| 1. |
- Munn-Chernoff, M. A., et al.
(författare)
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Shared genetic risk between eating disorder- and substance-use-related phenotypes: Evidence from genome-wide association studies
- 2021
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Ingår i: Addiction Biology. - : Wiley. - 1355-6215 .- 1369-1600. ; 26:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Eating disorders and substance use disorders frequently co-occur. Twin studies reveal shared genetic variance between liabilities to eating disorders and substance use, with the strongest associations between symptoms of bulimia nervosa and problem alcohol use (genetic correlation [r(g)], twin-based = 0.23-0.53). We estimated the genetic correlation between eating disorder and substance use and disorder phenotypes using data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Four eating disorder phenotypes (anorexia nervosa [AN], AN with binge eating, AN without binge eating, and a bulimia nervosa factor score), and eight substance-use-related phenotypes (drinks per week, alcohol use disorder [AUD], smoking initiation, current smoking, cigarettes per day, nicotine dependence, cannabis initiation, and cannabis use disorder) from eight studies were included. Significant genetic correlations were adjusted for variants associated with major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. Total study sample sizes per phenotype ranged from similar to 2400 to similar to 537 000 individuals. We used linkage disequilibrium score regression to calculate single nucleotide polymorphism-based genetic correlations between eating disorder- and substance-use-related phenotypes. Significant positive genetic associations emerged between AUD and AN (r(g) = 0.18; false discovery rate q = 0.0006), cannabis initiation and AN (r(g) = 0.23; q < 0.0001), and cannabis initiation and AN with binge eating (r(g) = 0.27; q = 0.0016). Conversely, significant negative genetic correlations were observed between three nondiagnostic smoking phenotypes (smoking initiation, current smoking, and cigarettes per day) and AN without binge eating (r(gs) = -0.19 to -0.23; qs < 0.04). The genetic correlation between AUD and AN was no longer significant after co-varying for major depressive disorder loci. The patterns of association between eating disorder- and substance-use-related phenotypes highlights the potentially complex and substance-specific relationships among these behaviors.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Bryois, J., et al.
(författare)
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Genetic identification of cell types underlying brain complex traits yields insights into the etiology of Parkinson’s disease
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 52:5, s. 482-493
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Genome-wide association studies have discovered hundreds of loci associated with complex brain disorders, but it remains unclear in which cell types these loci are active. Here we integrate genome-wide association study results with single-cell transcriptomic data from the entire mouse nervous system to systematically identify cell types underlying brain complex traits. We show that psychiatric disorders are predominantly associated with projecting excitatory and inhibitory neurons. Neurological diseases were associated with different cell types, which is consistent with other lines of evidence. Notably, Parkinson’s disease was genetically associated not only with cholinergic and monoaminergic neurons (which include dopaminergic neurons) but also with enteric neurons and oligodendrocytes. Using post-mortem brain transcriptomic data, we confirmed alterations in these cells, even at the earliest stages of disease progression. Our study provides an important framework for understanding the cellular basis of complex brain maladies, and reveals an unexpected role of oligodendrocytes in Parkinson’s disease. © 2020, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.
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| 4. |
- Watson, H. J., et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide association study identifies eight risk loci and implicates metabo-psychiatric origins for anorexia nervosa
- 2019
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Ingår i: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 51:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Characterized primarily by a low body-mass index, anorexia nervosa is a complex and serious illness(1), affecting 0.9-4% of women and 0.3% of men(2-4), with twin-based heritability estimates of 50-60%(5). Mortality rates are higher than those in other psychiatric disorders(6), and outcomes are unacceptably poor(7). Here we combine data from the Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative (ANGI)(8,9) and the Eating Disorders Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC-ED) and conduct a genome-wide association study of 16,992 cases of anorexia nervosa and 55,525 controls, identifying eight significant loci. The genetic architecture of anorexia nervosa mirrors its clinical presentation, showing significant genetic correlations with psychiatric disorders, physical activity, and metabolic (including glycemic), lipid and anthropometric traits, independent of the effects of common variants associated with body-mass index. These results further encourage a reconceptualization of anorexia nervosa as a metabo-psychiatric disorder. Elucidating the metabolic component is a critical direction for future research, and paying attention to both psychiatric and metabolic components may be key to improving outcomes.
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| 8. |
- Householder, John Ethan, et al.
