Tag Archives: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

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Pre transplant test result in Stem cell transplant

February 28, 2016

Pre transplant test and procedures leading to Stem cell transplant: How to get ready

Pre transplant test

Pre transplant test and procedures leading to Stem cell transplant are just steps leading to your perfect health you deserve only if it is done professionally

From our previous article, we discussed about the stem cell transplant and the benefits attached to it and we now want to further the discussion by focusing on the pre transplant test and procedures leading to stem cell transplant. Experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury are going to be very instrumental in helping us put all the facts around the pre transplant test into perspective. From experience doctor Akoury says that any person planning to undergo through stem cell transplant will have to undertake certain tests and procedures to ensure that their health and status are perfect for the process to begin. Besides, the individual must be physically prepared to go through the transplant. It is also important to note that this may not be a one stop evaluation as it may take a couple of days before it is proven beyond doubt that the patient is ready for the transplant. In addition to that a surgeon or radiologist will implant a long thin tube (intravenous catheter) into a large vein in your chest or neck. The catheter, often called a central line, usually remains in place for the duration of your treatment. Your transplant team will use the central line to infuse the transplanted stem cells and other medications and blood products into your body.

Pre transplant test and procedures leading to Stem cell transplant: Collecting stem cells for transplant

When the patient is now ready, depending on the situation an autologous stem cell transplant can be planned and if this is the case then the patient will undergo a procedure called apheresis primarily to collect blood stem cells. But before apheresis, the patient will first receive daily injections of growth factor to increase stem cell production and also to move stem cells into the blood circulation so that they can be collected. Doctor Akoury says that it is during apheresis, that blood is drawn from a vein and circulated through a machine. The function of the machine is to separates the blood into different parts, including stem cells. These stem cells are then collected and frozen for future use in the transplant with the remaining blood being returned to the patient’s body.

On the other hand in the event that an allogeneic stem cell transplant is planned, the patient will have to find a donor who will donate the stem cell for the transplant. This process is often called a stem cell harvest or bone marrow harvest. The donor’s stem cells will be drawn from their bone marrow or their blood. It is only at this point that your transplant will team make a decision on what is better for you based on your prevailing situation.

Pre transplant test and procedures leading to Stem cell transplant: The conditioning process

Before the commencement of the transplant, one must go through the pre-transplant tests and procedures and after all that is done the next step is known as conditioning. During this process of conditioning, the patient will be taken through mild chemotherapy and possibly radiation primarily to:

  • Destroy any cancer cells particularly if you are being treated for a malignancy
  • Suppress your immune system
  • Prepare your bone marrow for the new stem cells

The process of conditioning will differ from patient to patient depending on a number of factors, including your disease, overall health and the type of transplant planned. You may have both chemotherapy and radiation or just one of these treatments as part of your conditioning treatment. And like any other treatment the process of conditioning is bound to be some side effects including the following:

  • Organ complications, such as heart, liver or lung failure
  • Bleeding
  • Infertility or sterility
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Infection
  • Anemia
  • Fatigue
  • Cataracts
  • Diarrhea
  • Hair loss
  • Mouth sores or ulcers

Because these side effects could cause discomfort to your health, doctor Akoury advices that you could to take some medications or other measures to reduce them (side effects).

Reduced-intensity conditioning

Based on your age and health history, it may be better for you to receive lower doses or different types of chemotherapy or radiation for your conditioning treatment. This is called reduced-intensity conditioning. Reduced-intensity conditioning kills some cancer cells and somewhat suppresses your immune system. Then, the donor’s cells are infused into your body. Donor cells replace cells in your bone marrow over time. Immune factors in the donor cells may then fight your cancer cells.

Pre transplant test and procedures leading to Stem cell transplant: What to expect

After conditioning, the stem cell transplant can take place. On the day of your transplant, called day zero, you are given the stem cells through your central line using a process known as infusion. The transplant infusion is painless. You are awake during the procedure. The transplanted stem cells make their way to your bone marrow, where they begin creating new blood cells. It can take a few weeks for new blood cells to be produced and for your blood counts to begin recovering.

