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A Case Study Of Network Design For Middle East Water Distribution, Rachel Bullene May 2010

A Case Study Of Network Design For Middle East Water Distribution, Rachel Bullene

Theses and Dissertations

The Middle Eastern region encompassing Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Territories (West Bank and Gaza) is an arid region with fast growing populations. Adequate and equitable access to water for all the people of the region is crucial to the future of Middle East peace. However, the current water distribution system not only fails to provide an adequate and equitable allocation of water, but also results adverse impacts on the environment. This project involves building a mathematical model to aid decision-makers in designing an optimal water distribution network. A new method for incorporating uncertainty in optimization that is based on …

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The Lived Experience Of Faith Community Nurses Living The Call To Health Ministry, Deborah Mobley May 2010

The Lived Experience Of Faith Community Nurses Living The Call To Health Ministry, Deborah Mobley

Theses and Dissertations

Faith community nursing is one of the newest specialized practices of professional nursing. A faith community nurse is an actively registered professional nurse, who serves as a paid or volunteer staff member in a faith community. The faith community nurse promotes health and wholism of the faith community, its groups, families, and individual members. A faith community, as in a church, synagogue or mosque, is an organization of individuals and families who share common beliefs, values, religious doctrine, and faith practices that influence their lives. The faith community functions as a client system for the faith community nurse. The purpose …

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An Empirical Approach To Evaluating Sufficient Similarity: Utilization Of Euclidean Distance As A Similarity Measure, Scott Marshall May 2010

An Empirical Approach To Evaluating Sufficient Similarity: Utilization Of Euclidean Distance As A Similarity Measure, Scott Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals are exposed to chemical mixtures while carrying out everyday tasks, with unknown risk associated with exposure. Given the number of resulting mixtures it is not economically feasible to identify or characterize all possible mixtures. When complete dose-response data are not available on a (candidate) mixture of concern, EPA guidelines define a similar mixture based on chemical composition, component proportions and expert biological judgment (EPA, 1986, 2000). Current work in this literature is by Feder et al. (2009), evaluating sufficient similarity in exposure to disinfection by-products of water purification using multivariate statistical techniques and traditional hypothesis testing. The work of …

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[2010-05-21] May 21, 2010 Meeting Of The Board Of Visitors Of Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors May 2010

[2010-05-21] May 21, 2010 Meeting Of The Board Of Visitors Of Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors

VCU Board of Visitors Minutes

Official minutes of the VCU Board of Visitors and its Executive Committee.

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[2010-05-21] Meeting Of The Academic And Health Affairs Policy Committee, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors May 2010

[2010-05-21] Meeting Of The Academic And Health Affairs Policy Committee, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors

VCU Board of Visitors Minutes

Official minutes of the VCU Board of Visitors and its Executive Committee.

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Perceptions Of Social Acceptance And Peer And Romantic Relationship Self-Efficacy As Pediatric Cancer Survivors Approach Adulthood, Rebecca Foster May 2010

Perceptions Of Social Acceptance And Peer And Romantic Relationship Self-Efficacy As Pediatric Cancer Survivors Approach Adulthood, Rebecca Foster

Theses and Dissertations

Social acceptance and peer and romantic relationship self-efficacy were examined as salient factors related to social development among emerging adult (ages 18 to 25) survivors of pediatric cancers. Using a cross-sectional, within-groups methodology, relationships between cancer treatment intensity and peer and romantic relationship self-efficacy and social acceptance were assessed. Perceived health vulnerability, situational coping style, parent and peer attachment, and perceived physical attractiveness were explored as moderators of peer and romantic relationship self-efficacy and social acceptance. Additionally, social acceptance was examined within a cancer stereotyping framework. Fifty-two emerging adult survivors of pediatric cancers (54% male; mean (M) age = 21.38 …

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[2010-05-20] Meeting Of The External Relations Committee, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors May 2010

[2010-05-20] Meeting Of The External Relations Committee, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors

VCU Board of Visitors Minutes

Official minutes of the VCU Board of Visitors and its Executive Committee.

