Yale designates labs in three states to provide SalivaDirect™ COVID-19 test - Yale News
https://ift.tt/367gfVQ Yale has designated three independent laboratories to perform the university-developed SalivaDirect™ COVID-19 test. Along with Yale Pathology Labs — the first to offer the test — Access Medical Laboratories, Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), and Mirimus, Inc., represent the initial wave of providers for the innovative testing method. They will make SalivaDirect™ available to people in Florida, Minnesota and New York by late September. SalivaDirect™ was developed by a Yale School of Public Health research team led by Nathan Grubaugh, assistant professor, and Anne Wyllie, associate research scientist. Their method is less prone to supply chain bottlenecks, more economical, and less invasive than nasopharyngeal (NP) swabbing, the most common form of testing available currently. The test received FDA Emergency Use Authorization on Aug. 15. “After discovering saliva is a promising sample type for SARS-CoV-2 detection, we have made it our mission to develop a testing method that is accurate, affordable, and accessible to all,” said Wyllie. “Our hope is that eventually every person that needs a COVID-19 test will be able to get one. Our laboratory partners are instrumental in ensuring schools and other essential institutions can remain open and healthy.” In a spring 2020 pilot program led by the Yale School of Public Health, The National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), SalivaDirect™ was used to successfully test asymptomatic people within the NBA. This success attracted the attention of laboratories nationwide. “Having seen the ease and effectiveness of using SalivaDirect™ to test our players and staff for COVID-19 firsthand, I am looking forward to seeing these laboratories help us achieve the overall mission of rolling out an affordable test to the masses, especially those in our most vulnerable communities,” said Robby Sikka, vice president of basketball performance and technology for the Minnesota Timberwolves. “We are proud and excited to see these labs partner with schools and other area organizations to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.” SalivaDirect™ does not require any special type of swab or collection device; a saliva sample can be collected in any sterile container. As stated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “this test is also unique because it does not require a separate nucleic acid extraction step. This is significant because the extraction kits used for this step in other tests have been prone to shortages in the past. Being able to perform a test without these kits enhances the capacity for increased testing, while reducing the strain on available resources.” “We are so grateful to extend SalivaDirect™ to these laboratory partners, and because our test does not rely on any proprietary equipment it can be assembled and used in most high-complexity labs across the country. As such, our hope is that many other labs will follow suit,” said Grubaugh. “While we are not looking to commercialize the method, we absolutely want it to be widely available; the only way we will see this pandemic in the rearview mirror is to increase testing in every single neighborhood across the country, regardless of economics.” High-complexity CLIA labs need to apply for designation from Yale and more information on that process can be found on the SalivaDirect website. For laboratory queries* The FDA has authorized SalivaDirect™ for use by designated authorized laboratories under its emergency use authority. The test has been authorized only for the detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2, and not for any other viruses or pathogens. The SalivaDirect test has not been FDA cleared or approved. This test is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostic tests for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner. Health via COVID-19 https://ift.tt/2RRN1ld September 24, 2020 at 11:18PM
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TEA releases public school COVID-19 dashboard - KBTX
https://ift.tt/33PVU4k AUSTIN, Texas (KBTX) - The Texas Education Association has released the Texas public school COVID-19 dashboard. Public schools are required to report positive COVID-19 cases on school campuses. The data will be updated weekly on Wednesdays, according to TEA. User note: To find your school district, click here, and scroll to the bottom of the page, and click “District Level Data File.” All public schools in Texas are featured on the dashboard. In Texas, 3,445 students have reported a positive COVID-19 test, and there have been 2,850 positive staff cases. During the first week of school, an estimated 1,101,065 students were on campus. There are 800,078 staff members, the TEA is using the staff count from the 2019-2020 academic school year. The dashboard lists how many students were enrolled in the district during the first week of school. It shows how many cases have been reported from students and staff during the week, and also lists the cumulative number of cases for students and staff. The dashboard also displays if the person was infected on or off-campus, the information is listed as unknown if the infection site is not known. There dashes when a school has not reported a positive COVID-19 case.
