Displaying publications 4941 - 4960 of 7301 in total

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  1. Fulltext An efficient computational scheme for solving coupled time-fractional Schrödinger equation via cubic B-spline functions
    Mubashir Hayat A, Abbas M, Emadifar H, Alzaidi ASM, Nazir T, Aini Abdullah F
    PLoS One, 2024;19(5):e0296909.
    PMID: 38753667 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296909
    The time fractional Schrödinger equation contributes to our understanding of complex quantum systems, anomalous diffusion processes, and the application of fractional calculus in physics and cubic B-spline is a versatile tool in numerical analysis and computer graphics. This paper introduces a numerical method for solving the time fractional Schrödinger equation using B-spline functions and the Atangana-Baleanu fractional derivative. The proposed method employs a finite difference scheme to discretize the fractional derivative in time, while a θ-weighted scheme is used to discretize the space directions. The efficiency of the method is demonstrated through numerical results, and error norms are examined at various values of the non-integer parameter, temporal directions, and spatial directions.
  2. Fulltext Examining characteristics of those who receive pedorthic services: A clinical audit
    Ahmed S, Barwick A, Sharma A, Hasan MZ, Kabir MA, Nancarrow S
    PLoS One, 2024;19(7):e0304443.
    PMID: 38950041 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304443
    Diabetes-related foot complications, including neuropathic plantar forefoot ulcers, are a significant contributor to morbidity and increased healthcare costs. This retrospective clinical audit examines the characteristics of people accessing pedorthics services who are at risk of neuropathic plantar forefoot ulcer (re)occurrence and the pathways and funding models used to access these services. A clinical record audit was conducted on all patients accessing a pedorthics service who had diabetes and neuropathy with a history of plantar forefoot ulceration. The data included demographics, diabetes and neuropathy duration, main forefoot pathology and other comorbidity, footwear and insole interventions, and health fund access status. A total of 70 patient records were accessed, and relevant data was extracted. The mean age of participants was 64.69 (standard deviation (SD) 11.78) years; 61% were male and 39% female. Duration of diabetes ranged from one to 35 years, with a mean of 14.09 years (SD 6.58). The mean duration of neuropathy was 8.56 (SD 4.16) years. The most common forefoot conditions were bony prominences at 71% (n = 50), rigid flat foot and limited joint mobility (53%, n = 37), and hallux abductovalgus at 47% (n = 33). All participants had hyperkeratosis; 34% (n = 24) had forefoot amputation, and around 34% (n = 24) had a history of digital amputation. Various publicly funded packages and private health insurance were accessed. This study investigates the sociodemographic and medical profiles of individuals with diabetes-related foot complexities prone to neuropathic plantar forefoot ulcers. It is the first to examine patients receiving pedorthic services, informing practitioner surveys and preventive care strategies. Understanding patient characteristics aids in optimising multidisciplinary care and reducing ulcer incidence. Further studies are warranted to explore the field to establish an effective multidisciplinary care approach between medical professionals, podiatrists and pedorthists to optimise patient outcomes.
  3. Fulltext Removal of hydrocarbon pollutants from refinery wastewater using N-hexadecylchitosan as an efficient adsorptive platform
    Khan R, Haram Z, Ahmad W, Sohni S, Xu J, Ilyas M
    Sci Rep, 2024 Jul 26;14(1):17236.
    PMID: 39060270 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66429-8
    The negative impact of refinery wastewater is of great concern to the aquatic, terrestrial, and aerial environment. In this study, N-hexadecylchitosan (NHDC) was successfully synthesized to deal with low mechanical strength, poor adsorption capacity, and limited selectivity of native chitosan. The NHDC was characterized by fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD) to study its composition, morphology, and structural attributes. The adsorption of hydrocarbon pollutants from refinery wastewater was studied in batch mode experiments. The results indicated that the removal of COD attained by chitosan and NHDC was 21 and 63%, respectively. COD removal was found to be maximal, i.e., 96% using 0.08 g of NHDC at 60 min in a solution of pH 6.5 maintained at 60 °C. Furthermore, kinetic data revealed that the adsorption system followed pseudo-second order kinetics, whereas equilibrium studies supported both monolayer and multilayer adsorption mechanisms. The designed adsorption platform was able to capture hydrocarbon pollutants under very mild optimized conditions. Furthermore, NHDC demonstrated long term stability when subjected to five successive cycles, which contributed to the sustainability of water treatment systems. On the basis of the outcome of this work, it is advocated that new biobased NHDC can be used as an efficient adsorbent for the remediation of organic contaminants laden wastewater streams generated from oil refineries.
