'Ecstacy' Study Results Promising for PTSD
https://ift.tt/2qkylNN Oct. 30, 2018 -- The long-banned “club drug” MDMA showed strong results as a treatment against posttraumatic stress disorder in its largest and longest study to date, researchers reported Monday. The phase II clinical trial followed 28 patients with chronic PTSD, including military veterans and crime victims, who took the drug during three daylong psychotherapy sessions over 3 months. After two sessions, 43% of the group that received active doses of MDMA no longer met the definition of PTSD, compared to 33% who got a low dose of the drug as a placebo. And a year after the first session, 76% of the active-dose group no longer had PTSD, according to results published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. The long-term results are better than those seen in previous MDMA studies, says Brad Burge, a spokesman for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, which funded the research. “That efficacy actually increases the more time passes,” Burge says. “That’s absolutely remarkable, especially when compared to traditional treatments where people have to take drugs for months or years, or for the rest of their lives, to see any benefit at all.” Doctors diagnose posttraumatic stress disorder in people who’ve experienced a life-threatening event by looking at a battery of symptoms, including nightmares, flashbacks, or feelings of depression. These new results don’t mean that all the problems associated with participants’ PTSD have gone away, “but they don’t qualify for a diagnosis of PTSD anymore,” Burge says. MDMA is the active ingredient in what’s commonly known as “ecstasy” or “Molly.” It was invented in 1912 as a way to boost pharmaceutical production, but starting in the 1970s, psychiatrists found it enhanced communication with patients. By the mid-1980s, it was becoming widely abused, and the U.S. government banned it in 1985. The latest MDMA study, conducted at a private clinic in Boulder, CO, produced no serious adverse events related to the drug. MDMA can cause the heart to race and blood pressure to jump, but the participants handled the drug well, the researchers report. Researchers have been giving MDMA and other hallucinogenic drugs a second look for a variety of hard-to-treat mental health issues in recent years. The shift in thinking is significant as not only did the federal government classify these drugs as having no acceptable medical uses and a high potential for abuse, but many researchers believed they were too powerful to use therapeutically. But many officials and researchers now believe the mental health field is facing “a moment of great need” that’s prompted some rethinking. The FDA last week granted “breakthrough therapy” status to another long-banned drug, psilocybin -- the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms -- as a potential therapy for treatment-resistant depression. COMPASS Pathways, the U.S.-U.K. consortium behind the psilocybin research, says it plans to conduct the first large-scale psilocybin therapy trial over the next year. “The breakthrough therapy designation is a strong endorsement for the potential of psilocybin therapy,” Robin Carhart-Harris, MD, head of the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial College London, says in a statement announcing the move. “We look forward to learning more as further clinical studies are carried out, by our team at Imperial College as well as in COMPASS's multi-center trial." Breakthrough designation is granted to drugs that show “substantial improvement” in clinical studies over existing treatments for serious conditions, such as depression. Earlier research led by Johns Hopkins University concluded that psilocybin showed promise in fighting anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer, raising the prospect that it could help relieve those conditions where conventional antidepressants have had little effect. “For the second time in a year, we have the FDA determining that a psychedelic-assisted therapy could be a significant advance over what’s currently available for mental health treatment,” Burge says. “That’s very different from the last 40 years of regulatory, political and cultural attitudes around these drugs.” Regulators named MDMA a breakthrough therapy in 2017, which could put it on the fast track to approval if an upcoming phase III trial produces positive results. “It’s been decades since psychiatry has had a new set of tools available to it,” Burge says. “And here we have psychedelics entering as a whole new class of pharmaceuticals that when used in combination with psychotherapy, could actually be better than conventional treatments.” Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ October 30, 2018 at 01:45PM