Bone marrow or blood stem cells that have been frozen and thawed contain a preservative called dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) that protects the cells. Just before the transplant, you may receive medications to reduce the side effects the preservative may cause. You’ll also likely be given IV fluids (hydration) before and after your transplant to help rid your body of the preservative. Side effects of DMSO may include: nausea, fever, diarrhea, chills, hives and red urine. Remember it is not necessarily that everyone will experience side effects from the preservative some may not experience anything while for some people those side effects are minimal.

Pre transplant test and procedures leading to Stem cell transplant: After your stem cell transplant

Finally when the new stem cells enter the body, they will move down to your bone marrow and within a short time, they multiply and begin to make new, healthy blood cells through a process known as engraftment. And even though the new cells will be forming up it will take some time may be several weeks before the number of blood cells in your body starts to return to normal. This may differ with people as the case may thereby taking a little longer with some people. Nonetheless as a way of ensuring safety several days or weeks after the stem cell transplant is done, the patient will some tests to monitor their condition. During this period you may need to take some medications to help you manage any complications like nausea and diarrhea. Remember that after this is done you will need to be under close medical observation just to ensure that any arising complication is addressed in good time.

http://regenerativepotential.com/integrativeaddictionconference/

 

 

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Stem cell transplant and the benefits attached

February 28, 2016

Stem cell transplant and the benefits attached to it: Psychological preparedness for stem cell transplant

Stem cell transplant

Whether you are a direct or indirect victim, doctor Dalal Akoury will help you professionally through Stem cell transplant so that you can enjoy the full benefit

In the line of medication you will most likely come across this procedure known as stem cell transplant. Whether you are a direct victim or not, knowing what happens with this procedure and even other medications are very important. So many complications could be avoided if people took their time to seek for information about their health and also to take remedial action in good time should something go wrong. For the better part of this discussion we are going to seek professional opinions from experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center headed by doctor Dalal Akoury. Stem cell transplant is also known as a bone marrow transplant which is a clinical procedure that infuses healthy cells known as stem cells into the body primarily to replace any warn out or diseased bone marrow. A bone marrow transplant may also be used to treat certain types of cancer. The primary role of a bone marrow is to produce healthy stem cells. In the event that this function is not done properly, experts will recommend a bone marrow transplant so that healthy production of stem cells can be done effectively. Even as this is done, it is important to note that the bone marrow transplant may use cells from your own body also known as autologous transplant or from a donor which is also referred to us as allogeneic transplant. Now having known what stem cells are our next point of concern would be; why do we need healthy stem cells?

Stem cell transplant and the benefits attached to it: Why it’s done

From the introduction we have just learn that a bone marrow transplant helps in the facilitation of production of healthy stem cells. This is not the only role it plays, there are other functions that it plays thereby help you in many ways including:

  • Ensuring safety by allowing treatment of patients conditions with high doses of chemotherapy or radiation
  • Replacing diseased or damaged marrow with new stem cells
  • Providing new stem cells, which can help kill cancer cells directly

Besides the aforementioned benefits doctor Akoury registers that stem cell transplants can be beneficial to individuals with a variety of both malignant (cancerous) and nonmalignant (noncancerous) diseases, some of which may include the following:

  • Acute leukemia
  • Bone marrow failure syndromes
  • Chronic leukemia
  • Plasma cell disorders
  • POEMS syndrome
  • Adrenoleukodystrophy
  • Aplastic anemia
  • Hemoglobinopathies
  • Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • Myelodysplastic syndromes
  • Immune deficiencies
  • Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • Primary amyloidosis
  • Inborn errors of metabolism
  • Multiple myeloma

Stem cell transplant and the benefits attached to it: Risks involve

A lot of professionalism is very vital when opting for stem cell transplant because there are a lot of risks involved. It is therefore necessary that you seek professional counseling before you go through this process. Speaking to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, doctor Dalal Akoury is confirming that some of the risks posed by stem cell transplant may be very risky coming with lots of complications which could be very fatal and life threatening. These risks can be attached to various factors including:

