Monthly Archives: May 2022

Havent had COVID yet? Its got to do with more than your T cells – WAtoday

Posted: May 6, 2022 at 12:33 am

It could be in their genes, posits Tangye. Genetic influences are either making people vulnerable to really severe disease but may also contribute to resistance there are populations of people who probably should have been infected and sick but werent.

Exactly which genes have a protective effect is part of an international research project called the COVID Human Genetic Effort, that Christodoulou is involved with.

We are collecting information and DNA from individuals who have been hyperexposed to COVID but who dont seem to contract COVID for example, living in a household where multiple family members were infected, but one member of the household wasnt to see if genetic factors can be identified that might offer protection against COVID infection, says Christodoulou, who is also the chair of Genomic Medicine at the University of Melbourne.

While researchers keep searching for the genetic clues, a new study published at the end of April, found booster shots can increase the range of immune cells, called memory B cells, making them more effective at neutralising COVID.

With any infection or vaccination, our body responds and then forgets the virus, explains Tangye, but becomes better at responding with repeated exposure. The first and second doses are like the training, getting your immune system into good shape and ready to take off and the third really gives you the protection you are primed and ready to go.

So if someone who has recently been vaccinated is exposed to COVID, they may be protected. If they have been boosted, this may provide even more protection, at least for a time.

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The degree of exposure how long we were in contact with someone and whether we were inside or out will also make a difference, as will our behaviour.

People have become much more cognisant of social distancing and washing their hands and wearing masks. There are those non-pharmaceutical interventions people have embraced, Tangye says.

As for how healthy you are generally, that unfortunately wont make us resistant to catching COVID.

We regularly hear of otherwise young, fit and healthy individuals contracting very severe COVID, says Christodoulou. For those otherwise healthy people we know that there are some factors that are associated with this, e.g., having so-called auto-antibodies to type 1 interferons (type 1 interferons are the first line of defence against COVID) or having mutations in genes that are involved in production and function of type 1 interferons.

Being healthy is good. But healthy people are still getting sick. Its not a panacea.

Interestingly, Tangye adds that there are people who naturally have this type 1 interferon pathway turned up a little bit: That can be pathogenic they can get these inflammatory diseases that dont have a defined triggerthese non-infectious, spontaneous flares for no good reason but people with those conditions may well have some resistance to COVID just because they have that innate immune response primed.

These people account for only a fraction of never COVIDs. For the rest, it seems to come down to a combination of immunity, genetics, environment and luck.

Being healthy all round puts you in better shape against infectious diseases and lifestyle disease, says Tangye. Being healthy is good. But healthy people are still getting sick. Its not a panacea.

Most of us may not be able to do much to avoid the virus, but we can still look to never COVIDs for some answers.

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If we can identify genetic reasons why people dont get COVID, it may help inform ways by which SARS COV2 enters or attacks our cells remember viruses are hopeless on their own. They need all the machinery of our cells to be disease-causing, explains Tangye.

So if we can disrupt the human cell processes without too many adverse events we could be better at stopping viral infection.

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.

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Are COVID-resistant people healthier or is it in their genes? – News Azi

Posted: at 12:33 am

It could be in their genes, posits Tangye.

Genetic influences are either making people vulnerable to really severe disease but may also contribute to resistance there are populations of people who probably should have been infected and sick but werent.

Exactly which genes have a protective effect is part of an international research project called the COVID Human Genetic Effort, that Christodoulou is involved with.

We are collecting information and DNA from individuals who have been hyperexposed to COVID but who dont seem to contract COVID for example, living in a household where multiple family members were infected, but one member of the household wasnt to see if genetic factors can be identified that might offer protection against COVID infection, says Christodoulou, who is also the chair of Genomic Medicine at the University of Melbourne.

While researchers keep searching for the genetic clues, a new study published at the end of April, found booster shots can increase the range of immune cells, called memory B cells, making them more effective at neutralising COVID.

With any infection or vaccination, our body responds and then forgets the virus, explains Tangye, but becomes better at responding with repeated exposure. The first and second doses are like the training, getting your immune system into good shape and ready to take off and the third really gives you the protection you are primed and ready to go.