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The Vegan Gods Have Answered Our Prayers and Sent This Plant-Based Pizza Burrito to Costco10/30/2018
The Vegan Gods Have Answered Our Prayers and Sent This Plant-Based Pizza Burrito to Costco
https://ift.tt/2DcKehb Which is the ultimate comfort food: pizza or burritos? Now you don't have to choose thanks to this pizza burrito found at Costco. And not only did the geniuses at Alpha Foods think to dream up this delicious combo, they made it 100 percent plant-based, which means no dairy, no meat, and cholesterol- and GMO-free. The pizza burrito is made with meatless, sausage-style crumble, dairy-free cheese, grilled peppers, mushrooms, and onions in a tangy pizza sauce - yum! Each burrito is 310 calories, 10 grams of fat, 45 grams of carbs, two grams of fiber, two grams of sugar, and 11 grams of protein. Instagram user @bigboxvegan came across this pizza burrito in Costco, and Alpha Foods reposted the photo saying that you can currently find it in Southeast states, but it will be more widely available if it sells well. Fingers crossed that it makes its way to your local Costco, and you can devour this savory vegan concoction! Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI October 30, 2018 at 01:01PM
4 in 10 Believe Alternative Therapies Cure Cancer
https://ift.tt/2CSE0Ct TUESDAY, Oct. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Despite evidence to the contrary, four in 10 Americans believe alternative therapies can cure cancer, a new survey finds. Research shows that cancer death rates are much higher among patients who use only alternative therapies than among those who receive standard cancer treatments, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The group's second annual National Cancer Opinion Survey also found that many Americans oppose limiting cancer patients' access to opioid painkillers (such as OxyContin) and support the use of medical marijuana by cancer patients. The high cost of cancer also emerged as a major concern among Americans. "This survey serves as a barometer of the American people's views on important cancer-related issues," said ASCO President Dr. Monica Bertagnolli. "It's revealed a number of critical areas we urgently need to address -- from correcting widespread misinformation about cancer treatments, to ensuring patients have access to the pain medication they need, to alleviating the financial distress both patients and their loved ones experience too frequently," Bertagnolli said in a society news release. The online survey, conducted in July and August, included almost 4,900 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. About 1,000 have or have had cancer. The survey found that 39 percent of respondents -- including a high number of cancer patients and family caregivers -- believe cancer can be cured using just alternative therapies, such as enzyme and oxygen therapy, diet, vitamins and minerals. According to ASCO Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard Schilsky, "There's no question that evidence-based cancer therapy is necessary to effectively treat the disease." He added: "The vast majority of alternative therapies either haven't been rigorously studied or haven't been found to benefit patients. When patients are making critical decisions about which cancer treatments to undergo, it is always best to follow the evidence from well-designed research studies." Younger people -- between 18 and 53 -- were more likely to put their faith in alternative therapies, the survey revealed. A recent study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute underscored the danger of such thinking: The death rate from common cancers for people who receive only alternative medicine treatments is 2.5 times higher than for patients who receive standard treatments, such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and hormone-based therapies. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ October 30, 2018 at 12:56PM
'Increased-Risk' Transplant Safer Than Waiting