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[2010-05-20] Meeting Of The Finance, Investment And Property Committee, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors May 2010

[2010-05-20] Meeting Of The Finance, Investment And Property Committee, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors

VCU Board of Visitors Minutes

Official minutes of the VCU Board of Visitors and its Executive Committee.

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[2010-05-20] Meeting Of The Board Of Visitors Of Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors May 2010

[2010-05-20] Meeting Of The Board Of Visitors Of Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Commonwealth University. Board Of Visitors

VCU Board of Visitors Minutes

Official minutes of the VCU Board of Visitors and its Executive Committee.

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The Clinical Utility Of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing In Patients With Suspected Myocardial Ischemia, Sherry Pinkstaff May 2010

The Clinical Utility Of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing In Patients With Suspected Myocardial Ischemia, Sherry Pinkstaff

Theses and Dissertations

Heart disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States with coronary artery disease (CAD) representing more than half of all cardiovascular events. Stable patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of CAD are likely to undergo either an exercise ECG and/or imaging study as a first line diagnostic assessment. A cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPX) is an ECG stress test plus ventilatory gas analysis. Recently CPX has been used to detect exercise-induced myocardial ischemia suggestive of underlying CAD. Currently there are a number of diagnostic tests available for the identification of CAD with the most widely used being …

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The Nexus Between The Ballot And Bullet: Popular Support For The Pkk And Post-Election Violence In Turkey, Nadir Gergin May 2010

The Nexus Between The Ballot And Bullet: Popular Support For The Pkk And Post-Election Violence In Turkey, Nadir Gergin

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between popular support for the Kurdish Worker’s Party (PKK), which is an ethnic insurgent and terrorist organization mainly operating in Turkey, and its terrorist activities during the pre-and post-election periods in Turkey . Popular support has been measured through popular votes for the political party affiliated with the PKK in 1999 general, 2004 local and 2007 general elections. Two leading theories of social movements, Resource Mobilization Theory (RMT) and Relative Deprivation Theory (RD), were used as theoretical approach. The study uses secondary data and constructs a longitudinal design. An advanced statistical analysis technique, a generalized …

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The Association Between Teen Parenthood And Marital Status Among Women, Amy Feinberg May 2010

The Association Between Teen Parenthood And Marital Status Among Women, Amy Feinberg

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Teen pregnancy and teen parenting are prevalent and significant public health issues. Teen parenting also has many social and economic consequences for mother and family. Single parenthood is associated with increased financial, work and child care strains compared to a more traditional family type. Therefore, the impact of teen pregnancy on marital status needs to be investigated. This study examines the association between teen parenthood and future marital status. Methods: The 2002 National Survey of Family Growth, Cycle 6 was analyzed. This study included 12398 women age 20 – 44 years who had children. Teen parenthood was defined as …

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Efficacy Of Orthodontic Bonding Agents In Preventing Demineralization Around Brackets, Morris Poole May 2010

Efficacy Of Orthodontic Bonding Agents In Preventing Demineralization Around Brackets, Morris Poole

Theses and Dissertations

Enamel demineralization is a concern in orthodontic patients with poor oral hygiene. To curtail this problem, amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) containing adhesives have been developed. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the cariostatic potential of an ACP containing orthodontic bonding agent adjacent to brackets. Sixty human molars were randomly distributed into: ACP adhesive, resin modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC), and conventional composite resin groups (N=20 each). Brackets were bonded following the manufacturer’s instructions. Tooth enamel through a 2mm window around the brackets was cycled in demineralization (6 hrs) and remineralization (18 hrs) solutions. After 14 days, …

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Identification And Characterization Of A Second Wolfram Syndrome Gene, Sami Amr May 2010

Identification And Characterization Of A Second Wolfram Syndrome Gene, Sami Amr

Theses and Dissertations

Wolfram Syndrome (WFS) is a debilitating autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by juvenile onset insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (DM) and optic atrophy (OA) as well as a number of neurological and endocrine complications that result in early death due to respiratory complications. Previous research has mapped Wolfram syndrome to chromosome 4p16.1 and the disease has been attributed to mutations in the WFS1 gene affecting the WFS1 protein (wolframin), an ER membrane glycoprotein that plays an important role in the unfolded protein response (UPR) and in intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. An additional locus for WFS on chromosome 4q22-24 was identified by linkage …