(författare)
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One sixth of Amazonian tree diversity is dependent on river floodplains
- 2024
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Ingår i: NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION. - 2397-334X.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Amazonia's floodplain system is the largest and most biodiverse on Earth. Although forests are crucial to the ecological integrity of floodplains, our understanding of their species composition and how this may differ from surrounding forest types is still far too limited, particularly as changing inundation regimes begin to reshape floodplain tree communities and the critical ecosystem functions they underpin. Here we address this gap by taking a spatially explicit look at Amazonia-wide patterns of tree-species turnover and ecological specialization of the region's floodplain forests. We show that the majority of Amazonian tree species can inhabit floodplains, and about a sixth of Amazonian tree diversity is ecologically specialized on floodplains. The degree of specialization in floodplain communities is driven by regional flood patterns, with the most compositionally differentiated floodplain forests located centrally within the fluvial network and contingent on the most extraordinary flood magnitudes regionally. Our results provide a spatially explicit view of ecological specialization of floodplain forest communities and expose the need for whole-basin hydrological integrity to protect the Amazon's tree diversity and its function.
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| 9. |
- Murawski, Christopher D., et al.
(författare)
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Terminology for osteochondral lesions of the ankle: proceedings of the International Consensus Meeting on Cartilage Repair of the Ankle
- 2022
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF ISAKOS JOINT DISORDERS & ORTHOPAEDIC SPORTS MEDICINE. - : Elsevier BV. - 2059-7754 .- 2059-7762. ; 7:2, s. 62-66
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The evidence supporting best practice guidelines in the field of cartilage repair of the ankle is based on both low quality and low levels of evidence. Therefore, an international consensus group of experts was convened to collaboratively advance toward consensus opinions based on the best available evidence on key topics within cartilage repair of the ankle. The purpose of this article is to report the consensus statements on "terminology for osteochondral lesions of the ankle" developed at the 2019 International Consensus Meeting on Cartilage Repair of the Ankle. Methods: Forty-three international experts in cartilage repair of the ankle representing 20 countries were convened and participated in a process based on the Delphi method of achieving consensus. Questions and statements were drafted within four working groups focusing on specific topics within cartilage repair of the ankle, after which a comprehensive literature review was performed, and the available evidence for each state-ment was graded. Discussion and debate occurred in cases where statements were not agreed on in unanimous fashion within the working groups. A final vote was then held, and the strength of consensus was characterised as follows: consensus, 51%-74%; strong consensus, 75%-99%; unanimous, 100%. Results: A total of 11 statements on terminology and classification reached consensus during the 2019 Interna-tional Consensus Meeting on Cartilage Repair of the Ankle. Definitions are provided for osseous, chondral and osteochondral lesions, as well as bone marrow stimulation and injury chronicity, among others. An osteochondral lesion of the talus can be abbreviated as OLT. Conclusions: This international consensus derived from leaders in the field will assist clinicians with the appro-priate terminology for osteochondral lesions of the ankle.
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| 10. |
- Watson, Hunna J., et al.
(författare)
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Common Genetic Variation and Age of Onset of Anorexia Nervosa
- 2022
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Ingår i: BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE. - : Elsevier BV. - 2667-1743. ; 2:4, s. 368-378
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Genetics and biology may influence the age of onset of anorexia nervosa (AN). The aims of this study were to determine whether common genetic variation contributes to age of onset of AN and to investigate the genetic associations between age of onset of AN and age at menarche.METHODS: A secondary analysis of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium genome-wide association study (GWAS) of AN was performed, which included 9335 cases and 31,981 screened controls, all from European ancestries. We conducted GWASs of age of onset, early-onset AN (,13 years), and typical-onset AN, and genetic correlation, genetic risk score, and Mendelian randomization analyses.RESULTS: Two loci were genome-wide significant in the typical-onset AN GWAS. Heritability estimates (single nucleotide polymorphism-h2) were 0.01-0.04 for age of onset, 0.16-0.25 for early-onset AN, and 0.17-0.25 for typical-onset AN. Early-and typical-onset AN showed distinct genetic correlation patterns with putative risk factors for AN. Specifically, early-onset AN was significantly genetically correlated with younger age at menarche, and typical-onset AN was significantly negatively genetically correlated with anthropometric traits. Genetic risk scores for age of onset and early-onset AN estimated from independent GWASs significantly predicted age of onset. Mendelian randomization analysis suggested a causal link between younger age at menarche and early -onset AN.CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence consistent with a common variant genetic basis for age of onset and implicate biological pathways regulating menarche and reproduction.
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| 11. |
- Cunha, Jose M. V., et al.