Loading

So if someone who has recently been vaccinated is exposed to COVID, they may be protected. If they have been boosted, this may provide even more protection, at least for a time.

The degree of exposure how long we were in contact with someone and whether we were inside or out will also make a difference, as will our behaviour.

People have become much more cognisant of social distancing and washing their hands and wearing masks. There are those non-pharmaceutical interventions people have embraced, Tangye says.

As for how healthy you are generally, that unfortunately wont make us resistant to catching COVID.

We regularly hear of otherwise young, fit and healthy individuals contracting very severe COVID, says Christodoulou. For those otherwise healthy people we know that there are some factors that are associated with this, e.g., having so-called auto-antibodies to type 1 interferons (type 1 interferons are the first line of defence against COVID) or having mutations in genes that are involved in production and function of type 1 interferons.

Being healthy is good. But healthy people are still getting sick. Its not a panacea.

Interestingly, Tangye adds that there are people who naturally have this type 1 interferon pathway turned up a little bit: That can be pathogenic they can get these inflammatory diseases that dont have a defined triggerthese non-infectious, spontaneous flares for no good reason but people with those conditions may well have some resistance to COVID just because they have that innate immune response primed.

These people account for only a fraction of never COVIDs. For the rest, it seems to come down to a combination of immunity, genetics, environment and luck.

Being healthy all round puts you in better shape against infectious diseases and lifestyle disease, says Tangye. Being healthy is good. But healthy people are still getting sick. Its not a panacea.

Most of us may not be able to do much to avoid the virus, but we can still look to never COVIDs for some answers.

Loading

If we can identify genetic reasons why people dont get COVID, it may help inform ways by which SARS COV2 enters or attacks our cells remember viruses are hopeless on their own. They need all the machinery of our cells to be disease-causing, explains Tangye. So if we can disrupt the human cell processes without too many adverse events we could be better at stopping viral infection.

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Stem cell-derived model provides insights on gene activity and addiction – EurekAlert

Posted: at 12:33 am

image:Researchers at North Carolina State University have demonstrated that neuron-like cells derived from human stem cells can serve as a model for studying changes in the nervous system associated with addiction. The work sheds light on the effect of dopamine on gene activity in neurons, and offers a blueprint for related research moving forward. This image shows stem cell-derived medium spiny-like neuron morphology highlighted by the green fluorescent protein GFP and neuron marker MAP2 in red. view more

Credit: Ryan Tam, NC State University

Researchers at North Carolina State University have demonstrated that neuron-like cells derived from human stem cells can serve as a model for studying changes in the nervous system associated with addiction. The work sheds light on the effect of dopamine on gene activity in neurons, and offers a blueprint for related research moving forward.

It is extremely difficult to study how addiction changes the brain at a cellular level in humans nobody wants to experiment on somebodys brain, says Albert Keung, corresponding author of the study and an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at NCState. What weve done here demonstrates that we can gain a deep understanding of those cellular responses using neuron-like cells derived from human stem cells.

At issue is how cells in our nervous system respond to drugs that are associated with substance abuse and addiction. Our bodies produce a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Its associated with feelings, such as pleasure, that are related to motivation and reward. When neuronal cells in the brains reward pathway are exposed to dopamine, the cells activate a specific suite of genes, triggering the feelings of reward that can make people feel good. Many drugs from alcohol and nicotine to opioids and cocaine cause the body to produce higher levels of dopamine.

In experiments using rodents, researchers have shown that when relevant neuronal cells are exposed to high levels of dopamine for an extended period of time, they become desensitized meaning the cells gene activation is less pronounced in response to the dopamine, Keung says. This is called gene desensitization. However, until now, it hasnt been possible to do an experimental study using human neuronal cells.

Our work here is the first experimental study to demonstrate gene desensitization in human neuronal cells, specifically in response to dopamine, says Ryan Tam, first author of the study and a Ph.D. student at NCState. We dont have to infer that it is happening in human cells; we can show that it is happening in human cells.

