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COMMENTARY

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.11, pp. 1517-1520, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.055513 - 07 November 2024
Abstract This article navigates the relationship between biomaterials and osteogenic cell adhesion, highlighting the importance of mimicking the physiological response for bone tissue regeneration. Within this spirit is an initial description of the interaction between osteoblasts and osteoprogenitor cells with the extracellular matrix, explaining the leading role of integrins and cadherins in cell adhesion, and the intracellular signaling pathways elicited. Additionally, there is a focus on the strategies of advanced biomaterials that foster osteogenesis by replicating the native environment, taking advantage of these known specific signaling pathways. The final remarks lay on the need for careful More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.11, pp. 1521-1529, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.055410 - 07 November 2024
Abstract Cellular biomechanical features contributed to the occurrence and development of various physiological and pathological phenomena. Micropillar arrays have emerged as an important tool for both the assessment and manipulation of cellular biomechanical characteristics. This comprehensive review provides an in-depth understanding of the fabrication methodologies of micropillar arrays and their applications in deciphering and fine-tuning cellular biomechanical properties and the innovative experimental platforms including organ-on-a-chip and organoids-on-a-chip. This review provides novel insights into the potential of micropillar technology, poised to update the landscape of stem cell research and tissue engineering. More >

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281

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REVIEW

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.11, pp. 1531-1542, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.054278 - 07 November 2024
Abstract Stem cells have shown great application potential in wound repair, tissue regeneration, and disease treatment. Therefore, a full understanding of stem cells and their related regulatory mechanisms in disease treatment is conducive to improving the therapeutic effect of stem cells. However, thus far, there are still many unsolved mysteries in the field of stem cells due to technical limitations, which hinder the in-depth exploration of stem cells and their wide clinical application. Single-cell sequencing (SCS) has provided very powerful and unbiased insights into cell gene expression profiles at the single-cell level, bringing exciting results to More >

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REVIEW

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.11, pp. 1543-1567, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.055505 - 07 November 2024
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in Human Diseases)
Abstract Hepatitis B-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC) remains an intractable high-mortality solid tumor cancer that accounted for 42% of global HCC cases in 2019. Despite some developments in systemic therapy, only a small subset of late-stage HCC patients responds positively to recently developed therapeutic innovations. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as an ancillary epigenetic system that can regulate genome expression in all cancer pathways including HCC. The molecular mechanisms of miRNA regulation in cancer pathogenesis offered researchers a new approach that was widely hoped would translate into miRNA-based drugs and diagnostics. Thirty years on, miRNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic agents… More >

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REVIEW

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.11, pp. 1569-1578, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.053983 - 07 November 2024
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Extracellular Matrix in Development and Disease)
Abstract In the development of colorectal cancer (CRC), cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a pivotal role in establishing tumor-permissive extracellular matrix structures, angiogenesis, and modulating the immune status of the tumor microenvironment (TME), thereby influencing tumor metastasis and resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The pleiotropic effects of CAFs in the TME may be attributed to the heterogeneous origin and high plasticity of their population. Given the specificity of CAFs, they provide a variety of potential target molecules for future CRC treatment, which may play an indispensable role in CRC therapeutic strategies. This review summarizes the origin of More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.11, pp. 1579-1602, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.054879 - 07 November 2024
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Genetic Biomarkers of Cancer: Insights into Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms)
Abstract Nanoparticles represent a heterogeneous collection of materials, whether natural or synthetic, with dimensions aligning in the nanoscale. Because of their intense manifestation with the immune system, they can be harvested for numerous bio-medical and biotechnological advancements mainly in cancer treatment. This review article aims to scrutinize various types of nanoparticles that interact differently with immune cells like macrophages, dendritic cells, T lymphocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells. It also underscores the importance of knowing how nanoparticles influence immune cell functions, such as the production of cytokines and the presentation of antigens which are crucial for… More >