(författare)
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High-Performance and Industrially Viable Nanostructured SiOx Layers for Interface Passivation in Thin Film Solar Cells
- 2021
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Ingår i: Solar RRL. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2367-198X. ; 5:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Herein, it is demonstrated, by using industrial techniques, that a passivation layer with nanocontacts based on silicon oxide (SiOx) leads to significant improvements in the optoelectronical performance of ultrathin Cu(In,Ga)Se-2 (CIGS) solar cells. Two approaches are applied for contact patterning of the passivation layer: point contacts and line contacts. For two CIGS growth conditions, 550 and 500 degrees C, the SiOx passivation layer demonstrates positive passivation properties, which are supported by electrical simulations. Such positive effects lead to an increase in the light to power conversion efficiency value of 2.6% (absolute value) for passivated devices compared with a nonpassivated reference device. Strikingly, both passivation architectures present similar efficiency values. However, there is a trade-off between passivation effect and charge extraction, as demonstrated by the trade-off between open-circuit voltage (V-oc) and short-circuit current density (J(sc)) compared with fill factor (FF). For the first time, a fully industrial upscalable process combining SiOx as rear passivation layer deposited by chemical vapor deposition, with photolithography for line contacts, yields promising results toward high-performance and low-cost ultrathin CIGS solar cells with champion devices reaching efficiency values of 12%, demonstrating the potential of SiOx as a passivation material for energy conversion devices.
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Luize, Bruno Garcia, et al.
(författare)
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Geography and ecology shape the phylogenetic composition of Amazonian tree communities
- 2024
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Ingår i: JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: Amazonia hosts more tree species from numerous evolutionary lineages, both young and ancient, than any other biogeographic region. Previous studies have shown that tree lineages colonized multiple edaphic environments and dispersed widely across Amazonia, leading to a hypothesis, which we test, that lineages should not be strongly associated with either geographic regions or edaphic forest types. Location: Amazonia. Taxon: Angiosperms (Magnoliids; Monocots; Eudicots). Methods: Data for the abundance of 5082 tree species in 1989 plots were combined with a mega-phylogeny. We applied evolutionary ordination to assess how phylogenetic composition varies across Amazonia. We used variation partitioning and Moran's eigenvector maps (MEM) to test and quantify the separate and joint contributions of spatial and environmental variables to explain the phylogenetic composition of plots. We tested the indicator value of lineages for geographic regions and edaphic forest types and mapped associations onto the phylogeny. Results: In the terra firme and v & aacute;rzea forest types, the phylogenetic composition varies by geographic region, but the igap & oacute; and white-sand forest types retain a unique evolutionary signature regardless of region. Overall, we find that soil chemistry, climate and topography explain 24% of the variation in phylogenetic composition, with 79% of that variation being spatially structured (R-2 = 19% overall for combined spatial/environmental effects). The phylogenetic composition also shows substantial spatial patterns not related to the environmental variables we quantified (R-2 = 28%). A greater number of lineages were significant indicators of geographic regions than forest types. Main Conclusion: Numerous tree lineages, including some ancient ones (>66 Ma), show strong associations with geographic regions and edaphic forest types of Amazonia. This shows that specialization in specific edaphic environments has played a long-standing role in the evolutionary assembly of Amazonian forests. Furthermore, many lineages, even those that have dispersed across Amazonia, dominate within a specific region, likely because of phylogenetically conserved niches for environmental conditions that are prevalent within regions.
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| 14. |
- ter Steege, Hans, et al.
(författare)
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Mapping density, diversity and species-richness of the Amazon tree flora
- 2023
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Ingår i: COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY. - 2399-3642. ; 6:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Using 2.046 botanically-inventoried tree plots across the largest tropical forest on Earth, we mapped tree species-diversity and tree species-richness at 0.1-degree resolution, and investigated drivers for diversity and richness. Using only location, stratified by forest type, as predictor, our spatial model, to the best of our knowledge, provides the most accurate map of tree diversity in Amazonia to date, explaining approximately 70% of the tree diversity and species-richness. Large soil-forest combinations determine a significant percentage of the variation in tree species-richness and tree alpha-diversity in Amazonian forest-plots. We suggest that the size and fragmentation of these systems drive their large-scale diversity patterns and hence local diversity. A model not using location but cumulative water deficit, tree density, and temperature seasonality explains 47% of the tree species-richness in the terra-firme forest in Amazonia. Over large areas across Amazonia, residuals of this relationship are small and poorly spatially structured, suggesting that much of the residual variation may be local. The Guyana Shield area has consistently negative residuals, showing that this area has lower tree species-richness than expected by our models. We provide extensive plot meta-data, including tree density, tree alpha-diversity and tree species-richness results and gridded maps at 0.1-degree resolution. A study mapping the tree species richness in Amazonian forests shows that soil type exerts a strong effect on species richness, probably caused by the areas of these forest types. Cumulative water deficit, tree density and temperature seasonality affect species richness at a regional scale.