In their study, Tam and Keung exposed neuron-like cells derived from human stem cells to varying levels of dopamine for varying periods of time. The researchers found that when cells were exposed to high levels of dopamine for an extended period of time, the relevant reward genes became significantly less responsive.

This is an interesting finding, but its also a proof of concept study, Tam says. Weve demonstrated that gene desensitization to dopamine occurs in human cells, but there is still a lot we dont know about the nature of the relationship between dopamine and gene desensitization.

For example, could higher levels of dopamine cause desensitization at shorter time scales? Or could lower levels of dopamine cause desensitization at longer time scales? Are there threshold levels, or is there some sort of linear relationship? How might the presence of other neurotransmitters or bioactive chemicals affect these responses?

Those are good questions, which future research could address, says Keung. And weve demonstrated that these neuron-like cells derived from human stem cells are a good model for conducting that research.

The paper, Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Medium Spiny Neuron-like Cells Exhibit Gene Desensitization, is published open access in the journal Cells. The work was done with support from an NIH Avenir Award in Genetics and Epigenetics of Substance Abuse, under grant number 1DP1DA044359. The Avenir Award program represents the National Institute onDrug Abuse's commitment to supporting researchers who represent the future of addiction science.

Experimental study

Cells

Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Medium Spiny Neuron-like Cells Exhibit Gene Desensitization

21-Apr-2022

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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The 12 Coolest Scientific Discoveries Of April 2022 – SlashGear

Posted: at 12:33 am

It's been a big month for Perseverance. In addition to reaching Jezero Delta and breaking distance records, (per Space), it also captured the best ever recording of a solar eclipse from the surface of the red planet.

On April 2, 2022, Mars's moon Phobos passed in front of the Sun, looking an awful lot like the slowly wandering eye of Sauron. In addition to just looking really cool, the observations can help scientists to better understand the gravitational relationship between Mars and its two moons, (per NASA).

Perseverance used its Mastcam-Z camera system which is intended to take panoramic and 3D images of the Martian environment while the rover makes its way along the surface. While NASA has captured several eclipses from the Martian surface in the past, going all the way back to Spirit and Opportunity, the Mastcam-Z provided full color, the highest zoom, and best frame rate to date.

As explained by NASA, Phobos is only about 17 miles across at its widest point and it moves pretty fast, orbiting Mars three times per day. As a result, the eclipse was relatively brief, lasting only about 40 seconds.

It's good that we're getting these images while we can. The gravitational relationship between Mars and Phobos is such that eventually, the moon will crash to the planet's surface. Luckily, that won't happen for tens of millions of years.

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The robots arent coming for your jobs at least according to these AI and robotics leaders – GeekWire

Posted: May 3, 2022 at 10:32 pm

Amazon Robotics robots, evolved from the acquisition of Kiva Systems, move shelving units at the companys robotics sortation center outside Pittsburgh. (GeekWire Photo / Todd Bishop)

PITTSBURGH There are no shortage of headlines about automation, artificial intelligence and robotics wiping out large swaths of employment, from truck drivers to painters to food service workers.

But opinions are mixed on the robotics revolution and its potential impact on society.

Globally, 48% of respondents to a Pew Research Center survey said automating jobs historically performed by humans is a good thing, while 42% said it was a bad thing. In the U.S., folks are not as upbeat about the promise of automation in the workplace 50% say its a bad thing, and 41% say its a good thing.

So what do the people building robots think? Well, of course, they dont believe they are contributing to the demise of society.

Instead, they see a harmonious relationship between humans and robots a new workplace in which happier employees focus on higher value tasks and let the robots do the dull, demeaning and dirty jobs. They also feel automation is the one tool that can help fix complex labor and supply chain issues.

Five leaders in the robotics field spoke on the topic Tuesday at the Cascadia Connect Robotics Automation and AI conference in Pittsburgh. The conference is organized by Seattle-based Cascadia Capital, which is underwriting GeekWiresindependent reporting on the topic.