https://ift.tt/2CSySOJ Dennis and Loree Blough, Laguna Hills, CA. Michael Mulvihill, MD, research fellow in surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC. Journal of the American College of Cardiology: "Decline of Increased Risk Donor Offers on Waitlist Survival in Heart Transplantation." Transplantation: "The 'PHS Increased Risk' Label Is Associated with Nonutilization of Hundreds of Organs per Year." Mandeep Mehra, MD, medical director, Heart and Vascular Center, Brigham & Women's Hospital; professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School. Jon Kobashigawa, MD, director, heart transplant program, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Smidt Heart Institute, Los Angeles. David Klassen, MD, chief medical officer, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). CDC: Donor Screening and Testing, June 17, 2013. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network: "Understanding HIV HBV HCV risks from increased risk donors," June 2017. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ October 30, 2018 at 12:34PM
Can't Seem to Kick That Cough? Try These Natural Remedies, Recommended by Experts
https://ift.tt/2Rq3gUC Even if you get your flu shot, sleep a solid seven to eight hours each night, and wash your hands religiously, there's a good chance you'll still come down with a cold this Winter - and with it, a nagging cough. (After all, by a certain point in cold and flu season, places like your office are literally crawling with germs.) While most doctors agree that your best line of defense is an over-the-counter cold medicine, as well as nasal irrigation systems and lozenges, they also recommend some more natural methods for soothing a cough. Here are five that, while not as ironclad as a medication, get the expert stamp of approval. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI October 30, 2018 at 12:20PM
Intermittent Fasting Works, but Only If You Fast For This Long
https://ift.tt/2CR8AfF Intermittent fasting (IF), a way of eating that involves going through periods of deliberately not eating (fasting) interspersed with periods of eating, has become a popular way for people to lose weight, regulate insulin levels, and lower blood sugar. As popular as intermittent fasting has become, there's no one-size-fits-all plan. There are several ways to do intermittent fasting; one of the most popular is the Leangains diet, or 16:8. This is where you fast for 16 hours a day and only eat in an 8-hour window, such as from noon until 8 p.m. However, you don't have to adhere to 16:8 strictly. There are other methods of fasting people follow, such as 14:10 or even 12:12. Unfortunately, there is a cutoff for how long your fasting window should be if you want to see results from intermittent fasting. Registered dietitian Susan Dixon, MPH, MS, said that research suggests that limiting your feeding window to between eight and 11 hours and your fasting time to between 13 and 16 hours keeps insulin levels lower for a longer period of time throughout the day. "However, that doesn't mean the relationship is cause and effect," she told POPSUGAR. "It has been observed in the literature that people who fast for 13 or more hours nightly tend to be less likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, large waist circumference, obesity, and elevated blood lipids." She added that these benefits aren't observed in fasting windows of 12 hours or less. And while these benefits go beyond weight loss, if you are looking to lose weight with IF, you still need to make sure you're eating in a calorie deficit without going below 1,200 calories a day. To find your exact calorie target for weight loss, use this formula. If intermittent fasting intrigues you, make sure you find a plan that works for you. But if you are looking to do IF daily, make sure you fast for at least 13 hours. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI October 30, 2018 at 12:01PM
US Women's Gymnastics Wins World Title and Secures Their Spot at the 2020 Olympics
https://ift.tt/2Q7q8YK The USA women's gymnastics team has done it again! They finished the women's competition today with a total of 171.629 points, 8.766 more points than Russia. According to the USA Gymnastics Twitter account, "The margin of victory is the United States's largest of their six World Team titles." Simone Biles, Grace McCallum, Morgan Hurd, Kara Eaker, Riley McCusker, and Ragan Smith (the alternate) have officially secured their spot at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, and we are beyond ecstatic. The women's team was favored to win going into the final competition with the top preliminary score. The ladies showed up and showed out, and they're just getting started. Simone and reigning champion Morgan Hurd will be competing in the all-around final on Thursday Nov. 1, 2018. Kara Eaker, Simone, and Morgan will also compete in the apparatus final on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018 and Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018.