Bryan ISD had 15,508 students enrolled during the first week of school. The week of Sept. 13, there were 9 new student cases and one new staff case. There have been a total of 18 student cases and 15 staff cases. The infection site for all 33 cases is unknown. College Station ISD had 13,351 students enrolled during the first week of school. The week of Sept. 13, there were 6 new student cases and 3 new staff cases. There have been a total of 19 student cases and 6 staff cases. The infection site for all 25 cases is unknown. Huntsville ISD had 160 students enrolled during the first week of school. The week of Sept. 13, there were 4 new student cases and 4 new staff cases. There have been a total of 13 student cases and 14 staff cases. Three people were infected on campus, 14 people were infected off campus, and the infection site for 11 people is unknown. Madisonville ISD had 2,234 students enrolled during the first week of school. The week of Sept. 13, there were 3 new student cases and no new staff cases. There have been a total of 7 student cases and 3 staff cases. The infection site for all 25 cases is unknown. Two people were infected off campus, and the infection site for 8 people is unknown. Navasota ISD had 2,800 students enrolled during the first week of school. The week of Sept. 13, there were 2 new student cases and no new staff cases. There have been a total of 3 student cases and no staff cases. The infection site for all 25 cases is unknown. Two people were infected off campus, and the infection site for one person is unknown. New Waverly ISD had 1,017 students enrolled during the first week of school. The week of Sept. 13, there were 11 new student cases and two new staff cases. There have been a total of 21 student cases and 5 staff cases. The infection site for all 25 cases is unknown. Four people were infected off campus, and the infection site for 23 people is unknown. Copyright 2020 KBTX. All rights reserved. Health via COVID-19 https://ift.tt/2RRN1ld September 24, 2020 at 11:18PM
Are hospitals getting paid more for COVID-19 cases? - WLOS
https://ift.tt/2HvJabN Are hospitals getting paid more for COVID-19 cases? WLOS Health via COVID-19 https://ift.tt/2RRN1ld September 24, 2020 at 11:18PM
Indiana to track COVID-19 in schools with new data dashboard - WKRC TV Cincinnati
https://ift.tt/2RU5vBI Indiana to track COVID-19 in schools with new data dashboard WKRC TV Cincinnati Health via COVID-19 https://ift.tt/2RRN1ld September 24, 2020 at 11:18PM
Nevada COVID-19 positivity up after month-long decline, likely tied to Labor Day parties - Reno Gazette Journal
https://ift.tt/2FYDKFN This story is part of the Reno Gazette Journal's essential coronavirus coverage. Likely spurred by increased exposures to the coronavirus at social gatherings during the Labor Day weekend, Nevada’s statewide daily positivity rate for COVID-19 is on an upward trend after a steady decline over the past month, health officials say. A recent surge in Washoe County and smaller gains in new cases are being reported elsewhere in the tourism-dependent state with the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 13.2%. “We are seeing the beginnings of some trends that could be tied to the Labor Day or to other public exposures that have occurred in the last two weeks right now,” said Caleb Cage, Nevada’s COVID-19 response director. “I think you can see that in our numbers of new cases every day that’ve come up this week: It’s small increases, but there have been noticeable increases to date,” he said Wednesday. Nevada’s seven-day moving average for its daily positivity rate climbed to 8.6% on Wednesday. In Clark County it was 11% and in Washoe County 6.9%. The goal set by the World Health Organization is 5%. The statewide rate had dipped to 6.6% on Sept. 9 after a fairly steady decline dating to Aug. 24 when it was 11.5%. It remained below 7% through Sept. 15 before rising to 7.3% on Sept. 21. Prior to that it was above 12% from July 4 to Aug. 15, including an average above 14% from July 5 to Aug. 3. The peak during that stretch was 15.7% on July 9 — the first time it had exceeded 15% since April. Cage had planned to discuss the situation further at Thursday’s meeting of Nevada’s COVID-19 Mitigation and Management Task Force but the meeting was canceled. The seven-day moving average lags five days behind the daily count so likely will continue to climb, at least in Washoe County where the number of cases has “increased significantly” in recent days, County Health District Officer Kevin Dick said Wednesday. New daily cases have grown from the mid-50s last week to nearly 88 this week. “That’s a week-over-week increase of about 50% of new cases per day we are seeing in Washoe County,” Dick told reporters. “We attribute a number of these cases to pep that participating in private gatherings over the Labor Day holiday. That are now testing positive. We also are aware of cases resulting from students at (the University of Nevada, Reno) that attended private parties that were going on off campus,” he said. Health officials say it’s too soon to tell if a pair of large political rallies President Donald Trump hosted in Minden on Sept. 12 and in Las Vegas on Sept. 13 have anything to do with the recent increased caseload. Thousands of people crowded together closely and very few wore masks. Julia Peek, Nevada’s deputy administrator of Community Health Services, told reporters during a conference call Wednesday that they are still compiling contact tracing data on the rallies