Heres what the leaders had to say:

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What 5 robotics founders say they need to thrive in Pittsburgh – Technical.ly

Posted: at 10:32 pm

They came to talk about self-driving lawnmowers, virtual reality modules for job training and an AI tool that turns speech into simple cartoony images, alongside what they said werebetter ways for retail self-checkout, robotic sensing and disease detection.

Organized by Innovation Works and Carnegie Mellon University, the AI & Robotics Venture Fair, held at the Fairmont Pittsburgh on Monday, gave some of the regions emerging tech companies an opportunity to deliver an elevator pitch in front of investors. Each got five minutes and a chance to answer one question.

A majority of these companies are based in Pittsburgh, with many of them spun out of CMU or founded by CMU grads. With these startups at early or growth stage, Technical.ly asked as few of them why they remain in Pittsburgh and the factors that would encourage them to stay.

Joe Bartels founded sensor maker Phlux Technologies in 2020 after earning his doctorate from CMU.

Joe Bartels. (Photo by Nick Keppler)

Were here to stay, the CEO told Technical.ly. We love Pittsburgh. The company recently moved out of Alpha Gear, the shared working space in East Liberty, and leased its own office space. It is now hiring its core engineering team whichhas led Bartels to start to think that the robotics talent pool in Pittsburgh might not be large enough to accommodate its growing needs.

Theres definitely a great source of talent here, he said, and I think that just needs to accelerate more. Theres more and more robotics companies moving into town, and theyre all looking for the same talent. And so I think the talent pool needs to grow a little bit more

And other companies seem to stop coming, he said with a laugh.

Bartels also said Pittsburgh has an early-stage funding gap, something thats been noted by other local startup leaders. I think theres a lot of easy relatively easy money at the initial onset of starting a company. Then theres a lot of investors that want to invest in the next stage, where its your product and you have a lot of customers. But for the stage that Phlux is in now, where a company is looking to establish personnel, space, and reputation, funding can be scarce.

Based in the Alpha Gear space in East Liberty, Estat Actuation makes actuators, the device in a robotics system that causes it to operate. Cofounder and CEO Stuart Diller developed the technology while earning his doctorate at CMU. When he decided to launch the company, peers and mentors told him to leave Pittsburgh.

Stuart Diller. (Photo by Nick Kepper)

Multiple people said, You have to go to Silicon Valley if youre going to have robotics startup, he said. But with help from the robotics ecosystem, we were able to attract talent back from Silicon Valley to Pittsburgh.

Because the quality of life afforded by people who have ascended to the tech sector, and the citys lower cost of living, Pittsburgh is attractive, he said. Thats particularly true for potential recruits who lived in the city or attended CMU.

He added that it is important for city to maintain its robotics ecosystem of companies that could be partners, of traditional and nontraditional office spaces, of organizations like Innovation Works, and of manufacturing providers for specialty parts.

I expect us to maintain at least maintain a presence here for as long as we have the company, Diller said, and I would expect us to be headquartered here for a while. We dont have immediate plans to move.

Synaptic is a cybersecurity company specially designed for attacks on Linux components. CEO Anthony Gadient, who previously founded three other tech startups, founded Synaptic during the summer of 2020, the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Everybodys remote, he told Technical.ly. Its a completely virtual company. Employees live as far away as Atlanta and San Jose. When he decides to establish a physical office, Pittsburgh would be one of the top three choices. The others are Boston and San Jose.

Pittsburgh is a great location for talent because of the universities, Gadient said. That would be the primary reason to set up an office here, and it probably would be an engineering office. I could see doing that and then having a sales office in Boston and or San Jose.

Anthony Gadient presenting Synaptic Security. (Photo by Nick Keppler)

CEO Vivek Kulkarni left his job at a software company to start ARIN Technologies, which has patented technology for alerting and localization systems for automated machinery, in 2015. He is committed to staying in Pittsburgh for family reasons: My kids are in school, he said. Theyll kill me if we try to move out.

Kulkarni has recruited a mostly remote work force.