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ARTICLE

BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.11, pp. 1603-1612, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.054364 - 07 November 2024
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Navigating the Interplay of Cancer, Autophagy, ER Stress, Cell Cycle and Apoptosis: Mechanisms, Therapies, and Future Directions)
Abstract Objectives: The antitumor effects of pyropheophorbide-α methyl ester-mediated photodynamic therapy (MPPa-PDT) were observed in several cancers. The objective of this investigation was to examine the antineoplastic efficacy of MPPa-PDT acting on lung carcinoma A549 cells and further elaborate mechanisms. Methods: The viability of A549 cells was examined with cell counting kit-8 after MPPa-PDT disposal. Hoechst 33342 staining, monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining, and transmission electron microscopy were employed to observe apoptotic bodies and autophagic vesicles. Flow cytometry with Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) labeling objectively assessed cell death. The expression of associated proteins, including Caspase-3, Beclin-1, LC-3II, and More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.11, pp. 1613-1623, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.053652 - 07 November 2024
Abstract Objectives: This study explores the protective effects of glycyrrhizic acid (GA) on sepsis-induced cellular damage and inflammation in acute lung injury (ALI), specifically through the modulation of the sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) pathway. Methods: The study employed two experimental models: lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BEAS-2B human lung epithelial cells and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) rats, to simulate sepsis conditions. The cell model involved treatments with LPS, GA, control siRNA (si-NC), and SIRT1-specific siRNA (si-SIRT1). Evaluations included cell viability, apoptosis, and cytokine production. In the rat model, treatments included GA and… More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.48, No.11, pp. 1625-1638, 2024, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2024.055029 - 07 November 2024
Abstract Objective: The study aimed to explore the protective mechanism of Ganoderic acid A (GAA) in renal fibrosis and to verify that GAA can ameliorate renal fibrosis by regulating the Niemann-pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) gene. Methods: Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-β1) was used to treat Human Kidney-2 (HK-2) cells to establish a renal fibrosis model. The differentially expressed genes in the control (CTRL) group, TGF-β1 group, and TGF-β1 + GAA group were screened via transcriptome sequencing technology and verified by qPCR and Western blot experiments. The NPC1L1 gene overexpression plasmid was constructed. The expression levels of N-cad, E-cad,… More >

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ARTICLE

BIOCELL, Vol.47, No.2, pp. 239-244, 2023, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2023.025357
Abstract An organism’s survival depends on its ability to adapt to stress. Mitochondria are the cellular integrators of environmental stressors that ultimately translate their responses at the organismal level, and are thus central to the process whereby organisms adapt to their respective environments. Mitochondria produce molecular energy via oxidative phosphorylation that then allows cells to biosynthetically respond and adapt to changes in their environment. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are by-products of oxidative phosphorylation that can be either beneficial or damaging, depending on the context; ROS are hence both the conveyors of environmental stress as well as More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.1, pp. 87-95, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.016509
Abstract Available reports have confirmed a link between bacterial infection and the progression of different types of cancers, including colon, lungs, and prostate cancer. Here we report the Chlamydia pneumonia proteins targeting in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) using in-silico approaches and their possible role in lung cancer etiology. We predicted 48 proteins that target human ER, which may be associated with protein folding and protein-protein interactions during infection. The results showed C. pneumoniae proteins targeting human ER and their implications in lung cancer growth. These targeted proteins may be involved in competitive interactions between host and bacterial proteins, which may More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.3, pp. 759-767, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.016586
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Molecular and Cellular Diagnostic Models)
Abstract Despite the multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses accumulating evidence on the preventive effect of calcium supplementation for colorectal cancer, most of the associated adverse effects are not systematically analyzed. The aim of the study is evaluating adverse events associated with calcium supplementation for colorectal cancer prevention through a systematic meta-analysis. We searched Medline, PubMed Central, EMBASE (Excerpta Medica database), Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science published in English from database inception up to 31 July 2019. In the current systematic meta-analysis, we included human studies (including cohort studies, clinical trials,… More >

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VIEWPOINT

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.1, pp. 1-5, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.017300
Abstract Nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) are two molecules that share signaling properties in plant and animal cells. NO and H₂S originate two families of derived molecules designated reactive nitrogen and sulfur species (RNS and RSS, respectively). These molecules are responsible for certain protein regulatory processes through posttranslational modifications (PTMs), being the most remarkable S-nitrosation and persulfidation, which affect the thiol group of cysteine residues. NO and H₂S can also exert regulatory functions due to their interaction through the iron present in proteins that contain heme groups or iron-sulfur clusters, as reported mainly in animal cells. More >

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REVIEW

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.2, pp. 389-400, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.015899
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Stem Cells, Protein Therapeutics, and Regenerative Medicine)
Abstract Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a long-lasting condition that affects the liver, destroying its function. Liver injury can cause steatosis and inflammation, and further activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) often leads to the development of nonalcoholic liver fibrosis. The patient with NAFLD is at risk of developing advanced liver disease and complications, such as liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and portal hypertension. Although our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of NAFLD has greatly improved in recent years, treatment remains limited. Analysis and characterization of protein posttranslational modifications (PTMs) could improve our More >