and didn’t have anything to report. Dick said he is not aware of any confirmation of cases tied to President Donald Trump's rally in Minden. “I think it’s a little early to be seeing results from that yet,” he said. “I think right now we are just seeing the Labor Day impacts that are hitting us.” The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick. For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some — especially older adults and people with existing health problems — it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. Nevada’s 13.2% unemployment rate for the month of August marks a slight improvement from 14.2% in July, but compares to 3.8% in August 2019 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The next worst rates are Rhode Island, 12.8% and Hawaii and New York, 12.5% each. The lowest rates were 4% in Nebraska and 4.1% in Utah. Health via COVID-19 https://ift.tt/2RRN1ld September 24, 2020 at 11:18PM
Falling COVID-19 viral loads may explain lower rates of ICU use, deaths - CIDRAP
https://ift.tt/2S2HmJ7 The findings of two studies presented at this week's virtual European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Conference on Coronavirus Disease suggest that patients' loads of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, declined as the pandemic progressed, which may help explain falling rates of coronavirus-related intensive care unit (ICU) use and deaths. Both unpublished studies were observational, however, so they cannot determine cause and effect, only highlight the association. Measuring the progress of the pandemicThe first study, conducted by Wayne State University researchers in Detroit, involved a retrospective analysis of 708 initial nose-throat swabs from hospitalized coronavirus patients tested from Apr 4 to Jun 5 using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The goal was to better describe the effects of changing viral loads—which is a measure of virus density—at a population level. In the first week of the study, 48.7% of viral loads were characterized as intermediate, versus 25.5% in both the low and high viral load categories. Thereafter, the percentage of high and intermediate loads progressively fell at the same time as the proportion of low viral loads rose. Five weeks into the study, 70% of the samples showed a low initial viral load, corresponding to a decrease in the death rate; 45% of patients with high viral loads died, in contrast with 32% in those with intermediate loads and 14% in those with low loads. At week 5 the rate of patients with an intermediate load was around 18%, and about 12% had high viral loads. By week 6, no patients had high viral loads. The authors concluded that the downward trend in viral load may indicate that the pandemic is becoming less severe, implementation of physical distancing and lockdowns may have decreased overall exposure to the coronavirus, and analyzing viral loads over time may be a good way to assess pandemic progress. "Though confounding variables have not been evaluated, this suggests an association between initial viral load and mortality," they said in an ESCMID press release. Severity of signs, symptomsThe second unpublished study, conducted by researchers in Italy, suggests that as pandemic lockdowns in that country began, resulting in lower case numbers, COVID-19 patient viral loads on nose-throat swabs tested by RT-PCR also fell from March to May. The authors said that their findings may account for lower percentages of patients needing intensive care and dying of their infections over time. Researchers analyzed data from 373 COVID-19 patients in an emergency department in the northern city of Negrar to assess a possible association between the severity of coronavirus signs and symptoms with viral load as the pandemic transitioned from high to low transmission. As patient viral loads declined over the course of the pandemic, the percentage of patients admitted to the ICU declined substantially from March (6.7%) to April (1.1%), and May (0.0%). "As the epidemiological context changed from high to low transmission setting, people were presumably exposed to a lower viral load, which has been previously associated to less severe clinical manifestations," the authors wrote. Health via COVID-19 https://ift.tt/2RRN1ld September 24, 2020 at 11:18PM
Uncovering a 'suPAR' culprit behind kidney injury in COVID-19 - Science Daily
https://ift.tt/3mLi0Op Kidney injury is a dreaded complication in patients hospitalized for COVID-19, with more than a third of patients ending up in need of dialysis. Patients with COVID-19-related kidney injury are also at much higher risk of death. "We don't known exactly why patients with severe COVID-19 have a high rate of kidney injury," says Salim Hayek, M.D., a cardiologist at the Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan) Frankel Cardiovascular Center and senior author of a new observational study." It is, however, becoming clearer that a hyperactive immune system plays a major role in the morbidity of COVID-19, including kidney-related complications." In the multi-center study published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, Hayek and an international team of experts report that levels of a protein in blood produced by immune cells and known to be involved in causing kidney disease are very high in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and strongly predictive of kidney injury. The research team tested soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) levels