Weve been working remotely for a long time, even before the pandemic. For us working remote is almost second nature, he said, so we dont find it hard to work with somebody whos in India or anywhere in the US as long as we can speak in the same language.

As for what Pittsburgh needs, the founder mentioned investors who were willing to take a chance on a company without a Silicon Valley street address.

We could do with more investors, more money flowing into the region, Kulkarni said. We could do with more companies being willing to take chances on startups. Again, it comes from being a smaller city.

Vivek Kulkarni presents ARIN Technologies. (Photo by Nick Keppler)

Spun out of Carnegie Robotics about a year ago, Thoro develops mobile robotics systems designed for repetitive industrial tasks. Joe Hosteny, head of cloud and fleet systems, said the company plans to stay in Pittsburgh, but the city needs to grow its talent pool beyond the plentiful population with engineering backgrounds. Tech companies do need other skillsets, he noted.

I think on the business side, we just need more people whove been through large, successful startups and bring more that sort of the management experience, to the sales, marketing, all those types of things, Hosteny said.

Operating in Pittsburgh presents the kind of challenges you would expect with a smaller town, especially not a primary tech city, he said. Its smaller, and maybe access to capital is a little bit more difficult.

However, Hosteny has been working with Pittsburgh startups since 2000 and the issues of talent and funding have improved considerably: The trajectory is correct. Its just you need to continue them on that trajectory.

Joe Hosteny presents Thoro.ai. (Photo by Nick Keppler)

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Oppy makes first-ever tech investment in robotics Produce Blue Book – Produce Blue Book

Posted: at 10:32 pm

VISALIA, Calif. Initiating their partnership at the beginning of 2021, Bloomfield Robotics and the leading grower, marketer and distributor of fresh produce commenced trials of the tech in its California grape vineyards which revealed quick success. Just one year later, Oppy BB #:116424 is investing in its first-ever technology venture.

Bloomfield Robotics proprietary FLASH camera is attached to a moving vehicle, such as an ATV or tractor, and as it moves through the orchard, takes pixel-by-pixel data.

That data is then processed through its deep learning AI to forecast and manage yield down to the cluster level, detecting and measuring morphologic and phenotypic information to inform decisions and enhance the performance and health of every plant.

Currently underway in their second season and working towards commercialization, the duo are looking toward their next move as strategic partners.

Grapes are just the beginning, said Garland Perkins, who leads innovative efforts at Oppy as senior manager of innovation and sustainability. Were confident that well roll this tech out into other categories in the near future and with Oppys diverse portfolio, we have a wide array of applications to trial.

While its forecasting capabilities provide significantly more data than in-field scouting, according to Perkins, the AI also helps strategically guide the growers commercial crop decisions with precise accuracy.

Were honored and excited to be working so closely with Oppy in an effort to further digitalize their crops, said Mark DeSantis, CEO of Bloomfield Robotics. Our team looks forward to supporting Oppy, a company that has grown and delivered fruits and vegetables from around the world for nearly 165 years.

Oppy is a proud supporter of Bloomfield Robotics. This valuable and strategic investment in our supply chain underlines our dedication to this technology, concluded Perkins.

About OppyGrowing, marketing and distributing fresh produce from around the globe for more than 160 years, Vancouver, BC-based Oppy discovers and delivers the best of the worlds harvest. With over 50 million boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables grown on every continent moving through its supply chain annually, Oppy offers popular favorites from avocados and berries to apples and oranges year-round, alongside innovative seasonal specialties. Over the years, Oppy has introduced North Americans to a number of items across its diverse produce range, including Granny Smith, JAZZ and Envy apples, as well as green and gold kiwifruit. Go to http://www.oppy.com to learn more.

About Bloomfield RoboticsBloomfield provides an easy-to-use, cost effective way to assess the health and performance of specialty crops, one plant at a time, with deep learning and imaging to customers across three continents. Go to http://www.bloomfield.ai to learn more.

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OIA Robotics team receives $2k from Southern Star, going to nationals 3rd straight year – The Owensboro Times

Posted: at 10:32 pm

Owensboro Innovation Academys Robotics team received $2,000 from Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline to help support the team as they head to the national competition in Texas this week.

