The H1N1 flu was actually no more serious than most seasonal strains, according to a new study. H1N1 virus disproportionately affected children and young adults, but the symptoms and risk of complications were similar to those of seasonal influenza viruses. For the study, researchers compared the H1N1 pandemic flu with the seasonal H1N1 flu, as well as the H3N2 seasonal flu. H1N1 pandemic flu was not linked to substantially more hospitalization or pneumonia compared with either H1N1 seasonal flu or H3N2 seasonal flu.
Reuters reports:
“This year, it is doubtful H1N1 pandemic flu will be noticed ... most people are now immune to this strain, because it spread so far and wide.”
What a difference a year makes. It was around this time last year that swine flu hysteria was sweeping across the United States and much of the world, and one of the largest, most inappropriate and unnecessary vaccine campaigns was launched. We were told by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the president of the United States that H1N1 swine flu was deadly and millions might die worldwide. The terrifying, deadly pandemic that health officials had been expecting for over half a century was knocking at our doorstep … only it never materialized. It didn’t take long for the truth to come out -- that the swine flu was not only no more dangerous than regular flu but it was FAR less dangerous. Nevertheless, government agencies remained steadfast in their urgings to get vaccinated.
Swine Flu is a Mild Virus, and the Pandemic was a Fake
Now we have even more evidence of swine flu’s mild nature, as a new report in JAMA found that serious complications were no more likely in adults and kids with swine flu than they were in those with regular seasonal flu. This is an important finding to further solidify that the 2009 swine flu pandemic will likely go down as one of the most massive cover-ups in American history … but it is really not new information. Within a week of Australia reporting that the swine flu virus appeared to be 40 times less lethal than originally feared, the World Health Organization (WHO) instructed countries to simply stop lab confirming suspected H1N1 cases, which meant that any and all flu-like symptoms were reported as pandemic influenza, padding the statistics. It was only June 11, 2009 when WHO raised its swine flu pandemic alert from a 5 to a 6. By this time the swine flu virus was already showing itself to have mild symptoms, quick recovery time, and low incidence of death among the vast majority of H1N1 patients throughout the world.
Yet all the drug companies needed to begin shipping out their profitable new H1N1 vaccine across the world was for the swine flu to be kicked up one notch, from a phase 5 to a phase 6 pandemic … and that is exactly what they got.
Suspicious?
That’s putting it mildly considering the very same scientists, who advised the WHO on their decisions were paid consultants with the drug industry. Even before this revelation, the Council of Europe, European Parliament, and even the WHO itself had launched investigations to determine exactly what role the drug companies played in the swine flu debacle, and how deeply Big Pharma's tentacles reach into the World Health Organization. In a motion asking the council to investigate the declaration of H1N1 as a pandemic, these members accused pharmaceutical companies of faking the pandemic and farming it out to the world, so they could fill their pockets with the proceeds. This so-called pandemic was never a pandemic in the true sense. Despite rampant misrepresentation of the facts, last year's flu season turned out to be one of the mildest in recent years!
The Swine Flu May be a Memory … but the Vaccine is Still Here
The flu vaccine that’s being widely promoted in the United States this year is a combination vaccine that contains a type A and type B seasonal flu strain as well as the pandemic H1N1 type A swine flu strain of influenza. This is despite the fact that many Americans have now been exposed to H1N1 swine flu and have some natural immunity to it. But while the swine flu is mild for most people, the vaccine has been causing a host of reactions in both children and adults. According to Barbara Loe Fisher of the National Vaccine Information Center, a special government committee has been created to investigate last year's H1N1 monovalent H1N1 swine flu vaccine for signs that it may be associated with a higher rate of certain kinds of reactions. What the committee found out provisionally is that there were three signs of trouble with the H1N1 swine flu vaccine used last year.
In a recent NVIC video update, Fisher explained:
"One was Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), which we know has been associated with influenza vaccine since 1976 when the first swine flu vaccine was used.
There is [also] a sign of a blood disorder called thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia is when your blood cannot produce enough platelets. It's an autoimmune type reaction.
The other is Bell's palsy. That's a facial paralysis. It's a neuroimmune reaction.