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The Uses Of Applied Theatre, Matthew Mckay May 2010

The Uses Of Applied Theatre, Matthew Mckay

Theses and Dissertations

Applied theatre is an umbrella term describing the practice of borrowing concepts from the conventional theatre and applying them to different disciplines. This thesis focuses on the use of applied theatre in teaching effective communication skills. Using the work of the Ariel Group and personal experiences working with the VCU da Vinci Center as examples, this paper demonstrates ways that underlying theatre concepts are used to teach communication skills. Additionally, this paper argues that there are many advantages for using theatre professors to teach communication skills to non-theatre students in other disciplines through the use of applied theatre methods. To …

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Opioid Addiction And Pregnancy: Potential Effects Of Substitution Therapies On Developmental Myelination, Andrew Eschenroeder May 2010

Opioid Addiction And Pregnancy: Potential Effects Of Substitution Therapies On Developmental Myelination, Andrew Eschenroeder

Theses and Dissertations

While most cells of the central nervous system (CNS) express opioid receptors, the role of the endogenous opioid system in CNS development remains poorly understood. Identification of opioid functions during brain maturation is particularly crucial in light of the increasing trend in opioid abuse and the use of opioid drugs during pregnancy. New substitution therapies in pregnant opioid addicts include buprenorphine, a mu opioid receptor partial agonist and kappa opioid receptor antagonist. However, while clinical studies demonstrated buprenorphine efficacy in reducing neonatal withdrawal symptoms, there is a lack of information on the potential effects of this drug on brain development. …

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Cost And Accuracy Comparisons In Medical Testing Using Sequential Testing Strategies, Anwar Ahmed May 2010

Cost And Accuracy Comparisons In Medical Testing Using Sequential Testing Strategies, Anwar Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

The practice of sequential testing is followed by the evaluation of accuracy, but often not by the evaluation of cost. This research described and compared three sequential testing strategies: believe the negative (BN), believe the positive (BP) and believe the extreme (BE), the latter being a less-examined strategy. All three strategies were used to combine results of two medical tests to diagnose a disease or medical condition. Descriptions of these strategies were provided in terms of accuracy (using the maximum receiver operating curve or MROC) and cost of testing (defined as the proportion of subjects who need 2 tests to …

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A Community-Engaged Research Approach To The Development Of An Assessment Tool For Historical Data Collection Of Saara Client Population, Jessica Markey May 2010

A Community-Engaged Research Approach To The Development Of An Assessment Tool For Historical Data Collection Of Saara Client Population, Jessica Markey

Theses and Dissertations

Through collaboration between the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance (SAARA) and several community partners, a need was identified for a new measurement tool to gather comprehensive client histories for program evaluation and development. The purpose of this study was to (1) develop a culturally relevant and organizationally appropriate mechanism for the collection of comprehensive client histories and (2) to provide the opportunity for staff to engage in a new process of developing and implementing data collection strategies. As a result of the use of a community-based participatory approach, (1) a missed opportunity for program evaluation and development was identified, …

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The Influence Of Ethnicity And Gender On The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Status And Cardiovascular Responding, Alison Eonta May 2010

The Influence Of Ethnicity And Gender On The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Status And Cardiovascular Responding, Alison Eonta

Theses and Dissertations

Past research has found inconsistent effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) status on cardiovascular responding. Inconsistencies may be explained by demographic differences in study samples. In this study, the influence of gender and ethnicity on the relationship between PTSD status and cardiovascular responding was explored. Participants’ (N = 245) heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) readings were taken throughout baseline and anger recall periods. For all gender by ethnicity groups, baseline HR was higher in participants with PTSD than without PTSD, except for Black men. Whites with PTSD had lower baseline SBP than Whites …

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A Qualitative Approach To Explore The Experiences Of Health Care Providers Who Treat Patients For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd), Mark Killebrew May 2010

A Qualitative Approach To Explore The Experiences Of Health Care Providers Who Treat Patients For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd), Mark Killebrew