  • The type of disease or condition
  • The type of transplant and
  • The age and health of the person

People respond to treatment differently and experts are saying that even though some people experience few problems with a transplant, it may not be so with other people who are likely to develop complications that may require treatment or hospitalization. Some of these complications could even be life-threatening. Therefore the following are some of the complications that can arise with a stem cell transplant include:

  • Graft-versus-host disease which comes with allogeneic transplant only
  • Stem cell (graft) failure
  • Organ damage
  • Infections
  • Cataracts
  • Infertility
  • New cancers
  • Death

Some of these conditions are not easy to understand and you will need to consult with your doctor for further explanations concerning all possible risk of complications from a stem cell transplant. During that session of consultation, you can professionally be guided into making the right decision depending on the risks and benefits attached.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD): A potential risk when stem cells come from donors

If you receive a transplant that uses stem cells from a donor (allogeneic stem cell transplant), you may be at risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). This disease happens when the donor stem cells that make up your new immune system see your body’s tissues and organs as something foreign and attack them.

Even though GVHD can occur at any time after successful transplant, doctor Akoury says that it is more common after the marrows have started to make healthy cells. Many people who have an allogeneic stem cell transplant get GVHD at some point. It is important to note that the risk of GVHD is greater with unrelated donors, even though it can happen to anyone who gets a stem cell transplant from a donor.

There are two kinds of GVHD: acute and chronic. Acute GVHD usually happens earlier, during the first months after your transplant. It typically affects your skin, digestive tract or liver. Chronic GVHD typically develops later and can affect many organs. The following are some of the GVHD signs and symptoms to be concern about:

  • Yellow tint to your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
  • Dry mouth
  • Joint or muscle pain
  • Rash
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Persistent cough
  • Mouth sores
  • Abdominal pain
  • Vomiting
  • Shortness of breath
  • Skin changes, including scarring under the skin
  • Vision changes, such as dry eyes

Finally as experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of our MD and President doctor Dalal Akoury we shall have not done you justice if don’t let you know of this year’s integrative addiction conference coming up in June at Austin Texas. This years’ conference workshop adopts partnership and dialog among integrative Medical experts in a nurturing, empowering, motivating, cozy atmosphere. You can reach us at 6505 Interstate Highway-35 North Austin, TX 78752 we are also available on
Telephone number: 512-454-3737 Fax: 512-419-0102 for more information about this great conference.

http://regenerativepotential.com/integrativeaddictionconference/

 

 

 

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Stem Cells: The New Medicine Medical Research Has Provided

June 8, 2015

Stem Cells: The New Medicine

Stem cell research has been conducted for many years. With stem cells we can now have a better understanding of how organisms that are complex develop from something simple as a fertilized egg. In a laboratory setting, researchers are able to follow up the process of stem cells division into specialized cells that make up the brain, bone and skin as well as other types of cells.

The process involves identifying mechanisms and signals that determine whether or not a stem cell will differentiate into something complex. Understanding will help us understand which processes control the normal cell and organ development.

The stem cell research has been triggered for years by development of serious medical conditions such as birth defects and cancer which often are as a result of abnormal growth and development of cells. Wen cells do not mature, divide and differentiate as they should then conditions such as cancer are likely to develop. A better understanding of molecular and genetic controls of the process of cell division and differentiation will yield more information as to why these conditions come to be and in the process new approaches can be sort. This is an important goal in research on stem cells.

Stem Cell

What is a stem cell?

A stem cell is basically a cell that has not reached maturity and one that can potentially become specialized into different cells types in the boy for the formation of different body organs. Stem cells exist in two types: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells come to be during division of a newly fertilized cell. When these stem cells divide, they are differentiated to become any type of cell in the body that is required for the formation of different body organs as the foetus develop in the womb.