of 352 study participants when they were admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 infection. A quarter of the participants developed acute kidney injury while hospitalized, and their median suPAR levels were more than 60% higher than those of the rest of the participants. The risk of needing dialysis was increased 20-fold in patients with the highest suPAR levels. Overall, median suPAR levels for these study participants hospitalized with severe COVID-19 were almost three times higher than levels of healthy people. "SuPAR is an immune-derived circulating factor we've seen contribute to kidney injury in thousands of patients," says Jochen Reiser, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of medicine at Rush University and expert in the biology of suPAR. "RNA viruses such as HIV and SARS-CoV-2 elicit a suPAR response of the innate immune system leading to a rise in blood suPAR levels. If there is a hyperinflammatory suPAR response, kidney cells may be damaged." Study author Subramaniam Pennathur, M.D., a professor of nephrology at Michigan Medicine, says identifying suPAR levels at hospital admission as a strong predictor for AKI during the hospitalization has important implications for future care. "For example, obtaining suPAR levels may allow us to risk-stratify, i.e., identify high risk patients early, and institute appropriate preventive treatment, thereby reducing AKI risk and improving COVID-19 outcomes," he says. "Second, therapies aimed at interrupting suPAR pathway may also be explored for preventative as well as a therapeutic option for COVID-19 AKI." Hayek, an expert on this protein is currently researching how best to reduce suPAR levels in those people at highest risk. "We're preparing to launch the first clinical trial targeting suPAR to prevent COVID-19 related kidney injury, and by doing so hope to alleviate the burden of kidney disease in both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients with high suPAR levels," he says. Additional authors include Tariq Azam, Husam Shadid, Pennelope Blakeley, Patrick O'Hayer, Hanna Berlin, Michael Pan, Peiyao Zhao, Lili Zhao and Rodica Pop-Busui (Michigan Medicine); Izzet Altintas, Jens Tingleff, Marius Stauning, Ove Andersen and Jesper Eugen-Olisen (Copenhagen University Hospital); Maria-Evangelia Adami, Nicky Solomonidi, Maria Tsilika and Evangelos Giamarellos-Bourboulis (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens); Pinkus Tober-Lau and Frank Tacke (Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin); Eleni Arnaoutoglou and Athanasios Chalkias (University of Thessaly) and Verena Keitel and Sven Loosen (University Hospital Düsseldorf). Health via COVID-19 https://ift.tt/2RRN1ld September 24, 2020 at 11:18PM
Scientists discover genetic and immunologic underpinnings of some cases of severe COVID-19 - National Institutes of Health
https://ift.tt/32Xn9ef Media Advisory Thursday, September 24, 2020 Scientists discover genetic and immunologic underpinnings of some cases of severe COVID-19WhatNew findings by scientists at the National Institutes of Health and their collaborators help explain why some people with COVID-19 develop severe disease. The findings also may provide the first molecular explanation for why more men than women die from COVID-19. The researchers found that more than 10% of people who develop severe COVID-19 have misguided antibodies―autoantibodies―that attack the immune system rather than the virus that causes the disease. Another 3.5% or more of people who develop severe COVID-19 carry a specific kind of genetic mutation that impacts immunity. Consequently, both groups lack effective immune responses that depend on type I interferon, a set of 17 proteins crucial for protecting cells and the body from viruses. Whether these proteins have been neutralized by autoantibodies or―because of a faulty gene―were produced in insufficient amounts or induced an inadequate antiviral response, their absence appears to be a commonality among a subgroup of people who suffer from life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia. These findings are the first published results from the COVID Human Genetic Effort, an international project spanning more than 50 genetic sequencing hubs and hundreds of hospitals. The effort is co-led by Helen Su, M.D., Ph.D., a senior investigator at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of NIH; and Jean-Laurent Casanova, M.D., Ph.D., head of the St. Giles Laboratory of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases at The Rockefeller University in New York. Major contributions were made by Luigi Notarangelo, M.D., chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology (LCIM); Steven Holland, M.D., director of the NIAID Division of Intramural Research and senior investigator in the NIAID LCIM; clinicians and investigators in hospitals in the Italian cities of Brescia, Monza and Pavia, which were heavily hit by COVID-19; and researchers at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. The wide variation in the severity of disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID-19, has puzzled scientists and clinicians. SARS-CoV-2 can cause anything from a symptom-free infection to death, with many different outcomes in between. Since February 2020, Drs. Su and Casanova and their collaborators have enrolled thousands of COVID-19 patients to find out whether a genetic factor drives these disparate clinical outcomes. The researchers discovered that among nearly 660 