Theses and Dissertations

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that occurs when people are exposed to stressful, life-threatening experiences. Consequently, after exposure to such an event, many people may experience fear, guilt, or anger and may believe the trauma is reoccurring. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 5.2 million U.S. adults age 18-54 have PTSD in any given year. The prevalence of PTSD is even more problematic within the military where an estimated 30% of those who have spent time in war zones experiences PTSD. Researchers have been examining the impact of veterans’ PTSD symptoms on family …

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The Transgressor's Response To A Rejected Request For Forgiveness, David Jennings May 2010

The Transgressor's Response To A Rejected Request For Forgiveness, David Jennings

Theses and Dissertations

Although the scientific study of forgiveness has flourished in recent years, little is known about transgressors when seeking forgiveness, particularly regarding how they respond when their request for forgiveness is denied. The present thesis reviews the literature related to how transgressors might react to a denied request for forgiveness and factors that likely influence their response. In two studies, interactions between sex and responses to requested forgiveness, and interactions between two personality variables (agreeableness and neuroticism) and responses to requested forgiveness were examined. Generally, when people refuse or even partially refuse a bid for forgiveness, it is considered by the …

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A Behavioral Comparison Of Four Inbred Strains Of Mice, Erin Wood May 2010

A Behavioral Comparison Of Four Inbred Strains Of Mice, Erin Wood

Theses and Dissertations

Isogenic, or inbred, mouse strains are currently the experimental subjects of choice in laboratory studies focused on genetics, pharmacology, and psychological issues. Understanding phenotypic differences in isogenic strains is important in order to interpret experimental results obtained from inbred mouse strains. Four commonly used inbred strains, C57BL/6NHsd (C57), DBA/2NHsd (DBA), 129S2/SvHsd (129), and Balb/cAnHsd (Balb/c), are investigated in this study using four different behavioral tasks that measure locomotor activity and cognitive behavior (Morris Water Maze (MWM), T-maze, and operant autoshaping procedures). In the locomotor activity task 129 mice showed significantly less horizontal ambulation than any other strain, while differences in …

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A Case Study Of The Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program With Commonwealth Catholic Charities In Richmond, Virginia, Shawn Greene May 2010

A Case Study Of The Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program With Commonwealth Catholic Charities In Richmond, Virginia, Shawn Greene

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how administrators and staff at a community service agency in Richmond Virginia perceive the needs of unaccompanied refugee children as they transition into the American way of life and the challenges associated with the relocation of these children into foster care setting, and how service delivery to meet these children’s needs might be improved. A common theme that emerged from interviews conducted with these administrators is that successful integration of unaccompanied refugee minors into American society requires from the very start culturally competent approaches to placement, language assistance, and mental health therapy. Options for improving resettlement of …

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The Impact Of The State-Federal Vocational Rehabilitation Program On Quality Of Life, Vanessa Rakestraw May 2010

The Impact Of The State-Federal Vocational Rehabilitation Program On Quality Of Life, Vanessa Rakestraw

Theses and Dissertations

This study utilizes the Longitudinal Study of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program to examine the impact of state-federal vocational rehabilitation services on the quality of life of consumers. The theory that guides this study is an amalgam of theories of Allardt, Halpern, Campbell, and Cummins which indicate that quality of life is made up of various domains which parallel Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The study followed the theory that improvement in the individual domains of life would improve its overall quality. The domains of physical functioning, self-esteem, community integration and productivity were assessed prior to and after the receipt of vocational …

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Self-Ligating Vs. Conventional Brackets As Perceived By Orthodontists, Chase Prettyman May 2010

Self-Ligating Vs. Conventional Brackets As Perceived By Orthodontists, Chase Prettyman

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Within the past decade, significant developments, new designs, and numerous proposed advantages of self-ligating (SL) brackets have caused them to gain great popularity among practicing orthodontists. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are significant clinical differences between SL and conventional brackets on orthodontic treatment as perceived by practicing orthodontists, and more specifically, if the proposed advantages of SL brackets are evident in clinical practice. Methods: A survey was developed to evaluate how SL brackets compare to conventional brackets when perceived by practicing orthodontists (n=430). The initial series of questions focused on individual practitioner characteristics and …