  4. Fulltext Office based non-invasive diagnostic technique for acquired tracheoesophageal fistula
    Rajendram N, Mansor M, Rahim NA, Bakar MZA, Sobani MA
    Braz J Otorhinolaryngol, 2024;90(5):101466.
    PMID: 39059322 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2024.101466
  5. RSM and ANN-Based Optimized Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Functional Components from Olive Fruit (cv Arbequina): Assessment of Antioxidant Attributes and GC-MS Metabolites Profiling
    Ali L, Anwar F, Qadir R, Batool F, Mustaqeem M, Mohsin Ali R
    Chem Biodivers, 2024 Jul 12.
    PMID: 38993058 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202400907
    The current study devises an optimized ethanolic extraction for efficient recovery of high-value components from Pakistani olives (cv. Arbequina) using response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural networking (ANN). Four factors such as time, temperature, solvent concentration, and solute weight (g/100 mL) were evaluated as independent variables for determining the response (% yield). The results obtained under optimum extraction conditions such as duration (25 min), temperature (45 °C), solvent concentration (65 %; ethanol: water v/v), and solute (7.50 g/100 mL) offered bioactives extract yield of 40.96 % from Arbiquina olives. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) for the RSM model showed significant p-values and a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9960, confirming model's reliability. The results of ANN, which employed the multilayer perceptron design, were fairly in line with the findings of the experiments. The antioxidant characteristics and GC-MS metabolite profile of the obtained extracts were examined. Arbequina olive extract (AOE) demonstrated very good antioxidant ability in terms of total phenolic, total flavonoid contents, and DPPH radical scavenging. The GC-MS analysis of AOE confirmed the presence of several bioactives, including oleic acid (36.22 %), hydroxytyrosol (3.95 %), tyrosol (3.32 %), β-sitosterol (2.10 %), squalene (1.10 %), sinapic acid (0.67 %), α-tocopherol (0.66 %), vanillic acid (0.56 %), 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (0.31 %), and quercetin (0.21 %). The suggested optimized extraction method can be employed to efficiently extract a wide variety of high-value components from olives with potential for nutraceutical applications.
  6. Retraction Note: Impact of credit, liquidity, and systematic risk on financial structure: comparative investigation from sustainable production
    Sadiq M, Alajlani S, Hussain MS, Ahmad R, Bashir F, Chupradit S
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2024 Jul;31(33):46121.
    PMID: 38980494 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-34318-2
  7. Fulltext A systematic literature review on meta-heuristic based feature selection techniques for text classification
    Al-Shalif SA, Senan N, Saeed F, Ghaban W, Ibrahim N, Aamir M, et al.
    PeerJ Comput Sci, 2024;10:e2084.
    PMID: 38983195 DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.2084
    Feature selection (FS) is a critical step in many data science-based applications, especially in text classification, as it includes selecting relevant and important features from an original feature set. This process can improve learning accuracy, streamline learning duration, and simplify outcomes. In text classification, there are often many excessive and unrelated features that impact performance of the applied classifiers, and various techniques have been suggested to tackle this problem, categorized as traditional techniques and meta-heuristic (MH) techniques. In order to discover the optimal subset of features, FS processes require a search strategy, and MH techniques use various strategies to strike a balance between exploration and exploitation. The goal of this research article is to systematically analyze the MH techniques used for FS between 2015 and 2022, focusing on 108 primary studies from three different databases such as Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar to identify the techniques used, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. The findings indicate that MH techniques are efficient and outperform traditional techniques, with the potential for further exploration of MH techniques such as Ringed Seal Search (RSS) to improve FS in several applications.