The government is saying they don't know if these are true signals or not, but there were some red flags that were raised."
Sweden and Finland also recently sounded the alarm because young patients suddenly developed narcolepsy after being vaccinated with the H1N1 swine flu vaccine. France, Germany and Norway have also started counting cases, and the EU has launched an investigation. Earlier this year, Australia suspended use of its seasonal flu vaccine for children under the age of 5 back in April after detecting an abnormal number of side effects within 12 hours of vaccination, compared to previous years. The vaccine contained three strains of influenza, including the H1N1 swine flu vaccine. Side effects included high fevers and seizures. Despite outstanding questions about the safety of this year’s seasonal influenza vaccine containing the reactive H1N1 swine flu component, including warning signs from Australia and Europe about seizures and other neurological complications, the United States is now moving into the 2010-2011 flu season using a flu vaccine that may be very reactive.
"I am concerned," Fisher says. "We have over 300 million people [in the US] who… are supposed to get this influenza vaccine. And we have a very aggressive push by the media and others who are following the lead of the government, so we could have a bad situation."
Source: Business Week 9/7/10; JAMA 9/8/10; FoodConsumer.org 9/8/10
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The Key Factor In The Rise of ADHD?
Close to 1 million children in the United States have potentially been misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) -- simply because they are the youngest, and therefore the most immature, in their kindergarten class. These children are significantly more likely to be prescribed behavior-modifying drugs such as Ritalin. Such inappropriate treatment is particularly troubling because of the unknown impacts of long-term stimulant use on children's health.
According to Science Daily:
“It also wastes an estimated $320 million-$500 million a year on unnecessary medication -- some $80 million-$90 million of it paid by Medicaid”.
Comments: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) seem to have become the catch-all designations for children who do not “behave well,” and as this study shows, this personal observation may have some merit. As of 2006, at least 4.5 million American children under the age of 18 were diagnosed with ADHD, according to CDC statistics. The study above, published in the Journal of Health Economics in June, determined that about 20 percent of these children have likely been misdiagnosed. That’s nearly one million children in the US alone. The study found that many of the youngest children in any given grade level are perceived as exhibiting “symptoms” of ADHD, such as fidgeting and inability to concentrate, simply because they’re compared to more mature classmates.
How Do You Diagnose ADHD? ADHD involves a cluster of symptoms that include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behaviors. There is no definitive diagnostic tool, such as a brain scan, to determine if you have ADHD. There’s only subjective evaluation, and, for better or worse, teachers can play a significant role in this evaluation. The term ADD has largely been replaced with ADHD, as it describes two of the most common symptoms of the condition, inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior.
Most children display a combination of these two traits, and may also show the following symptoms:
• Frequent fidgeting or squirming
• Feels restless or often runs and climbs excessively, or leaves his or her seat in the classroom when not appropriate
• Has difficulty playing quietly
• Talks excessively, interrupts often, and may blurt out answers to questions at inappropriate times
• Always seems on the go
• Has difficulty waiting his or her turn
As you can see, many of these “symptoms” could describe most children at one time or another! Therefore, only those who struggle with inattention and hyperactive or impulsive behaviors around the clock are candidates for the ADHD label. Children who display these symptoms at school but not at home or with friends are not considered to have ADHD. Likewise, with children who display symptoms at home but not at school.
Is it ADHD, or Just Immaturity? Since this behavioral disorder is so easily misdiagnosed, and the ramifications of a diagnosis so severe, it’s essential that you become actively involved and pay close attention to your child’s developmental progress. The drugs prescribed for this condition are quite dangerous, and can lead to addiction and long-term health complications, including death. Drugs really should be a last resort, and not a knee-jerk consequence of immature or “poor” behavior. The study found that the youngest students were 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than the oldest in the same grade. And when you take into account the maturity level, and in large part normal behavior of a 6 versus a 7-year old, you can easily see why.
Science Daily writes:
“… the "smoking gun" of the study is that ADHD diagnoses depend on a child's age relative to classmates and the teacher's perceptions of whether the child has symptoms.