Adult stem cells on the other hand are very different from embryonic stem cells. These types if stem cells are found I already developed tissues. They are therefore found in both children and infants. These stem cells are not developed or a fertilized egg but are found later when different tissues have already developed. These types of stem cells act like replacement cells. This means that they undergo division regularly in order to replace worn out, dead or lost cells. They are specialized to take the place of cells that have been lost or those that have died. Adult stem cells can be found in tissues of the body such as blood, brain, bone, skin and muscle. N as much as research on stem cells has been going on for long, the research has not been able to yield much result due to the inability to develop and differentiate these cells in a laboratory setting.

 

The medical breakthrough in stem cells research

As seen much earlier, stem cells are immature cells that have the tendency to develop and specialize into any type of cells. This being the case, researchers have tried to use stem cells in understanding and dealing with medical conditions such as birth defects and different types of cancers like leukemia. Because stem cells can be specialized into any type of cells they have the potential of treating disease and other disorders.

Today stem cells research procedures are used life-saving options for patients suffering from lymphoma, leukemia, some types of tumors and other disorders of the blood.

stem cells

Bone marrow transplant: For many years bone marrow transplant has been used tin treatment of diseases like leukemia. Bone marrow transplant involves removal of a donors bone marrow stem cells and replacing them with those of a sick patient. If the procedure proves successful, the bone marrow form a healthy donor migrates into the bone marrow of the patient. The healthy bone marrow will then begin producing healthy white blood cells which will end up replacing the abnormal cells in the patient. His s one of the major breakthroughs in stem cells transplant hat has seen many leukemia patients get a second chance.

Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs): naturally may of the blood stem cells are fund n he bone marrow, however a small number of these can be found n he blood stream. The process of obtaining stem cells from the bone marrow is usually a difficult process. Since stem cells are also resent in the blood, they can be obtained with ease form drawn blood making the process of obtaining stem cells easier. The only problem is that, stem cells in the blood stream exist sparsely in the blood stream which can prove difficulty while trying to extract enough of them for a transplant.

Umbilical cord stem cells transplant: the umbilical code s normally discarded as a waste product of the process of birth. However research shows that the blood found in the umbilical cord is rich in stem cells. These can be harvested and used to treat patients of cancer and other conditions of cell defects. These stems cells have been used to treating the same conditions as those treated by stem cells of the bone marrow and PBSCs.

integrative addiction conference 2015

Stem cells transplant is proving to be a promising approach to health conditions such as lymphoma and leukemia. You can tap into these benefits. Dr. Dalal Okoury is an expert in integrative medicine. Don’t also forget to attend the Integrative Addiction Conference 2015. The conference will provide a once in a lifetime opportunity of approaches to identifying and treating patients of addiction. Visit http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com for more information about the addiction conference.

Stem Cells: The New Medicine Medical Research Has Provided

 

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Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases

June 3, 2015

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Role in Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseaseThe use of stem cells in treatment of various diseases has been given lots of consideration in the recent past. scientists have been busy doing researches trying to find out if the stem cell therapy which is termed by many as the medical miracle of the 21century can be a break in treatment of the diseases that have proved stubborn to conventional treatment methods. Stem cells have various properties that other cells do not have and this is the major reason why they have been in the lips of every regenerative doctor. There are different types of stem cells but the mesenchymal stem cells have been the major focus of integrative medicine practitioners.

Degenerative diseases are known to wreak havoc in the body’s ability to self-renew and rejuvenate. They affect the way the nervous system works causing a breakdown in the communication between the nerves which eventually causes various ailments. Degenerative diseases have not been very easy to treat in the past but with stem cell therapy, there is hope for not only degenerative diseases but also the much dreaded cardiovascular diseases as well.

Why mesenchymal stem cells?

The mesenchymal stem cells are not sought after for nothing. They have a lot to offer especially in this age when degenerative diseases are enslaving many people and the conventional medicine is not offering the much needed break. Mesenchymal stem cells are sourced from either the adipose tissues or from the bone marrows and are described as a rare type of cells which are multi-potent and rich in medicinal properties. The unique properties of the mesenchymal stem cells have made them a target as therapy for various diseases and currently they have been used for treatment of arthritis among other conditions. They have been found to be also very effective in moderating the functions of dendritic cells, immune cells, B cells, natural killer cells, monocyte or macrophages, T cells, and neutrophils.