  8. Optimization of subcritical water extraction for pectin extraction from cocoa pod husks using the response surface methodology
    Anoraga SB, Shamsudin R, Hamzah MH, Sharif S, Saputro AD, Basri MSM
    Food Chem, 2024 Nov 30;459:140355.
    PMID: 38986202 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.140355
    This study optimized subcritical water extraction (SWE) conditions to maximize pectin yield from cocoa pod husk (CPH) and compared the characteristics of CPH pectin extracted through SWE with those of CPH pectin obtained through conventional extraction (CE) with citric acid. The Box-Behnken experimental design was employed to optimize SWE and examine the influence of process parameters, including temperature (100 °C-120 °C), extraction time (10-30 min), and solid:liquid ratio (SLR) (1:30-2:30 g/mL), on pectin yield. The maximum pectin yield of 6.58% was obtained under the optimal extraction conditions of 120 °C for 10 min with 1:15 g/mL SLR and closely corresponded with the predicted value of 7.29%. Compared with CE, SWE generated a higher yield and resulted in a higher degree of esterification, methoxyl content, and anhydrouronic acid value but a lower equivalent weight. The extracted pectin was pure, had low-methoxyl content, and similar melting and degradation temperatures.
  9. Changes in oral functions and speech when using custom-fitted mouthguards: An uncontrolled before-and-after study
    Mat Zainal MK, Liew AKC, Abdullah D, Soo E, Abdul Hamid B, Ramlee RAM
    Dent Traumatol, 2024 Aug;40(4):460-469.
    PMID: 38459669 DOI: 10.1111/edt.12939
    BACKGROUND/AIM: Mouthguards are crucial for protecting athletes against orofacial injuries, yet concerns persist regarding their potential impact on oral functions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of sports mouthguards on oral functions and speech over time.

    MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty national rugby players received custom-fitted mouthguards. Questionnaire responses and speech recordings were collected before mouthguard use and at various intervals after using mouthguards: immediately, 1 week, 2 month, and 6 months. Spectrographic analysis was performed to measure voice onset time (VOT) for /p, b, t, d/ phonemes. Questionnaire responses were assessed with Friedman's test, while VOT changes were examined using one-way repeated measure analysis of variance.

    RESULTS: Compliance with mouthguard use improved during training and competitions, with consistent wear reported during matches. Over time, speaking difficulties and lisping decreased significantly (p 

  10. Fulltext Huge Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) in Upper Gastrointestinal Masquerade Anaemia
    Zahidin MSI, Singh J, Mohammad Azmi S, Azhar A, Md Hashim MN, Zakaria AD
    Cureus, 2024 Jun;16(6):e62409.
    PMID: 39011216 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.62409
    Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) represents a rare neoplasm affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and is classified as a common nonepithelial tumor within the GI tract. It originates from the interstitial cells of Cajal, and GIST typically manifests with symptoms such as abdominal pain, weight loss, and gastrointestinal bleeding. This case involves a 33-year-old male who presented with GI bleeding symptoms after eight months of treatment for anemia. Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGDS) revealed a singular ulcerated mass measuring 4x4cm while a computed tomography (CT) scan identified a large fundal exophytic component extending from the gastroesophageal junction to the stomach. Subsequently, the patient underwent a laparotomy and proximal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction, which revealed a 12x10 cm tumor located at the fundus of the stomach. This report aims to underscore the potential for misdiagnosis in the initial presentation of GIST, emphasizing the importance of raising clinical awareness in such cases.
  11. Development of Versatile, thermally stable, flexible, UV-resistant and antibacterial polyvinyl alcohol-Nanodiamonds composite for efficient food packaging
    Iqbal S, Rafique MS, Iqbal N, Bashir S, Malarvili MB, Anjum AA
    Heliyon, 2024 Jun 30;10(12):e33270.