"If a child is behaving poorly, if he's inattentive, if he can't sit still, it may simply be because he's 5 and the other kids are 6," said Elder, assistant professor of economics. "There's a big difference between a 5-year-old and a 6-year-old, and teachers and medical practitioners need to take that into account when evaluating whether children have ADHD."
In addition, it’s important for parents to remain in charge and make their own assessments known, as the study also concluded that,
“ A child’s birth date relative to the eligibility cutoff also strongly influences teachers’ assessments of whether the child exhibits ADHD symptoms but is only weakly associated with similarly measured parental assessments, suggesting that many diagnoses may be driven by teachers’ perceptions of poor behavior among the youngest children in a classroom.
These perceptions have long-lasting consequences: the youngest children in fifth and eighth grades are nearly twice as likely as their older classmates to regularly use stimulants prescribed to treat ADHD.”
What Causes ADHD? There are a number of theories to explain the rise in ADHD diagnoses, including:
• Sugars and Grains. Children who consume highly processed foods loaded with high fructose corn syrup and fruit juices tend to have a higher rate and severity of these symptoms. While organic whole grains are superior to processed ones, many children with ADHD do not respond well to most grains, especially wheat.
• Genetic factors -- Some scientists are now aiming their research at finding genes that may make a person more susceptible to this disorder
• Environmental toxins -- A 2006 study found that a mother's use of cigarettes, alcohol, or other drugs during pregnancy could increase the risk for ADHD. Exposure to lead and mercury may also cause ADHD symptoms, and pesticides and the industrial chemicals polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have also been named as potential culprits.
• Allergic reactions -- Chemically-sensitive people may exhibit ADHD symptoms when exposed to something as simple as clothing washed with perfumed and chemical-laden soap. Permanent press or stain-resistant products also contain chemicals that can initiate ADHD-like reactions in sensitive individuals.
• Processed food additives – Certain food dyes and other additives may cause ADHD-like symptoms. These chemicals have a particularly pernicious synergy if they are combined with sugars such as fructose.
• Increased number of childhood vaccinations – One 2007 survey found a strong correlation between rates of neurological disorders, such as ADHD, and childhood vaccinations. Vaccine adjuvants have also been associated with ADHD-type neurological problems.
• Fluoridated water
• Emotionally unstable home environments Stress is the frequently unappreciated and overlooked variable that can easily worsen ADHD. If the parents are having trouble in their relationship this can easily influence the child’s behavior.
• Increased rates of birth interventions. This can result in birth trauma and lack of oxygen in the newborn, which significantly increases the risk of developmental delay.
But the key factor, I believe, is nutrition, or rather lack thereof.
We know the food choices of most children and adults are incredibly poor. How can you possibly expect a child to have normal behavior if he is fed refined grains, sugars, processed foods loaded with chemicals and genetically engineered ingredients, and juices and sodas instead of pure water? Add to that the substandard amount of vegetables in most people’s diets -- up to 90 percent fewer than what is required for health -- an overabundance of highly processed, damaged omega-6 fats and a deficiency of omega-3 fats, and behavioral issues are not far behind. You simply cannot have a healthy functioning brain when the proper ingredients to develop or maintain a healthy brain are not being given!
The ADHD “Epidemic” is Creating a Generation of Drug Addicts Once a diagnosis has been made, the conventional approach typically involves drug therapy. Commonly prescribed drugs include: Ritalin®, Concerta®, Adderall® or Strattera®
These products, with the exception of Strattera®, all contain different formulations of methylphenidate, a powerful psychostimulant drug that is in the same class as cocaine. Please understand that just because these drugs are by prescription does NOT make them safer than their illegal “street drug” counterparts.
Methylphenidate behaves similarly to highly addictive drugs. Ritalin, for example, has the same pharmacological profile as cocaine, yet its effects are even more potent. Using brain imaging, scientists have found that, in pill form, Ritalin occupies more of the neural transporters responsible for the “high” experienced by addicts than smoked or injected cocaine. In essence, we have created a large body of new drug addicts, priming them for addiction from an extremely young age. This is a particularly painful thought when you consider that, in all likelihood, nearly one million children are being drugged simply because they act their age! And even more children are likely receiving addictive drugs when what they really need is proper nutrition. It’s also worth mentioning that, like antidepressants, some ADHD drugs have been linked to an increased probability of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Strattera®, which contains atomoxetine hydrochloride, carries this warning. Hallucinations, increased aggressive behavior, heart attack and stroke are also possible side effects of ADHD drugs.