Just like the rest of the Stem cells, the mesenchymal stem cells are precursors of all cells and have the ability of forming cells of other types such as the hematopoietic, bone, endocrine organs, nervous and cardiovascular system, and cartilage and muscle tissue. It is the unique ability of the mesenchymal to shift shape and form other cells that they have been targeted for treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Research on Mesenchymal stem cells for cardiac diseases treatment

Cardiac diseases have caused many deaths and are still among the leading causes of death worldwide. however the conventional medicine such as myocardial infarction haven’t helped much in treatment of these diseases and this led to the research on the possibility of the stem cells being used for this course. The Hematopoietic stem cells were the first to be researched on and used for clinical trial. In some trials the therapy worked while in others they didn’t give the much expected results and this led to consideration of other stem cell types.

The mesenchymal stem cells were the most promising of all the types owing to their strong paracrine function, which gives them potential immunomodulatory effects via anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic actions. It is this property that may give them the ability to counteract the pathological mechanisms that are involved in various cardiac diseases. They can also be trans-differentiated into cardiomyocytes.

In 1999, Makino S and his colleagues first demonstrated the differentiation of MSCs into cardiomyocytes in vitro. Their research concluded that Cardiomyocytes can be generated from marrow stromal cells in vitro. Makino and his colleagues aren’t the only scientists to have worked on viability of MSCs ability to treat cardiac diseases, Wang JA and his colleagues did a trial that involved transplanting Allograftic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells into heart infarcted model of rabbit to renovate infarcted heart, they found out that the rabbits who had mesenchymal stem cells transplant had a lower mortality rate of 16.7% as opposed to the controls whose mortality rate was at 35%.

cardiovascular diseaseAnother study was done in 2005 by Hatton N and his counterparts, it involved transplanting purified cardiomyocytes differentiated from bone marrow MSCs in vitro into adult mouse hearts, after three months the transplanted cells had survived and were sloping in parallel to the cardiomyocytes of the recipient heart. These and other animal trials have all showed the ability of mesenchymal stem cells in treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Through research, there has been a growing body of evidence that the mesenchymal stem cells have the multiple paracrine effects that even without cell replacement can affect cardiac remodeling, angiogenesis and cytoprotection hence are clinically beneficial.

The hopes were held even higher after another researcher; Ohnishi S showed that the mesenchymal stem cells have a role in inhibiting cardiac fibrosis by regulation of collagen synthesis by cardiac fibroblasts, as well as their effects on fibroblast proliferation.

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The mesenchymal stem cell therapy are the medical miracle of the 21century, you need to be updated their applicability in treatment of various diseases, visit www.awaremednetwork.com for more information about bone marrow transplant and stem cell transplantation. Dr. Dalal Akoury is an experienced doctor in integrative medicine; she will be able to assist. From the same website you can also visit http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com and be updated on upcoming Integrative Addiction Conference 2015. The conference will deliver unique approaches to telling symptoms of addiction and how to assist patients of addiction.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Role in Cardiovascular Diseases

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Hematopoietic Cells to Treat TBI

