibility, pain while resting or at night, cracking or grinding noise while moving their knee, and impact on walking distances.

How is osteoarthritis of the knee diagnosed?

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, the patients may require further tests like:
*Blood tests
*X- Ray
*Arthrocentesis: A clinical procedure that is performed using a sterile needle, to obtain synovial fluid to determine the cause of arthritis.
*Arthroscopy: A surgical method where a camera is inserted into the afflicted joint to obtain visual data of the deterioration caused to the joint because of OA
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

According to Dr Loomba, “Knee osteoarthritis develops slowly over years, interfering with daily activities and the ability to work. So, efforts should be made to stop the condition from getting worse by seeking early treatment.”

Can knee osteoarthritis be treated without surgery?

Can it be managed without surgery?

Most people suffering from knee osteoarthritis fear that they might have to undergo surgery to get relief from the pain and discomfort. However, there are several pain management options that can help in relieving the pain. As per Dr Loomba, various strategies for management of the condition include:

Non pharmacological

Exercise like walking, cycling, isometric and isotonic knee exercises.
Weight Reduction: Even a slight decrease in weight, by 2-5 kg, will help in decreasing the pain and degeneration of the knee joint.
Aquatic (water based) therapies.

pharmacological

Medications like acetaminophen, NSAIDS like ibuprofen or etoshine, local NSAIDS like Volini gel are used as first line management.
If the pain persists, weak opioids like tramadol (ultracet) can be prescribed.
In severe cases, stronger opioids like morphine can be added to the treatment regimen.

Intra Articular knee joint injections – This includes corticosteroid and/or hyaluronidase injections administered into the knee joint. The corticosteroid helps in decreasing inflammation while hyaluronidase provides lubrication.

Radiofrequency ablation: The radiofrequency ablation of the nerves supplying the knee joint is reserved for refractory cases, and may provide pain relief for up to 1 year. This procedure may serve as a boon for patients who are unfit or do not want to undergo knee replacement surgery.

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Government Guidelines Medical Updates Medicine & Health

New India prepared to deal with any threat in healthcare sector: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

New India prepared to deal with any threat in healthcare sector: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya
Synopsis

The difference has been made by the proactive planning of the prime minister, he said, adding health infrastructure is being propagated across the country via the PPP model with a microcosm of public hospitals mushrooming along with private medical colleges.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday underlined the need for de-politicising the discussions on health policy and infrastructure and adopting a more holistic approach across the whole spectrum of the populace. He also asserted that a new India is prepared to deal with any threat in the healthcare sector.

“A healthy India will be a wealthy India,” Mandaviya said speaking at the Public Affairs Forum of India’s (PAFI) 9th Annual Forum 2022.

He said the new India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an empowered nation and is well prepared to face any crisis.

New India prepared to deal with any threat in healthcare sector: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

The difference has been made by the proactive planning of the prime minister, he said, adding health infrastructure is being propagated across the country via the PPP model with a microcosm of public hospitals mushrooming along with private medical colleges.

Mandaviya said 22 AIIMS have been planned across the country to improve the tertiary level of health infrastructure.

Elaborating on the country’s management of COVID-19, he said the government had started efforts to understand the virus much before it came to India, and accordingly planned and prepared beforehand to face the pandemic.

New India prepared to deal with any threat in healthcare sector: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

Talking about why health infrastructure to GDP ratio is declining in India, Mandaviya said, “Every country has its own model specific to its people. In India, healthcare expenditure is lower as compared to other nations. Still, the Government is very much concerned about the health of its people and has assigned a budget of Rs 100 crore for each district to implement the Ayushman Bharat Scheme in the next five years.”

Giving the details of the PPP model in healthcare, Mandaviya said the government is following a holistic approach in planning and building healthcare models for the country.

He said the government is following two models for healthcare.