    PMID: 39021982 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e33270
    This research paper reports an enhancement of thermal, optical, mechanical and antibacterial activities of the Polyvinyl alcohol-Nanodiamonds (PVA-NDs) composite required for the food packaging industry. The synthesis of composites was done by the wet processing method. The large surface area of NDs facilitated the robust interaction between the hydroxyl group and macromolecular chains of PVA to enhance the hydrogen bonding of PVA with NDs rather than PVA molecules. Thus, a reduction in PVA diffraction peak intensity was reported. NDs improved the thermal stability by preventing the out-diffusion of volatile decomposition products of PVA. The results also revealed an enhancement in tensile strength (∼60 MPa) and ductility (∼180 %). PVA-NDs composite efficiently blocked the UVC (100 %), most of the part of the UVB (∼85 % above 300 nm), and UVA (∼58 %). Furthermore, enhanced antibacterial activities were reported for PVA-NDs composite against E. coli and S. aureus. NDs accumulated around the bacterial cells prevented essential cellular functions and led to death. Hence, this composite could be a promising candidate for safe, thermally stable, strong, flexible, transparent, UV- resistant antibacterial food packaging material.
  12. Fulltext Cross-sectional analysis of socioeconomic drivers of PM2.5 pollution in emerging SAARC economies
    Musa M, Rahman P, Saha SK, Chen Z, Ali MAS, Gao Y
    Sci Rep, 2024 Jul 16;14(1):16357.
    PMID: 39014028 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67199-z
    Within the intricate interplay of socio-economic, natural and anthropogenic factors, haze pollution stands as a stark emblem of environmental degradation, particularly in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region. Despite significant efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, several SAARC nations consistently rank among the world's most polluted. Addressing this critical research gap, this study employs robust econometric methodologies to elucidate the dynamics of haze pollution across SAARC countries from 1998 to 2020. These methodologies include the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) and Augmented Mean Group (AMG) estimator, Panel two-stage least squares (TSLS), Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) and Dumitrescu-Hurlin (D-H) causality test. The analysis reveals a statistically significant cointegrating relationship between PM2.5 and economic indicators, with economic development and consumption expenditure exhibiting positive associations and rainfall demonstrating a mitigating effect. Furthermore, a bidirectional causality is established between temperature and economic growth, both influencing PM2.5 concentrations. These findings emphasize the crucial role of evidence-based policy strategies in curbing air pollution. Based on these insights, recommendations focus on prioritizing green economic paradigms, intensifying forest conservation efforts, fostering the adoption of eco-friendly energy technologies in manufacturing and proactively implementing climate-sensitive policies. By embracing these recommendations, SAARC nations can formulate comprehensive and sustainable approaches to combat air pollution, paving the way for a healthier atmospheric environment for their citizens.
  13. Fulltext Is cerebral small vessel disease a central nervous system interstitial fluidopathy?
    Abdul Hamid H, Hambali A, Okon U, Che Mohd Nassir CMN, Mehat MZ, Norazit A, et al.
    IBRO Neurosci Rep, 2024 Jun;16:98-105.
    PMID: 39007087 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2023.12.004
    A typical anatomical congregate and functionally distinct multicellular cerebrovascular dynamic confer diverse blood-brain barrier (BBB) and microstructural permeabilities to conserve the health of brain parenchymal and its microenvironment. This equanimity presupposes the glymphatic system that governs the flow and clearance of metabolic waste and interstitial fluids (ISF) through venous circulation. Following the introduction of glymphatic system concept, various studies have been carried out on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and ISF dynamics. These studies reported that the onset of multiple diseases can be attributed to impairment in the glymphatic system, which is newly referred as central nervous system (CNS) interstitial fluidopathy. One such condition includes cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) with poorly understood pathomechanisms. CSVD is an umbrella term to describe a chronic progressive disorder affecting the brain microvasculature (or microcirculation) involving small penetrating vessels that supply cerebral white and deep gray matter. This review article proposes CSVD as a form of "CNS interstitial fluidopathy". Linking CNS interstitial fluidopathy with CSVD will open a better insight pertaining to the perivascular space fluid dynamics in CSVD pathophysiology. This may lead to the development of treatment and therapeutic strategies to ameliorate the pathology and adverse effect of CSVD.