June 2, 2015

Fetal Neural and Liver-Derived Hematopoietic Cells to Treat TBI

Hematopoietic cellsThe stem cells have been in the media for all the good reasons, scientists have been involved in research and trials on the viability of stem cells to be used in treatment of various conditions. The stem cells transplant has been seen as a potential therapeutic approach in treatment of traumatic brain injury as it helps in replacing the cells and tissues that are damaged as a result of a traumatic brain injury. Various types of stem cells such as the liver derived haemopoietic cells, embryonic rodent, immortalized progenitor cells and human stem cells and bone marrow-derived cells have been successfully transplanted in experimental models of traumatic brain injury resulting in reduced neurobehavioral deficits and attenuation of histological damage. However, till now there is still scarcity of literature on this issue and so it is rather unclear whether the stem cells can be transplanted and help in treatment of traumatic brain injury. the various ways through which the stem cells can be used in treating of traumatic brain injury include; cell replacement, trophic support, or manipulation of the local environment to stimulate endogenous regeneration but there is still a lot to be done to avail reliable information on this subject especially on the use of fetal neural stem cells which has been clouded with lots of controversy. there ought to be a sound understanding of the interaction between the recipient and the transplanted stem cells, the mechanism with which the stem cells work to restore the damaged cells ought to be understood especially how the immature fetal neural derived stem cells differentiate into mature neurons and help in treatment of traumatic brain injury, this can be achieved by further research on this issue.

Restorative approach to TBI treatment

In the past years, the approach toward the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) has changed and taken a more restorative approach aiming at replacing and repairing the damaged tissues, cells and neurons damaged as a result of TBI. It is opined that the stem cell transplant is the best method for TBI treatment since the brain has a limited capacity to renew itself. The effectiveness of cell transplant in treating TBI has been seen in earlier experiments that involved transplantation of fetal neural tissues with or without nerve growth factor (NGF). In spite the effectiveness that was seen with the transplantation of fetal neural cells, a lot of controversy got sparked especially in concern of its practicality and ethics of its application.

On the other hand NT2N cells showed promise in graft survival, NGF gene therapy was also found to improve the cognitive deficits as a result of cortical contusion injury (CCI) in rodents. In most researches both rodent and human embryonic stem cells have shown encouraging results in survival, integration and attenuation of post-traumatic sequellae. The stem cells are flexible in treatment of disease as they possess the rare ability to differentiate into other cells and tissues hence can be used to replace the damaged cells in TBI. Particularly, the neural stem cells have the capacity to divide unlimitedly and differentiate into neurons as well as glial cells.

In a research done by Mahasweta Das, Subhra Mohapatra and Shyam S Mohapatra, It was found that mouse embryonic stem cells transplanted with or without a fibronectin scaffold following CCI improved behavioral symptoms . Xenotransplanted human neural stem cells have also been observed to survive in injured rodent brains and to express astrocytic and neuronal antigens. The transplanted cells migrated to the hippocampus, corpus callosum and ipsilateral sub-ependymal zone and reduced the number of degenerating neurons.

Hematopoietic or mesenchymal are advantageous

HematopoieticOf these stem cell types the bone marrow derived stem cells; hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells have been found to be advantageous when used as they can be harvested from the same patient and be transplanted in the brain of the same TBI patient hence limit the chances of donor unavailability or immune rejection. These cells have successfully been transplanted into injured rats by different routes where they express neural and glial cell markers and migrate to the subventricular zone, hippocampus and pericontusional areas showing neurogenesis and improved neurobehavioral outcome. The transplanted neural stem cells also modified to encode brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in rats after TBI and found significant improvement in graft survival, neurogenesis and behavioral outcome.

Another study in winster rats, that the functional improvement and colonization of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were observed after TBI and the recovery was found to be facilitated by granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). Human fetal neural stem cells (hfNPCs) transplanted after CCI in rats increased angiogenesis and reduced astrogliosis. In these experiments it can be seen that stem cell transplant might have positive input in the treatment of TBI in humans. However, it is good to note that there are few trials that have been done on humans and so the use of fetal neural stem cell implantation in treatment of TBI should still be approached with caution until there would be enough wok to prove not only their safety but also their effectiveness.

Finally, for more information about bone marrow transplant and stem cell transplantation, visit www.awaremednetwork.com Dr. Dalal Akoury has garnered years of experience in integrative medicine and will be able to help. Feel free to visit http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com and know more about the upcoming Integrative Addiction Conference 2015. The conference will equip you with unique approaches of telling symptoms of addiction and how to help patients battling addiction.

Fetal Neural and Liver-Derived Hematopoietic Cells to Treat TBI

 

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