Related:
Simone Biles Conquered World Championships, Hours After a Trip to the ER For a Kidney Stone
Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI October 30, 2018 at 11:18AM
Test Your Core Strength With This Trainer's Intense, 5-Move Ab Workout
https://ift.tt/2DcP2TZ If planks, crunches, and mountain climbers have become extremely easy for you to do, it's time to upgrade your core workout. If you aren't sure what could be harder than holding a plank for two minutes, Australian-based trainer Shona Vertue has an extremely challenging core workout for you to try. Trust us, this routine is going to fire up every muscle in your core. You'll more than likely be sore tomorrow, but hey, at least you can sleep well knowing your core is getting stronger. The Dumbbell Core Workout
If you aren't familiar with the moves, be sure to watch Shona perform each exercise in the video above. Health via POPSUGAR Fitness https://ift.tt/2mWxwLI October 30, 2018 at 10:39AM
Halloween: Keep A Close Eye on the Treats, Pets
https://ift.tt/2CTgqWf Oct. 30, 2018 -- At Halloween, a sweet treat for children can play a dangerous trick on an unsuspecting pet’s digestive system. Scott Fowler, doctor of veterinary medicine for Atlanta’s Briarcliff Animal Clinic, has often seen multiple owners lined up with sick dogs who’ve gotten into unsecured Halloween candy, particularly chocolate. “I’ve seen a ton of chocolate here this time of year, for sure. Adults give children candy, and they leave it out where dogs can find it,” Fowler says. “You get a line of people outside [the waiting room], with four to five dogs sitting there, potentially puking things up. And then you have to collect the puke and see what they had.” But How Much Chocolate?Chocolate is one of the most commonly ingested pet dangers, accounting for 7% of all cases reported to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Fowler finds that a small or “fun-sized” amount of chocolate usually isn’t a cause for alarm. “We have a formula that compares the weight of the dog with the amount of what he ate,” he says. “Most candy bars have a decently low amount of chocolate. If a Labrador ate a mini-Snickers, it won’t do much. If a papillon or a chihuahua did, I’d be more concerned.” Often the kind of chocolate can be as concerning as the quantity. “Darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate or white chocolate because it has higher levels of methylxanthines,” says Morieka Johnson, writer and host of the pet care blog and podcast “SoulPup: Tips & Tricks for Dog Lovers.” A cause for worry with chocolate are mild stimulants known as methylxanthines, including theobromine and caffeine. They’re in coffee and cocoa beans as well as some medications. “Side effects [in dogs] include vomiting and diarrhea, excessive thirst, abnormal heart rhythm, seizures and [in extreme cases] even death,” Johnson says. It's Not Just HalloweenHalloween isn’t the only holiday when dogs can get into food that’s dangerous for them. Edible presents may be left under Christmas trees, loved ones can exchange chocolates at Valentine’s Day and Easter egg hunts often involve candy at a dog’s eye-level, with dire potential results. “Candy and human snacks can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and in some circumstances pancreatitis, a serious illness which may require hospitalization,” says Leni Kaplan, veterinarian and clinician with the Community Service Practice at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals in Ithaca, NY. Paula Emde of Atlanta dealt with the consequences of a dog eating candy many years ago when Boutros, her German shepherd mix, got into three boxes of foil-wrapped, brandy-filled dark chocolates recently brought from Germany. “We went out for the evening and left three 24-packs on the hutch, and when we got back, all of them were gone, with shreds of paper and foil on the floor,” Emde says. She immediately called her vet, who advised her to induce vomiting by giving Boutros a spoonful of hydrogen peroxide and then monitoring him closely. Beyond ChocolateChocolate isn’t the only kind of candy that can be harmful to pets. “Sugar-free gum can have xylitol, an artificial sweetener. It can cause low blood sugar. The body can’t recognize it, so pumps out more insulin to get rid of it,” Fowler says. Grapes and raisins, while considered healthy snack alternatives for humans, can be problematic for dogs. “They can cause significant kidney and red blood cell damage in dogs,” Fowler says. Veterinarians from the Veterinary Emergency & Referral Group (VERG), a 24-hour specialty and emergency veterinary hospital group based in Brooklyn, NY, recommend pet owners keep candy in a confined, elevated location like a pantry. Kaplan suggests that any food items that create pet dangers be kept in secure locations. “Restrict access to chocolate, coffee, caffeine, macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins and any food containing xylitol or psychoactive