  14. Fulltext Successful Treatment of Sternal Osteomyelitis and Mediastinitis Caused by Rhizopus Following Cardiac Surgery
    Tiew TC, Md Ali NA, Ismail MI, Abdul Rahman MR, Ding CH, Tzar MN
    Cureus, 2024 Jun;16(6):e62312.
    PMID: 39006712 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.62312
    Sternal osteomyelitis and mediastinitis are rare yet severe complications post-cardiac surgery, often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Fungal etiologies, particularly those caused by Rhizopus spp., are infrequent but can lead to aggressive infections. Here, we present the case of a 68-year-old male who developed sternal osteomyelitis and mediastinitis caused by Rhizopus spp. two weeks following coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Debridement and pectoralis flap reconstruction were performed following clinical identification and confirmation with microbiological examinations and a CT scan. Prompt recognition, aggressive surgical intervention, and targeted antifungal therapy were crucial for successful management. This case underscores the importance of considering fungal pathogens, such as Rhizopus, in the differential diagnosis of post-cardiac surgery infections, as well as aggressive treatment to improve outcomes for affected patients.
  15. Optimizing reproductive performance in pangasius catfish broodstock: A review of dietary and molecular strategies
    Torsabo D, Ishak SD, Noordin NM, Waiho K, Koh ICC, Yazed MA, et al.
    Vet Anim Sci, 2024 Sep;25:100375.
    PMID: 39005967 DOI: 10.1016/j.vas.2024.100375
    Pangasius catfish, a significant player in the global whitefish market, encounters challenges in aquaculture production sustainability. Quality broodstock maintenance and seed production are impeded by growth, maturation, and fecundity issues. This review investigates the efficacy of strategic nutrient composition and molecular strategies in enhancing broodstock conditions and reproductive performance across various fish species. A notable knowledge gap for Pangasius catfish hampers aquaculture progress. The review assesses nutrient manipulation's impact on reproductive physiology, emphasizing pangasius broodstock. A systematic review analysis following PRISMA guidelines was conducted to identify research trends and hotspots quantitatively, revealing a focus on P. bocourti and fertilization techniques. Addressing this gap, the review offers insights into dietary nutrients manipulation and genetic tool utilization for improved seed production, contributing to pangasius catfish aquaculture sustainability.
  16. Bangladesh needs to put a stop to malpractice in mental health-care services
    Faruk MO, Haque S, Mozumder MK, Kadir M, Islam A, Gayen TK, et al.
    Lancet Psychiatry, 2024 Aug;11(8):588-589.
    PMID: 39025628 DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(24)00185-8
  17. Classification of optic neuritis in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders (NMOSD) on MRI using CNN with transfer learning and manipulation of pre-processing on augmentation
    Feng Y, Chow LS, Gowdh NM, Ramli N, Tan LK, Abdullah S
    Biomed Phys Eng Express, 2024 Aug 14.
    PMID: 39142299 DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/ad6f17
    Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), also known as Devic disease, is an autoimmune central nervous system disorder in humans that commonly causes inflammatory demyelination in the optic nerves and spinal cord. Inflammation in the optic nerves is termed optic neuritis (ON). ON is a common clinical presentation; however, it is not necessarily present in all NMOSD patients. ON in NMOSD can be relapsing and result in severe vision loss. To the best of our knowledge, no study utilises deep learning to classify ON changes on MRI among patients with NMOSD. Therefore, this study aims to deploy eight state-of-the-art CNN models (Inception-v3, Inception-ResNet-v2, ResNet-101, Xception, ShuffleNet, DenseNet-201, MobileNet-v2, and EfficientNet-B0) with transfer learning to classify NMOSD patients with and without chronic ON using optic nerve magnetic resonance imaging. This study also investigated the effects of data augmentation before and after dataset splitting on cropped and whole images. Both quantitative and qualitative assessments (with Grad-Cam) were used to evaluate the performances of the CNN models. The Inception-v3 was identified as the best CNN model for classifying ON among NMOSD patients, with accuracy of 99.5%, sensitivity of 98.9%, specificity of 93.0%, precision of 100%, NPV of 99.0%, and F1-score of 99.4%. This study also demonstrated that the application of augmentation after dataset splitting could avoid information leaking into the testing datasets, hence producing more realistic and reliable results.