Ritalin Use in America is Out of Control U.S. pharmacists distribute five times more Ritalin than the rest of the world combined, according to Dr. Samuel Epstein’s Cancer Prevention Coalition (CPC). In all, 60 percent to 90 percent of U.S. kids with attention deficit disorders are prescribed this powerful drug, which amounts to 3 percent to 5 percent of U.S. children and teens on Ritalin.
By definition, Ritalin stimulates your central nervous system, leading to side effects such as:
Increased blood pressure, Increased heart rate, Increased body temperature, Increased alertness and Suppressed appetite
Research has also linked Ritalin with more severe health problems such as cancer.
Natural Ways to Relieve ADHD Symptoms It is my sincere hope that people will begin to realize that drug therapy should be a very last resort, after all other options have been exhausted – especially when it comes to behavioral problems such as ADHD. Before you consider drugs, please consider implementing the following strategies first, in addition to making sure that your child is assessed in an age-appropriate manner:
• Eliminate most grains and sugars from your child’s diet. Grains and sugars both tend to cause allergies in sensitive individuals. Even organic, whole grain can cause problems in many children so it would be wise to give them a grain holiday and see if their behavior improves.
• Replace soft drinks (whether diet and regular), fruit juices, and pasteurized milk with pure, clean non-fluoridated water.
• Increase omega-3 fats by taking a high quality animal-based omega-3 oil. Research has confirmed that something as simple as animal-based omega-3 fat can improve the symptoms of ADHD more effectively than drugs like Ritalin® and Concerta®. In my view, krill oil is the best option for this. It contains essential EPA and DHA in a double chain phospholipid structure that makes it far more absorbable than the omega-3s in fish oil.
• Minimize your use of processed fats, especially trans fats as they disrupt nerve cell intercommunication.
• Avoid processed foods, especially those containing artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, which may trigger or worsen symptoms.
• Clear your house of dangerous pesticides and other commercial chemicals. Pesticide exposure has been linked with ADHD.
• Avoid commercial washing detergents and cleaning products used on clothes, and replace them with naturally derived cleaning products with no added perfumes, softeners, etc.
• Spend more time in nature. Researchers have found that exposing ADHD children to nature is an affordable, healthy way of controlling symptoms.
***In Conclusion: Ask one of the doctors at Beck-Thibodeau Chiropractic about getting your child under chiropractic care, relieving their possible allergies with Allergy Elimination or checking for any nutritional problems. We have helped many kids in the past with ADD and ADHD symptoms.
Source: Science Daily; Journal of Health Economics; mercola.com - September 1, 2010
According to Science Daily:
“It also wastes an estimated $320 million-$500 million a year on unnecessary medication -- some $80 million-$90 million of it paid by Medicaid”.
Comments: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) seem to have become the catch-all designations for children who do not “behave well,” and as this study shows, this personal observation may have some merit. As of 2006, at least 4.5 million American children under the age of 18 were diagnosed with ADHD, according to CDC statistics. The study above, published in the Journal of Health Economics in June, determined that about 20 percent of these children have likely been misdiagnosed. That’s nearly one million children in the US alone. The study found that many of the youngest children in any given grade level are perceived as exhibiting “symptoms” of ADHD, such as fidgeting and inability to concentrate, simply because they’re compared to more mature classmates.
How Do You Diagnose ADHD? ADHD involves a cluster of symptoms that include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behaviors. There is no definitive diagnostic tool, such as a brain scan, to determine if you have ADHD. There’s only subjective evaluation, and, for better or worse, teachers can play a significant role in this evaluation. The term ADD has largely been replaced with ADHD, as it describes two of the most common symptoms of the condition, inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior.