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Statin Use And The Risk Of Clostridium Difficile In Academic Medical Centers: A Matched Case Control Study, Christine Motzkus May 2010

Statin Use And The Risk Of Clostridium Difficile In Academic Medical Centers: A Matched Case Control Study, Christine Motzkus

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Increasing rates of hospital acquired Clostridium difficile (CDI), as well as mortality owing to CDI, warrants further exploration of risk factors. Clostridium difficile bacteria typically produce toxins which inactivate the Rho proteins found in the colonic epithelium. Statins also disrupt Rho protein cell signaling functions. The objective of this study was to estimate the extent to which use of statins increases the risk of healthcare-acquired CDI. METHODS: Patients over 18 years of age admitted to hospitals contributing data to the University HealthSystem Consortium between 2002 and 2009 were eligible. We identified 25, 111 incident cases of CDI and matched …

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The Relationship Between Treatment-Seeking And Characteristics Of Depression Among African Americans, Tamara Scott May 2010

The Relationship Between Treatment-Seeking And Characteristics Of Depression Among African Americans, Tamara Scott

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Depression is a common psychiatric condition, and despite the availability of effective treatments, this condition is largely under-recognized and undertreated, particularly among African Americans. One reason for this discrepancy may be that depressive symptoms often co-occur with physical health conditions, which can influence both the reporting of depressive symptomology, willingness to seek care, and the type of healthcare provider sought. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between treatment-seeking characteristics and diagnostic attributions of depression among community-dwelling African American adults. Methods: Data come from the National Survey of American Life, a nationally representative sample of African …

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Strategies For Deriving A Single Measure Of The Overall Burden Of Antimicrobial Resistance In Hospitals, Alessandro Orlando May 2010

Strategies For Deriving A Single Measure Of The Overall Burden Of Antimicrobial Resistance In Hospitals, Alessandro Orlando

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Antimicrobial-resistant infections result in hospital stays costing between $18,000 and $29,000. As of 2009, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services no longer upgrade payments for hospital-acquired infections. Hospital epidemiologists monitor and document rates of individual resistant microbes in antibiogram reports. Overall summary measures capturing resistance within a hospital may be useful. Objectives: We applied four techniques (L1- and L2-principal component analysis (PCA), desirability functions, and simple summary) to create summary measures of resistance and described the four summary measures with respect to reliability, proportion of variance explained, and clinical utility. Methods: We requested antibiograms from hospitals participating in the …

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Neuroprotective Effects Of Postinjury Lithium Treatment: Determining The Optimal Dosing Paradigm And Assessing Potential Mechanisms Of Action, Katharine Eakin May 2010

Neuroprotective Effects Of Postinjury Lithium Treatment: Determining The Optimal Dosing Paradigm And Assessing Potential Mechanisms Of Action, Katharine Eakin

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has a dramatic impact on our society in terms of mortality, morbidity, and inherently high financial costs. Formidable research efforts are being addressed to the identification of neuroprotective agents capable of ameliorating the neurological outcome after TBI. Preclinical studies have recently demonstrated lithium to be a promising neuroprotective agent for both acute ischemic brain injury and chronic neurodegenerative disease. In light of these encouraging data, we designed a lateral fluid-percussion injury (FPI) study aimed at investigating the role of early post-traumatic administration of lithium as a strategy for reducing TBI-induced motor and cognitive deficits. The optimal …

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Effect Of Hyaluronidase Treatment On The Structural Integrity Of The Endothelial Glycocalyx Layer, Kristin Simmons May 2010

Effect Of Hyaluronidase Treatment On The Structural Integrity Of The Endothelial Glycocalyx Layer, Kristin Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

The endothelial glycocalyx plays an important role as part of the permeability barrier between the blood and the interstitium. In this study, we used different sized fluorescently labeled dextran molecules to determine the size of the macromolecular exclusion zone in capillaries. The width of the exclusion zone was calculated as one half the difference between the anatomic luminal diameter, as determined by transillumination, and the width of a fluorescent dextran column. During the first hour after systemic injection of labeled dextrans, neither 70 kDa dextran (Dextran 70) nor 500 kDa dextran (Dextran 500) labeled with the anionic fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) …

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