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ARTICLE

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.4, pp. 1053-1066, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.012901
Abstract Previous reports have suggested that Ang-(1-7) may have a protective effect in endothelial cells against high glucose (HG)-induced cell injury thanks to a modulatory mechanism in the NF-κB signaling pathway. In this study, we have examined whether NF-κB-IL-1β and Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) pathways contribute to the protection of Ang-(1-7) against hyperglycemia-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our results indicate that time-varying exposures of HUVECs, from 1 h to 24 h, to high glucose concentrations result in an increased expression of phosphorylated (p)-p65 and HO-1 in a time-dependent manner. As… More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.1, pp. 127-136, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.015932
Abstract Sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor used for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, is limited by its low oral bioavailability. To overcome this drawback, we have developed novel camel milk casein-derived nanoparticles as a drug delivery system. Camel milk casein is not only biocompatible on oral administration but is actually a dietary protein of pharmaceutical relevance. Casein is used because of its amphiphilic nature, self-assembling property, ability to show sustained release, and capability of encapsulating both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. In this study, camel milk casein nanoparticles loaded with sorafenib were developed and characterized. Characterization of casein… More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.2, pp. 505-510, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.015785
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Cellular Biomechanics in Health and Diseases)
Abstract The excessive energy of light, especially the invisible rays with lower wavelength, is basically absorbed by retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and usually causes DNA damage. The molecular mechanism behind DNA damage repair response to this frequent stress in RPE is not clearly understood. In this study, we determined that the Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway was activated in human RPE ARPE-19 cells after ultraviolet (UV) B and C treatment. Moreover, immunoprecipitation (IP) of FANCD2 indicated that denticleless E3 ubiquitin protein ligase homolog (DTL) closely interacted with FANCD2. Knockdown of DTL weakened the activity of the FA More >

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ARTICLE

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.1, pp. 97-109, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.015608
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Computational Models in Non-Coding RNA and Human Disease)
Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancer worldwide. Although emerging evidence indicates that autophagy-related long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays an important role in the progression of GC, the prognosis of GC based on autophagy is still deficient. The Cancer Genome of Atlas stomach adenocarcinoma (TCGA-STAD) dataset was downloaded and separated into a training set and a testing set randomly. Then, 24 autophagy-related lncRNAs were found strongly associated with the survival of the TCGA-STAD dataset. 11 lncRNAs were selected to build the risk score model through the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator… More >

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ARTICLE

BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.3, pp. 721-735, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.015867
Abstract The peritoneum is the most common site of recurrence of gastric cancer (GC). Early occult peritoneal metastasis is difficult to detect by imaging examination. Stratifying the risk of peritoneal metastasis in patients with different Lauren subtypes is of great clinical value. We performed a univariate Cox regression to identify those genes with prognostic value of overall survival (OS) and peritoneal-specified disease-free survival (psDFS) from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The candidate genes were screened by the Subpopulation Treatment Effect Pattern Plot (STEPP) method. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to reduce the interference of… More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.45, No.6, pp. 1631-1649, 2021, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.014934
Abstract Soil contamination with toxic heavy metals [such as cadmium (Cd)] is becoming a serious global problem due to rapid development of social economy. Iron (Fe), being an important element, has been found effective in enhancing plant tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses. The present study investigated the extent to which different levels of Ferrous sulphate (FeSO₄) modulated the Cd tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L.), when maintained in artificially Cd spiked regimes. A pot experiment was conducted under controlled conditions for 146 days, by using natural soil, mixed with different levels of CdCl₂ [0 (no Cd), 0.5… More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.45, No.2, pp. 363-369, 2021, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.013907
Abstract Bacterial endophytes are beneficial to their hosts as they can fix nitrogen in the soil and make it available to the host. Endophytic bacteria also secrete plant growth-promoting hormones to support their host plants under normal as well as stress conditions. The current study aimed to isolate endophytic bacteria from different parts of Calotropis procera, i.e., roots, stem and leaves of Calotropis procera (Ait.) W.T. Aiton. Plants were collected from the Lundkhwar, district Mardan. A total of 12 bacterial strains, i.e., six from roots, three from the stem and three from the leaves were isolated. The strains… More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.45, No.2, pp. 395-415, 2021, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.012280
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: New Insights in Biology of Depression: New Molecules and Approaches)
Abstract Mast cells are the main effector cells in IgE-associated allergic disorders, and we have reported that mucosal mast cells (MMCs) play a more important role in the development of food allergy (FA). IgE with antigen or calcium ionophore stimulation can lead to the activation of MMCs via a calcium-dependent pathway. The purpose of the present study was to identify gene signatures with IgE/antigen (dinitrophenyl-bovine serum albumin, DNP-BSA) or calcium ionophore (A23187) on the activation of MMCs. Differentially expressed genes between the two types of samples were identified with microarray analysis. Gene ontology functional and pathway… More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.45, No.1, pp. 1-16, 2021, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.013452
Abstract An increasing number of studies provide evidence for the existence of a microbiota-gut-brain axis and its potential involvement in the development of sporadic Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. The neuropathologic hallmark of Parkinson’s disease is the presence of brain intraneuronal aggregates of misfolded alpha-synuclein, known as Lewy bodies. Some gut microbiota products may trigger alpha-synuclein conformational changes in the neurons of the enteric nervous system, which can then spread to the brain in a prion-like fashion through the vagus nerve. Others may interfere with neuroinflammatory pathways and susceptibility to neurodegeneration. In this review, we More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.45, No.4, pp. 863-884, 2021, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.013993
Abstract Inactivation of apoptosis is the prime phenomenon in cancer development and cancer treatments. Mutations in the apoptotic pathway not only exert resistance to apoptosis and provide a survival advantage to cancer cells but also confer resistance to cancer therapies. Escaping apoptosis is the “hallmark” of cancer cells. Cancer cells can withstand many apoptotic stimuli, such as DNA damage, unfavorable environments, and cytotoxic therapies. Substantial research has been carried out and is in good progress on the various mechanisms adopted by cancer cells to evade apoptosis. This article reviews the apoptosis escape mechanisms by cancer cells, More >