Most children display a combination of these two traits, and may also show the following symptoms:
• Frequent fidgeting or squirming
• Feels restless or often runs and climbs excessively, or leaves his or her seat in the classroom when not appropriate
• Has difficulty playing quietly
• Talks excessively, interrupts often, and may blurt out answers to questions at inappropriate times
• Always seems on the go
• Has difficulty waiting his or her turn
As you can see, many of these “symptoms” could describe most children at one time or another! Therefore, only those who struggle with inattention and hyperactive or impulsive behaviors around the clock are candidates for the ADHD label. Children who display these symptoms at school but not at home or with friends are not considered to have ADHD. Likewise, with children who display symptoms at home but not at school.
Is it ADHD, or Just Immaturity? Since this behavioral disorder is so easily misdiagnosed, and the ramifications of a diagnosis so severe, it’s essential that you become actively involved and pay close attention to your child’s developmental progress. The drugs prescribed for this condition are quite dangerous, and can lead to addiction and long-term health complications, including death. Drugs really should be a last resort, and not a knee-jerk consequence of immature or “poor” behavior. The study found that the youngest students were 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than the oldest in the same grade. And when you take into account the maturity level, and in large part normal behavior of a 6 versus a 7-year old, you can easily see why.
Science Daily writes:
“… the "smoking gun" of the study is that ADHD diagnoses depend on a child's age relative to classmates and the teacher's perceptions of whether the child has symptoms.
"If a child is behaving poorly, if he's inattentive, if he can't sit still, it may simply be because he's 5 and the other kids are 6," said Elder, assistant professor of economics. "There's a big difference between a 5-year-old and a 6-year-old, and teachers and medical practitioners need to take that into account when evaluating whether children have ADHD."
In addition, it’s important for parents to remain in charge and make their own assessments known, as the study also concluded that,
“ A child’s birth date relative to the eligibility cutoff also strongly influences teachers’ assessments of whether the child exhibits ADHD symptoms but is only weakly associated with similarly measured parental assessments, suggesting that many diagnoses may be driven by teachers’ perceptions of poor behavior among the youngest children in a classroom.
These perceptions have long-lasting consequences: the youngest children in fifth and eighth grades are nearly twice as likely as their older classmates to regularly use stimulants prescribed to treat ADHD.”
What Causes ADHD? There are a number of theories to explain the rise in ADHD diagnoses, including:
• Sugars and Grains. Children who consume highly processed foods loaded with high fructose corn syrup and fruit juices tend to have a higher rate and severity of these symptoms. While organic whole grains are superior to processed ones, many children with ADHD do not respond well to most grains, especially wheat.
• Genetic factors -- Some scientists are now aiming their research at finding genes that may make a person more susceptible to this disorder
• Environmental toxins -- A 2006 study found that a mother's use of cigarettes, alcohol, or other drugs during pregnancy could increase the risk for ADHD. Exposure to lead and mercury may also cause ADHD symptoms, and pesticides and the industrial chemicals polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have also been named as potential culprits.
• Allergic reactions -- Chemically-sensitive people may exhibit ADHD symptoms when exposed to something as simple as clothing washed with perfumed and chemical-laden soap. Permanent press or stain-resistant products also contain chemicals that can initiate ADHD-like reactions in sensitive individuals.
• Processed food additives – Certain food dyes and other additives may cause ADHD-like symptoms. These chemicals have a particularly pernicious synergy if they are combined with sugars such as fructose.
• Increased number of childhood vaccinations – One 2007 survey found a strong correlation between rates of neurological disorders, such as ADHD, and childhood vaccinations. Vaccine adjuvants have also been associated with ADHD-type neurological problems.
• Fluoridated water
• Emotionally unstable home environments Stress is the frequently unappreciated and overlooked variable that can easily worsen ADHD. If the parents are having trouble in their relationship this can easily influence the child’s behavior.
• Increased rates of birth interventions. This can result in birth trauma and lack of oxygen in the newborn, which significantly increases the risk of developmental delay.
But the key factor, I believe, is nutrition, or rather lack thereof.
We know the food choices of most children and adults are incredibly poor. How can you possibly expect a child to have normal behavior if he is fed refined grains, sugars, processed foods loaded with chemicals and genetically engineered ingredients, and juices and sodas instead of pure water? Add to that the substandard amount of vegetables in most people’s diets -- up to 90 percent fewer than what is required for health -- an overabundance of highly processed, damaged omega-6 fats and a deficiency of omega-3 fats, and behavioral issues are not far behind. You simply cannot have a healthy functioning brain when the proper ingredients to develop or maintain a healthy brain are not being given!