While under one it has launched the Nishchay Mitra scheme for the eradication of TB from India by 2025 and asked people to adopt nine lakh TB patients, under the second PPP arrangement, the Ayushman Bharat Scheme has been extended to 24,000 plus private hospitals, enabling business to private hospitals and ensuring healthcare for all.
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COVID-19 Medical Equipments Medicine & Health

Novel test can identify patients at risk of severe COVID-19

Novel test can identify patients at risk of severe COVID-19

The test proved over 90 per cent accurate at predicting patient outcomes for COVID-19 among over two dozen patients in intensive care and 100 patients from publicly available data, the researchers said.

Scientists in the US have developed a new genomic test that can predict a patient’s risk of developing severe COVID-19, an advance that could help doctors quickly begin tailored treatment. The test proved over 90 per cent accurate at predicting patient outcomes for COVID-19 among over two dozen patients in intensive care and 100 patients from publicly available data, the researchers said.

The test, called CovGENE, analyses genes expressed in a person’s blood to determine whether they may experience a severe disease course with increased risk of death, they said. “We have come far in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in the past two years. Regardless, we still struggle to identify patients at highest risk for severe disease,” said Alexandra Kadl, from the University of Virginia, US.

Novel test can identify patients at risk of severe COVID-19

“Our study uses a gene-analysis approach to identify an immune cell signature, distinct from other respiratory illnesses, that correlates with worse outcomes,” Kadl said in a statement. The approach, described recently in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, has the potential to help evaluate patients’ immune profile with commonly, readily available tests to identify patients at risk for bad outcomes.

Such patients would benefit from closer monitoring and advanced therapies to aid their recovery, the researchers said. Immune profiling helps to understand why one person may differ from another in their immune response to a virus, looking specifically at the immune markers (proteins) and cells present over time. This analysis can help determine the likelihood of disease, individual response to a virus and the impact of vaccinations. CovGENE’s developer, AMPEL Biosolutions, is seeking to partner with a diagnostic testing company or pharmaceutical company to bring the approach to market as a simple PCR-based blood test.

Novel test can identify patients at risk of severe COVID-19

“This unique collaboration with our colleagues from the University of Virginia has provided an easy and novel means to assess an individual patient’s response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and predict the clinical outcome,” said Peter Lipsky, AMPEL’s CEO, chief medical officer and co-founder. “Now that this unique approach has been validated, we look forward to its rapid development as a precision-medicine tool that can improve the outcome of patients with COVID-19 and reduce the number of hospitalisations, especially the most vulnerable,” Lipsky added.

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Medical Updates Medicine & Health

9.5 lakh tuberculosis patients adopted under ‘Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’

9.5 lakh tuberculosis patients adopted under ‘Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’

Over 9.5 lakh tuberculosis patients have been adopted under the ‘Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’ which was launched by President Droupadi Murmu on September 9 with an aim to eliminate the disease five years ahead of the SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) target of 2030.

Under this community support programme, tuberculosis patients can be adopted and cared for by an individual, elected representatives or institutions through Ni-kshay 2.0 portal.

So far, the portal has seen 15,415 registrations of ‘Ni-kshay Mitras’ (TB patient care-takers) which include individuals, organisations, industries and elected representatives among others, an official said.

According to government data, of the total 13,53,443 TB patients, including the multi-drug resistant ones, presently on treatment in the country, 9.57 lakh patients have given their consent to be adopted — and almost all of them (9,56,352) have been adopted till Saturday.

The government aims to ensure the adoption of all consented TB patients by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17.

The people and institutions coming forward to take care of the patients are being called “Ni-kshay Mitra”. They can adopt blocks, districts or even an individual patient and provide nutritional and treatment support to help them recover.

The four-pronged support includes nutritional, additional diagnostic, additional nutritional supplements and vocational support. The donors could be a wide range of stakeholders from elected representatives, political parties to corporates, NGOs, institutions and individuals.