people with severe COVID-19, a significant number carried rare genetic variants in 13 genes known to be critical in the body’s defense against influenza virus, and more than 3.5% were completely missing a functioning gene. Further experiments showed that immune cells from those 3.5% did not produce any detectable type I interferons in response to SARS-CoV-2. Examining nearly 1,000 patients with life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia, the researchers also found that more than 10% had autoantibodies against interferons at the onset of their infection, and 95% of those patients were men. Biochemical experiments confirmed that the autoantibodies block the activity of interferon type I. ArticleQ Zhang et al. Inborn errors of type I IFN immunity in patients with life-threatening COVID-19. Science DOI: 10.1126/science.abd4570 (2020). P Bastard et al. Auto-antibodies against type I IFNs in patients with life-threatening COVID-19. Science DOI: 10.1126/science.abd4585 (2020). WhoNIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., NIAID Senior Investigator Helen C. Su, M.D., Ph.D., and Luigi Notarangelo, M.D., chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, are available for interviews. ContactTo schedule interviews, please contact NIAID Office of Communications, (301) 402-1663, NIAIDNews@niaid.nih.gov. NIAID conducts and supports research — at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide — to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website. About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov. NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health® ### Health via COVID-19 https://ift.tt/2RRN1ld September 24, 2020 at 11:18PM
Sept. 24 data: Utah records record-breaking COVID-19 case count, again - KUTV 2News
https://ift.tt/2EzI9ym Sept. 24 data: Utah records record-breaking COVID-19 case count, again KUTV 2News Health via COVID-19 https://ift.tt/2RRN1ld September 24, 2020 at 11:18PM Michigan coronavirus (COVID-19) cases up to 119597; Death toll now at 6700 - WDIV ClickOnDetroit9/25/2020
Michigan coronavirus (COVID-19) cases up to 119,597; Death toll now at 6,700 - WDIV ClickOnDetroit
https://ift.tt/3mPCsxt The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 119,597 as of Thursday, including 6,700 deaths, state officials report. Thursday’s update represents 982 new cases and eight additional deaths. On Wednesday, the state totals were 118,615 cases and 6,692 deaths. New COVID-19 cases and deaths remain flat in Michigan. Testing has remained steady, with an average of more than 30,000 per day, with the positive rate just above 3 percent over the last 10 days. The state reported its highest one-day testing total with more than 41,000 diagnostic tests on Aug. 21. Hospitalizations are stable and the number of patients in critical care is near its lowest point since tracking, dating back to April. Michigan has reported 90,216 recoveries. The state also reports “active cases,” which were listed at 21,700 as of Wednesday. Michigan’s 7-day moving average for daily cases was 679 on Wednesday. The state’s fatality rate is 5.6 percent. According to Johns Hopkins University, more than 2.6 million have recovered in the U.S., with more than 6.9 million cases reported across the country. More than 202,300 have died in the U.S. Worldwide, more than 31.9 million people have been confirmed infected and over 978,300 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are certainly much higher, because of limited testing, different ways nations count the dead and deliberate under-reporting by some governments. New daily Michigan COVID-19 totals since July 28
Latest COVID-19 data in Michigan:For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. Having trouble viewing the data below? Click here to view. Here is a charted timeline of confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Michigan: Here are Michigan COVID-19 cases broken down by gender (view here if you’re not seeing the table): How COVID-19 SpreadsPerson-to-person spread The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Can someone spread the virus without being sick?
Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. How easily the virus spreads How easily a virus spreads from person-to-person can vary. Some viruses are highly contagious (spread easily), like measles, while other viruses do not spread as easily. Another factor is whether the spread is sustained, spreading continually without stopping. Prevention & Treatment There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. MORE: Beaumont Health launches coronavirus hotline for patients with symptoms People who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should contact their healthcare provider immediately. Question about coronavirus? Ask Dr. McGeorge here. Read more about coronavirus here. ? Become an Insider ?Introducing WDIV Insider: A new way for loyal Local 4 fans to gain access and customize your ClickOnDetroit news experience. This new and free membership is our way of saying thank you — and your way of getting in on the news action. WDIV Insiders will gain exclusive access to the Local 4 team and station, including personalized messages, offers and deals to big events, and an elevated voice in our news coverage. Learn more about WDIV Insider - and sign up here! Copyright 2020 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Health via COVID-19 https://ift.tt/2RRN1ld September 24, 2020 at 11:18PM |
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