The ADHD “Epidemic” is Creating a Generation of Drug Addicts Once a diagnosis has been made, the conventional approach typically involves drug therapy. Commonly prescribed drugs include: Ritalin®, Concerta®, Adderall® or Strattera®
These products, with the exception of Strattera®, all contain different formulations of methylphenidate, a powerful psychostimulant drug that is in the same class as cocaine. Please understand that just because these drugs are by prescription does NOT make them safer than their illegal “street drug” counterparts.
Methylphenidate behaves similarly to highly addictive drugs. Ritalin, for example, has the same pharmacological profile as cocaine, yet its effects are even more potent. Using brain imaging, scientists have found that, in pill form, Ritalin occupies more of the neural transporters responsible for the “high” experienced by addicts than smoked or injected cocaine. In essence, we have created a large body of new drug addicts, priming them for addiction from an extremely young age. This is a particularly painful thought when you consider that, in all likelihood, nearly one million children are being drugged simply because they act their age! And even more children are likely receiving addictive drugs when what they really need is proper nutrition. It’s also worth mentioning that, like antidepressants, some ADHD drugs have been linked to an increased probability of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Strattera®, which contains atomoxetine hydrochloride, carries this warning. Hallucinations, increased aggressive behavior, heart attack and stroke are also possible side effects of ADHD drugs.
Ritalin Use in America is Out of Control U.S. pharmacists distribute five times more Ritalin than the rest of the world combined, according to Dr. Samuel Epstein’s Cancer Prevention Coalition (CPC). In all, 60 percent to 90 percent of U.S. kids with attention deficit disorders are prescribed this powerful drug, which amounts to 3 percent to 5 percent of U.S. children and teens on Ritalin.
By definition, Ritalin stimulates your central nervous system, leading to side effects such as:
Increased blood pressure, Increased heart rate, Increased body temperature, Increased alertness and Suppressed appetite
Research has also linked Ritalin with more severe health problems such as cancer.
Natural Ways to Relieve ADHD Symptoms It is my sincere hope that people will begin to realize that drug therapy should be a very last resort, after all other options have been exhausted – especially when it comes to behavioral problems such as ADHD. Before you consider drugs, please consider implementing the following strategies first, in addition to making sure that your child is assessed in an age-appropriate manner:
• Eliminate most grains and sugars from your child’s diet. Grains and sugars both tend to cause allergies in sensitive individuals. Even organic, whole grain can cause problems in many children so it would be wise to give them a grain holiday and see if their behavior improves.
• Replace soft drinks (whether diet and regular), fruit juices, and pasteurized milk with pure, clean non-fluoridated water.
• Increase omega-3 fats by taking a high quality animal-based omega-3 oil. Research has confirmed that something as simple as animal-based omega-3 fat can improve the symptoms of ADHD more effectively than drugs like Ritalin® and Concerta®. In my view, krill oil is the best option for this. It contains essential EPA and DHA in a double chain phospholipid structure that makes it far more absorbable than the omega-3s in fish oil.
• Minimize your use of processed fats, especially trans fats as they disrupt nerve cell intercommunication.
• Avoid processed foods, especially those containing artificial colors, flavors and preservatives, which may trigger or worsen symptoms.
• Clear your house of dangerous pesticides and other commercial chemicals. Pesticide exposure has been linked with ADHD.
• Avoid commercial washing detergents and cleaning products used on clothes, and replace them with naturally derived cleaning products with no added perfumes, softeners, etc.
• Spend more time in nature. Researchers have found that exposing ADHD children to nature is an affordable, healthy way of controlling symptoms.
***In Conclusion: Ask one of the doctors at Beck-Thibodeau Chiropractic about getting your child under chiropractic care, relieving their possible allergies with Allergy Elimination or checking for any nutritional problems. We have helped many kids in the past with ADD and ADHD symptoms.
Source: Science Daily; Journal of Health Economics; mercola.com - September 1, 2010
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