cannabinoids such as marijuana,” Kaplan says. “Pets must also be kept away from any beverages containing alcohol.” One Lucky PoochIn the case of Boutros, the vets considered the brandy a greater risk than the dark chocolate, even after inducing vomiting. “They were concerned that it would be a double whammy and told me that if he showed signs of being drunk, to take him to the emergency vet,” Emde says. “And after about an hour, Boutros started acting like he was drunk – he was staggering, his eyes were glassy and he was reeking of alcohol.” Emde took Boutros to a veterinary emergency room, where he was given activated charcoal to absorb toxic substances in his belly and decrease absorption into his bloodstream. While vets often use a funnel to get the activated charcoal into a dog’s system, in this case Boutros’ indiscriminate eating habits were an advantage, as he gobbled it up mixed with canned dog food, much to the vet techs’ surprise. Afterwards, Boutros was fine and his eating habits undeterred. Fowler points out that the local vet isn’t your only potential resource. “For people whose animals have ingested something, the ASPCA has a pet poison hot line with toxicologists on call. [The owners] can ask them ‘Here’s the amount they ate, is this a major concern?’ and they will say ‘You’re likely looking at this potential situation, here’s the treatment we recommend.’” The number is (888) 426-4435. Real Foods to Watch Out ForFowler points out that items considered traditional table scraps for pets can be harmful, even if they don’t contain toxins. “At Thanksgiving, they get scrap food from the table. Things high in fat, like the uneaten bits of ham or steak, can cause upset stomach or pancreatitis, which can be severe enough that they have to be hospitalized.” Even chewing can lead to problems that result in high vet bills. “Bones, like the center bone of ham, can fracture their teeth,” says Fowler. “Labradors come in who have been chewing on antlers and rawhides for years and can get fractures in their teeth. My rule of thumb is, if you hit something against your knee and it hurts, it’s too hard to give to a dog.” Some dogs even gnaw on jack-o’-lanterns or uncarved pumpkins. “Pumpkin is safe for pets to eat as long as it is not moldy,” Kaplan says. If your pet eats moldy pumpkin, contact a veterinarian immediately. Pumpkin rinds are safe to chew on as long as the pet is being supervised and does not actually eat the rinds. If a pet swallows rind, Kaplan says, it could become lodged in the gastrointestinal tract which will require veterinary medical attention and surgery. Cat owners seldom have to deal with their pets eating toxic foodstuffs, but that doesn’t mean they have no risk of emergency vet visits at the holidays. “It’s more likely that they’ll swallow foreign bodies like string, toys or tinsel from Christmas trees,” Fowler says. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ October 30, 2018 at 09:12AM
Halloween: Keep A Close Eye on the Treats, Pets
https://ift.tt/2QbwlD6 Oct. 30, 2018 -- At Halloween, a sweet treat for children can play a dangerous trick on an unsuspecting pet’s digestive system. Scott Fowler, doctor of veterinary medicine for Atlanta’s Briarcliff Animal Clinic, has often seen multiple owners lined up with sick dogs who’ve gotten into unsecured Halloween candy, particularly chocolate. “I’ve seen a ton of chocolate here this time of year, for sure. Adults give children candy, and they leave it out where dogs can find it,” Fowler says. “You get a line of people outside [the waiting room], with four to five dogs sitting there, potentially puking things up. And then you have to collect the puke and see what they had.” But How Much Chocolate?Chocolate is one of the most commonly ingested pet dangers, accounting for 7% of all cases reported to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Fowler finds that a small or “fun-sized” amount of chocolate usually isn’t a cause for alarm. “We have a formula that compares the weight of the dog with the amount of what he ate,” he says. “Most candy bars have a decently low amount of chocolate. If a Labrador ate a mini-Snickers, it won’t do much. If a papillon or a chihuahua did, I’d be more concerned.” Often the kind of chocolate can be as concerning as the quantity. “Darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate or white chocolate because it has higher levels of methylxanthines,” says Morieka Johnson, writer and host of the pet care blog and podcast “SoulPup: Tips & Tricks for Dog Lovers.” A cause for worry with chocolate are mild stimulants known as methylxanthines, including theobromine and caffeine. They’re in coffee and cocoa beans as well as some medications. “Side effects [in dogs] include vomiting and diarrhea, excessive thirst, abnormal heart rhythm, seizures and [in extreme cases] even death,” Johnson says. It's Not Just HalloweenHalloween isn’t the only holiday when dogs can get into food that’s dangerous for them. Edible