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| 15. |
- Vianello, Eleonora, et al.
(författare)
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Global blood miRNA profiling unravels early signatures of immunogenicity of Ebola vaccine rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP
- 2023
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Ingår i: iScience. - 2589-0042. ; 26:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The vectored Ebola vaccine rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP elicits protection against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). In a study of forty-eight healthy adult volunteers who received either the rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP vaccine or placebo, we profiled intracellular microRNAs (miRNAs) from whole blood cells (WB) and circulating miRNAs from serum-derived extracellular vesicles (EV) at baseline and longitudinally following vaccination. Further, we identified early miRNA signatures associated with ZEBOV-specific IgG antibody responses at baseline and up to one year post-vaccination, and pinpointed target mRNA transcripts and pathways correlated to miRNAs whose expression was altered after vaccination by using systems biology approaches. Several miRNAs were differentially expressed (DE) and miRNA signatures predicted high or low IgG ZEBOV-specific antibody levels with high classification performance. The top miRNA discriminators were WB-miR-6810, EV-miR-7151-3p, and EV-miR-4426. An eight-miRNA antibody predictive signature was associated with immune-related target mRNAs and pathways. These findings provide valuable insights into early blood biomarkers associated with rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP vaccine-induced IgG antibody responses.
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| 16. |
- Cibecchini, Daniele, et al.
(författare)
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Repairing of a timber truss through two different techniques using timber elements and screwed metal plates
- 2015
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Ingår i: Historical Earthquake-Resistant Timber Framing in the Mediterranean Area. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 9783319394916 - 9783319394923 ; , s. 371-381
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Structural reinforcement of timber buildings may be needed due to different reasons such as change of use, deterioration, lack of maintenance, exceptional damaging incidents or loading, to comply with regulatory changes and being retrofitted, or interventions to increase structural resistance.In this work, two different techniques were considered for repair of a timber truss, subjected only to vertical loads, that was previously assessed on laboratory (test facilities of University of Minho) and taken up to failure during a load-carrying test. A collar beam truss, with more than one hundred years, was tested carrying a vertical point load on each main rafter. Failure of the timber truss was located in the sections of the rafters near the loading positions by bending.Repairing techniques, based on the use of timber elements for one of the rafters and on screwed metal plates for the other rafter, were evaluated and compared to the original unstrengthened condition. The efficiency of the combined repairing techniques was evaluated taking into consideration the structural performance of the collar truss, namely its displacement and ultimate load capacity.In this paper, the results of the experimental tests are discussed attending to the analytical calculation of the contribution of the repairing techniques. Also, the different failure scenarios, for original and strengthened truss, were analyzed and compared.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
- Helder, M., et al.
(författare)
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Electricity production with living plants on a green roof : Environmental performance of the plant-microbial fuel cell
- 2013
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Ingår i: Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining. - : Wiley. - 1932-104X .- 1932-1031. ; 7:1, s. 52-64
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several renewable and (claimed) sustainable energy sources have been introduced into the market during the last century in an attempt to battle pollution from fossil fuels. Especially biomass energy technologies have been under debate for their sustainability. A new biomass energy technology was introduced in 2008: the plant-microbial fuel cell (P-MFC). In this system, electricity can be generated with living plants and thus bioelectricity and biomass production can be combined on the same surface. A green roof producing electricity with a P-MFC could be an interesting combination. P-MFC technology is nearing implementation in the market and therefore we assessed the environmental performance of the system with an early stage life cycle assessment (LCA). The environmental performance of the P-MFC is currently worse than that of conventional electricity production technologies. This is mainly due to the limited power output of the P-MFC and the materials presently used in the P-MFC. Granular activated carbon (anode material), gold wires (current collectors), and Teflon-coated copper wires (connecting anode and cathode) have the largest impact on environmental performance. Use of these materials needs to be reduced or avoided and alternatives need to be sought. Increasing power output and deriving co-products from the P-MFC will increase environmental performance of the P-MFC. At this stage it is too early to compare the P-MFC with other (renewable) energy technologies since the P-MFC is still under development.
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| 21. |
- Miranda, Miguel, et al.
(författare)
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All-optical measurement of the complete waveform of octave-spanning ultrashort light pulses
- 2019
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Ingår i: Optics Letters. - 0146-9592. ; 44:2, s. 191-194
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We demonstrate the complete temporal characterization of the optical waveform of visible near-infrared octave-spanning ultrashort laser pulses, using an all-optical, all-solid-state, and fully inline dispersion-scan device based only on second-harmonic generation.
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| 22. |
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