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ARTICLE

BIOCELL, Vol.45, No.1, pp. 65-77, 2021, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.014154
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Biomonitoring of Toxic Effects Using OMICs Markers)
Abstract Harmful algal blooms (HABs) that are formed by cyanobacteria have become a serious issue worldwide in recent years. Cyanobacteria can release a type of secondary metabolites called cyanotoxins into aquatic systems which may indirectly or directly provide health risks to the environment and humans. Cyanotoxins provide some of the most powerful natural poisons including potent neurotoxins, hepatotoxins, cytotoxins, and endotoxins that may result in environmental health risks, and long-term morbidity and mortality to animals and humans. In this research, we used the chemcomputational tool Molinspiration for molecular property predictions, Pred-hERG 4.2 web software for cardiac… More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.45, No.4, pp. 1059-1067, 2021, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.015261
Abstract Nicotine and menthol, agonists of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and transient receptor potential melastatin type 8 (TRPM8), serve important roles in the prevention of cell death-involved neurodegenerative diseases. However, the potential synergistic effects of nicotine and menthol on anti-apoptotic ability are still uncertain. In the present study, the potential synergistic effects of nicotine and menthol on cisplatin or amyloid β_1-42 induced cell model of the neurodegenerative diseases were explored by assessing cell viability, TNF-α expression, caspase-3 activation, and the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Statistical significance was tested using Student’s t-test… More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.45, No.3, pp. 489-500, 2021, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.014439
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: Cellular Biomechanics in Health and Diseases)
Abstract Although great achievements have been made in the past decades in medicine, cancer remains a worldwide public health issue. Surgery is usually accompanied by shortcomings such as residual lesions and poor treatment effects, and the successive appearance of other treatment methods, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, has not changed the postoperative recurrence rate, toxicity, and side effects. However, the advent of photodynamic therapy has greatly improved this situation. Photodynamic therapy is an emerging tumor diagnosis and treatment technology with good application prospects, photodynamic therapy uses a specific wavelength of light to excite a photosensitizer to More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.45, No.3, pp. 451-459, 2021, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.014289
Abstract Soybean agglutinin (SBA) is an important anti-nutritional factor in soybean. SBA can induce animal growth inhibition, cause pathological changes of intestinal tissue, and decrease in the immune system functioning. Recently, a great deal of research has been done on the effects of SBA on cell morphology, division, apoptosis, autophagy, as well as the correlated signal transduction pathway. This review mainly covers the chemical and biological characteristics of SBA, describes the multifaceted aspects of SBA anti-nutritional functions, and highlights the possible cellular and molecular mechanism of anti-nutritional effects of SBA. This review has important implications for More >

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BIOCELL, Vol.45, No.1, pp. 119-127, 2021, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2021.012011
（This article belongs to the Special Issue: New Insights in Biology of Depression: New Molecules and Approaches)
Abstract The need for the bacterial proteinase is rapidly growing, urging to catch a lowcost medium for the microbial fermentation, nanoparticles can play a vital role in this respect. The proteinase of Talaromyces purpureogenus was produced on the tubers of Helianthus tuberosus that also operated as solid support for the fermentation process. The interface amongst nitrogen sources (NH₄Cl and yeast extract) was investigated, applying the statistical modeling of central composite design under solid-state fermentation. The optimum medium for proteinase secretion was stimulated by 979.82 mg NH₄Cl and 437.68 mg yeast extract per 100 g substrate, yielding 108.15 U/g tubers.… More >

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