Team Captains Michael Gray and Luke Austin said that the money will help the team fund more opportunities for the engineering programs and give them the ability to host more tournaments this upcoming season.

It also means we get to buy certain new sensors, all that type jazz for engineering. It means that we are able to work on more projects have more metal for pinball machines that we have, Gray said.

The amount came as a surprise to the team, as they didnt know that they were receiving anything.

Competition season for the team is packed with numerous meets, as they compete nearly every other week.

This season marks the third time the team has qualified for nationals but is just the first time they are able to compete in person.

Its not just a national competition; it is global. This year I think theres a little bit of division on that, but we may be playing with people from Canada, from the places in South America, Gray said. Theres a lot of different opportunities to meet people.

Shawn Patterson, Executive Vice President/COO of Southern Star, said the donation for the robotics team also marks their commitment to supporting youth and STEM programs around Owensboro.

Weve been able to partner with OIA for 4 years now and hopefully helped the team that qualified for nationals to travel down to nationals and bring home another trophy, Patterson said.

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MarketBeat Podcast: Investing In Innovation, Robotics, AI and Healthcare – Entrepreneur

Posted: at 10:32 pm

In today's show, Kate chats with Bill Studebaker, president and chief investment officer at ROBO Global ETFs, an index, advisory, and research company focused on fast-growing industries including robotics, artificial intelligence, and healthcare technology.In this interview, Kate and Bill discuss:What is causing robotics and A/I to decline at a faster rate than the broader market?How have current events put tech companies in the eye of the storm?How Bills robo index trades on earnings and is designed that way to weather an economic storm.Why companies in the automation field may bounce back due to large order backlogs? Does this mean certain stocks are mispriced right now?What industries will benefit from increased automation?How did various developments surrounding Covid give a boost to logistics and supply chain automation?Will consumers drive the next round of demand in the supply-chain automation industry?How is health care being transformed by surgical robotics providers?What company in Bills portfolio enables Amazon to track and manage an ever-growing stream of orders?What other company is a leader in the growing area of warehouse management solutions?What does Bill expect to see with earnings among companies in the robo index this year?How should retail investors approach the robotics and automation industry without getting caught up in hype?Stocks mentioned in this interview:Fanuc (FANUY)Teradyne (TER)Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)Zebra Technologies (ZBRA)Manhattan Associates (MANH)

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Sarasota robotics team competes for best in the world – ABC Action News Tampa Bay

Posted: at 10:32 pm

SARASOTA, Fla. They call themselves the Blackout Robotics Team. Theyre sort of like the Ninja Turtles of engineering at Suncoast Polytechnical High School. They even have a Rafael.

Everybody knows who the four are, were the ones with the robots, everybody talks about us, said Rafael Treminio Bravo.

We all have our niche and we all adapt to what roles need to be completed, said Armand Segui.

Cannon Spencer does the designing, Quinn Coomer does the programming, Rafael does the building and Segui does the driving.

This group of seniors has been building bots together since 6th grade. Spencers living room has been turned into their personal workshop.

Its kind of fun, its like an everlasting sleepover with my best friends, working with robotics, its our favorite thing to do, said Spencer.

They say most of the time working together is a blast, but every once in a while theyll find themselves in a dispute.

Oh yea, definitely without those head butts we wouldnt go anywhere, said Bravo.

What they can all agree on is they want to be the best. Over the years theyve racked up more than 60 awards, including state and national titles.

I dont think I would do it with any other people, I could do it in college as well, but I dont think it will be the same, said Segui.

So this May 5-7 marks their final match together and their most challenging, the VEX World Championship in Dallas, where they will compete against 800 teams from around the world.

Everyone has access to the same parts, but how you use those parts is up to each team. The good news for Blackout Robotics, theyve been preparing for this since middle school.

It would be amazing, its something I dreamed of since I started robotics, wed be fulfilling the legacy of Blackout, it would be a good close on our chapter, said Coomer.

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