  18. Corrigendum to 'Unpacking the environmental quality through the effects of natural resources, renewable energy consumption, banking development and industrial value addition: An empirical evidence from BRICS countries' [J. Environ. Manage. 367, September 2024, 122058]
    Adnan Bashir M, Qing L, Dewil R, Xi Z, Razi U, Jingting L
    J Environ Manage, 2024 Aug 16.
    PMID: 39153948 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122221
  19. Unpacking the environmental quality through the effects of natural resources, renewable energy consumption, banking development and industrial value addition: An empirical evidence from BRICS countries
    Bashir MA, Qing L, Dewil R, Xi Z, Razi U, Jingting L
    J Environ Manage, 2024 Sep;367:122058.
    PMID: 39106799 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122058
    This study explores the association between natural resources rent, industrial value addition, banking development, renewable energy consumption, total reserves and environmental quality in the dynamic context of BRICS nations from 1995 to 2019. BRICS economies are responsible for global greenhouse gas emissions and confront pressing environmental challenges, including biodiversity loss and pollution. For the dependent variable, the environmental quality, the study constructed a composite index using PCA for all environmental indicators where interdependencies among variables are prevalent. Besides this, the study incorporates two interaction terms to determine the indirect influence of natural resource rent and banking development on environmental quality through the mediating role of industrial value addition. By applying the CS-ARDL technique, the outcomes of the study reveal that natural resources rent, industrial value addition, and total reserves positively influence ENQ, indicating the adverse consequences of industrial sectors on environmental quality and continued environmental degradation due to resource-intensive industrial production, underscoring the urgency of sustainable resource management. In contrast, banking development and renewable energy consumption negatively influence ENQ, signifying the positive role of developed banking sectors in supporting eco-friendly projects and enhancing environmental quality. This study offers valuable insights for policy interventions to foster a more sustainable future.
  20. Fulltext Adaptation of a fluoroquinolone-sensitive Shigella sonnei to norfloxacin exposure
    Wong BC, Law SKK, Md Zoqratt MZH, Ayub Q, Tan HS
    R Soc Open Sci, 2024 Jun;11(6):232025.
    PMID: 39100177 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.232025
    Shigella causes shigellosis that requires antibiotic treatment in severe cases. Sublethal antibiotic concentrations can promote resistance, but their effect on antibiotic-sensitive bacteria before resistance development is unclear. This study investigated the effects of sublethal norfloxacin (NOR) challenges on a NOR-sensitive strain, Shigella sonnei UKMCC1015. Firstly, the whole genome of S. sonnei UKMCC1015 was assembled, and 45 antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes were identified. Interestingly, transcriptomic analysis showed that low NOR levels do not change either the expression of the AMR genes or NOR targets such as gyrA. Instead, multiple ribosomal protein genes were downregulated, which could be attributed to decreased ribosomal protein promoter activity, modulated by elevated guanosine pentaphosphate and tetraphosphate (ppGpp) levels. This alarmone is involved in the bacterial stringent response during environmental stress, and it is mainly produced from the ppGpp synthetase (relA). Additionally, we observed that a relA overexpression (prolonged period of elevated ppGpp levels) may negatively affect the NOR tolerance of the bacteria. In conclusion, this study revealed that a NOR-sensitive strain responds differently to sublethal NOR than commonly reported in resistant strains.
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