9.5 lakh tuberculosis patients adopted under ‘Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’

Under the programme, a monthly food basket comprising three kg of rice, 1.5 kg of pulses, 250 grams of vegetable cooking oil and one kg of milk powder or six litres of milk or one kg of groundnut has been recommended for each tuberculosis patient. Thirty eggs can also be added to the basket, according to an official source.

“In addition to nutritional support, the donor organisation or individual may also provide vocational support, additional diagnostic help or nutritional supplements containing B complex vitamins, vitamin C and minerals,” the official said.

Explaining the vocational support part, he said presently, 65 to 70 per cent of the TB patients are in the age group of 15 to 45 years.

The minimum period of commitment for providing additional support to a TB patient shall be one year, he said, adding that there are options of a support programme for two and three years.

This is a voluntary initiative, he added.

The campaign is an expansion of the Union health ministry’s focus on the eradication of tuberculosis by ramping up community support.

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Medical Updates Medicine & Health

New study finds the minimum blood sugar levels to avoid diabetes.

New study finds the minimum blood sugar levels to avoid diabetes.

Long-term blood sugar levels, known as HbA1c, can be used to accurately predict the risk of a person with type 1 diabetes having eye and kidney problems.

A new research has revealed the minimum blood sugar levels that is required to avoid health complications related to diabetes. It is well known that long-term blood sugar levels, known as HbA1c, can be used to accurately predict the risk of a person with type 1 diabetes having eye and kidney problems, the new research states that this level should be lower than 53 mmol/mol (7%).

Notably, the study tracked people for more than 30 years after they were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and the results were published in Diabetes Care, as per news agency ANI.

New study finds the minimum blood sugar levels to avoid diabetes.

Controlling blood sugar levels reduces risk of diabetes:

The research states that people with diabetes may experience damage to the small blood vessels in various organs. While the reasons for this are unclear, but it has been known since the 1990s that good control of blood sugar levels reduces the risk of complications. However, it has not been clear what level of long-term sugar, HbA1c, people with type 1 diabetes should have in order to avoid serious damage to blood vessels in the eyes and kidneys.

Hans Arnqvist, professor emeritus at Linkoping University and leader of the study said, “our study determines accurately the levels of long-term sugar that can avoid complications. This knowledge can increase a person’s motivation to keep their blood sugar level under control.”

Researchers in the current study, known as VISS (Vascular Diabetic Complications in Southeast Sweden), have followed all children and adults younger than 35 years who developed type 1 diabetes during the period 1983-1987, and who received care in the South-East Healthcare Region of Sweden. All 447 newly diagnosed persons in the region during this period were included in the study. The researchers followed the patients’ HbA1c values, which reflect their average blood sugar levels during a longer period. They have also monitored the development of eye- and kidney damage in these patients for a period of between 32 and 36 years after diagnosis, as per the ANI report.

The small blood vessels in the eye are particularly susceptible to damage in type 1 diabetes. Nearly all patients experience small haemorrhages in the eye that do not affect their vision. In some cases, new blood vessels develop in the retina. The latter is known as ‘proliferative retinopathy and can lead to blindness. Another effect of diabetes concerns the area known as the ‘macula’ of the retina, where high-focus vision is located. Damage here leads to blurred vision. The kidneys are not as sensitive to high blood sugar levels as the eye, but the important small blood vessels here can also be damaged. One consequence of such damage is the excretion of blood proteins in the urine.

The blood sugar level in a healthy person is very closely controlled, with a maximum HbA1c level of 42 mmol/mol (6.0%). “The results of our study show that people with type 1 diabetes for at least 32 years should keep their mean long-term sugar level below 53 mmol/mol (7.0%) if they are to completely avoid serious damage. The risk of an eye- and kidney complications increases as the level increases. Our conclusions relate to avoiding complications arising from blood vessel damage. But if a patient has problems with low blood sugar, hypoglycaemia, it’s not possible to control the blood sugar level-so strictly,” says Hans Arnqvist.

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