presents may be left under Christmas trees, loved ones can exchange chocolates at Valentine’s Day and Easter egg hunts often involve candy at a dog’s eye-level, with dire potential results. “Candy and human snacks can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and in some circumstances pancreatitis, a serious illness which may require hospitalization,” says Leni Kaplan, veterinarian and clinician with the Community Service Practice at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals in Ithaca, NY. Paula Emde of Atlanta dealt with the consequences of a dog eating candy many years ago when Boutros, her German shepherd mix, got into three boxes of foil-wrapped, brandy-filled dark chocolates recently brought from Germany. “We went out for the evening and left three 24-packs on the hutch, and when we got back, all of them were gone, with shreds of paper and foil on the floor,” Emde says. She immediately called her vet, who advised her to induce vomiting by giving Boutros a spoonful of hydrogen peroxide and then monitoring him closely. Beyond ChocolateChocolate isn’t the only kind of candy that can be harmful to pets. “Sugar-free gum can have xylitol, an artificial sweetener. It can cause low blood sugar. The body can’t recognize it, so pumps out more insulin to get rid of it,” Fowler says. Grapes and raisins, while considered healthy snack alternatives for humans, can be problematic for dogs. “They can cause significant kidney and red blood cell damage in dogs,” Fowler says. Veterinarians from the Veterinary Emergency & Referral Group (VERG), a 24-hour specialty and emergency veterinary hospital group based in Brooklyn, NY, recommend pet owners keep candy in a confined, elevated location like a pantry. Kaplan suggests that any food items that create pet dangers be kept in secure locations. “Restrict access to chocolate, coffee, caffeine, macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins and any food containing xylitol or psychoactive cannabinoids such as marijuana,” Kaplan says. “Pets must also be kept away from any beverages containing alcohol.” One Lucky PoochIn the case of Boutros, the vets considered the brandy a greater risk than the dark chocolate, even after inducing vomiting. “They were concerned that it would be a double whammy and told me that if he showed signs of being drunk, to take him to the emergency vet,” Emde says. “And after about an hour, Boutros started acting like he was drunk – he was staggering, his eyes were glassy and he was reeking of alcohol.” Emde took Boutros to a veterinary emergency room, where he was given activated charcoal to absorb toxic substances in his belly and decrease absorption into his bloodstream. While vets often use a funnel to get the activated charcoal into a dog’s system, in this case Boutros’ indiscriminate eating habits were an advantage, as he gobbled it up mixed with canned dog food, much to the vet techs’ surprise. Afterwards, Boutros was fine and his eating habits undeterred. Fowler points out that the local vet isn’t your only potential resource. “For people whose animals have ingested something, the ASPCA has a pet poison hot line with toxicologists on call. [The owners] can ask them ‘Here’s the amount they ate, is this a major concern?’ and they will say ‘You’re likely looking at this potential situation, here’s the treatment we recommend.’” The number is (888) 426-4435. Real Foods to Watch Out ForFowler points out that items considered traditional table scraps for pets can be harmful, even if they don’t contain toxins. “At Thanksgiving, they get scrap food from the table. Things high in fat, like the uneaten bits of ham or steak, can cause upset stomach or pancreatitis, which can be severe enough that they have to be hospitalized.” Even chewing can lead to problems that result in high vet bills. “Bones, like the center bone of ham, can fracture their teeth,” says Fowler. “Labradors come in who have been chewing on antlers and rawhides for years and can get fractures in their teeth. My rule of thumb is, if you hit something against your knee and it hurts, it’s too hard to give to a dog.” Some dogs even gnaw on jack-o’-lanterns or uncarved pumpkins. “Pumpkin is safe for pets to eat as long as it is not moldy,” Kaplan says. If your pet eats moldy pumpkin, contact a veterinarian immediately. Pumpkin rinds are safe to chew on as long as the pet is being supervised and does not actually eat the rinds. If a pet swallows rind, Kaplan says, it could become lodged in the gastrointestinal tract which will require veterinary medical attention and surgery. Cat owners seldom have to deal with their pets eating toxic foodstuffs, but that doesn’t mean they have no risk of emergency vet visits at the holidays. “It’s more likely that they’ll swallow foreign bodies like string, toys or tinsel from Christmas trees,” Fowler says. Health via WebMD Health https://www.webmd.com/ October 30, 2018 at 07:54AM |
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