Archives February 2023

Bangalore, 23.02.2023: The Children’s Art Festival, organized by Orchids The International School, was held on the 17th,18th, and 19th of February 2023 at Karnataka Trade Promotion Organization at Whitefield.

The mega event was a culmination of all art forms that the students have learned over the academic year- Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual art. The students got an opportunity to exhibit their talent. Nearly 15000 students and parents gathered during the three-day event.

The objective of the event was to provide students with a bigger platform to showcase their talent, thus boosting their confidence and self-esteem. The students displayed amazing moves in the well-choreographed dance and street play performance, touched on some sensitive social topics, and displayed a clear conceptual understanding of various sub-domains of art forms and applied knowledge of stage and props in the theater.

The musical performances were a blend of both vocal and instrumental melodies. The DIY student-led workstation included woodwork, soap & candle making, and clay modeling, which was well appreciated by the audience. Visual Art workstations, also led by the students, had multiple counters like texture painting, coffee art, Gondh art, and live painting; parents and students enthusiastically tried their hands at these workstations.

Every student performed in two art forms and seamlessly moved from one stage to another, showing the immaculate planning by the organizers. The entire show was put together by the talented team of teachers and leaders of Orchids The International School.”

Speaking about the success of the event, Dr. Madhuri Sagale, VP-Academics at Orchids The International School said, “At Orchids, we firmly believe that art plays an essential role in nurturing and showcasing students’ creativity. We facilitate various art-based programs and curriculum activities throughout the year, encouraging students to explore their artistic inclinations. The art festival provided an open platform to showcase students’ dance performances, street plays, skits, musical routines, visual arts, DIY exhibitions, and live workshops. We wanted our parents to have a memorable experience and to see their child’s creative side. We believe such an experience can be a source of joy for parents and children alike.”

Bengaluru: Adding another feather to its glorious hat of achievements, Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru, one of the premier healthcare providers in the country, became the first hospital to perform India’s first robotic aortic valve replacement, a rare high-end procedure, spearheaded by Dr. Sathyaki Nambala, Chief Cardiac Surgeon at Apollo Hospital, Bannerghatta Road. Less than 200 such procedures have been performed globally until today and India now has one in her bucket, thanks to the expertise of Dr. Nambala and his team at Apollo Hospitals Bannerghatta Road.

This breakthrough procedure conducted by extensively trained doctors gave a new life to a 60-year-old who was diagnosed with a calcific Aortic Valve with severe stenosis. The heart was significantly dysfunctional due to the long-standing issue and required early Aortic Valve Replacement. Additionally, he was suffering from a chest wall deformity – scoliosis with crowding of ribs, making his condition more complex. He was discharged within 3 days of the procedure and is doing perfectly well and healthy.

Speaking about the working of robotic aortic valve replacement, Dr. Sathyaki Nambala, Chief Cardiac Surgeon at Apollo Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, said: “At present, Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road is the only center in India for robotic cardiac surgeries and we focus on complex cardiac surgeries like valve repairs and valve replacements through robotics. In the case of robotic aortic valve replacement, you do not have to do any incisions. You will need to make one to four holes on the chest based on which side of the heart you would want to access and complete the procedure.

While the time taken for the surgery varies depending on the complexity of the procedure, a straightforward surgery takes about one and half to two hours and within just 24 hours, the patient can go home. With robotics, it is like sitting inside the heart and doing the surgery.”

“Robotics is a minimally invasive procedure, giving a 3-dimensional, high resolution, magnified view of the inside of the heart, making it easier for the surgeons to fix the valve with utmost precision. It uses a 0.8 mm port and results in no blood loss, no requirement of blood to be given to the patient, no requirement for painkillers as it is almost painless and no risk of infection and post-procedural infections at all. The time of recovery is the least in such cases and the patient can be discharged within a day and can resume to normal activities within 24 hours of the surgery. Right now, robotics is the ultimate advancement in the cardiac surgery segment that medical science can see,” he added.

Robotic aortic valve replacement is an extraordinary technical procedure and is conducted in only a very few centres across the world. Apart from Apollo hospitals, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore that has conducted about 250 robotic cardiac procedures since 2019, there are about four to five such centres in North America, one to two centres in Canada and about one centre each in the countries of Western Europe. Also, it requires highly skillful and trained surgeons to conduct such procedures.

Highlighting the training procedure for robotic cardiac surgeries, Dr. Sathyaki said: “The training process is extensive and takes several years. Initially, the training has to be done on simulators and a surgeon has to spend a specific number of hours conducting this procedure on a simulator and attain an eligible score. Following that, a surgeon has to visit various centres that perform such procedures and observe how it is done. Then, he can conduct the same on pigs and move on to try his hands on dead bodies, also known as cadaver practice. The surgeon has to then assist a senior surgeon during surgeries and do such surgeries under the guidance of an expert surgeon before conducting a surgery independently on simpler procedures before taking up complex ones.”

Dr. K. Hari Prasad, President – Hospitals Division said: “Apollo Hospitals has always been committed towards providing top notch health care in the country. It is a moment of honour for Apollo Hospitals Bannerghatta to be able to perform India’s first robotic aortic valve replacement, a breakthrough in complex cardiac surgery space, thanks to our up-to-the-minute infrastructure and extensively skilful doctors. Cardiovascular Disorders happen to be one of the leading causes of fatalities in our country and robotic surgeries to treat a complex cardiac condition almost painlessly, with utmost precision and recovery in no time is a revolutionary step towards cardiac care.”

Delhi, 23 February 2023: Fitshot, a lifestyle consumer electronics brand, has launched yet another stunner, Fitshot Saturn power-packed with features at the most competitive price point – following the immense popularity of their smartwatches. The stylish yet bold timepiece, designed to push your limits, helps users chase their workout goals through a whopping 100+ sports modes, and comes equipped with the advanced single-chipset Bluetooth calling technology, SoloSync™. The product with 365 days warranty is available on Flipkart and Fitshot website.

The smartwatch has a cutting-edge design for GenZ. This smartwatch is truly made for those who have a penchant for beautiful yet efficient timepieces. Fitshot Saturn has a 1.32″ round CosmicDisplay™. The smartwatch has 360*360 pixel resolution and 500 nits brightness with a 60Hz refresh rate. The smartwatch comes with intriguing 100+ cloud-based watch faces and a very unique AI watch face feature that allows users to click pictures and generate their own watch faces using AI to complement their everyday outfits.

Fitshot includes Advanced Bluetooth calling technology, and SoloSync™ Technology (single chipset). This results in lower battery consumption and simple pairing with a one-click connection. The smartwatch also has a built-in speaker, microphone, and fast dialler for direct phone calls. The Da Fit app can be used to control and pair the watch. Furthermore, it has a built-in Voice assistant that allows users to control their smartwatch with their voice.

Sleek on the outside and powerful on the inside, the smartwatch delivers up to seven days of runtime on a single charge and also has an IP68 rating to protect the watch from dust, sweat and rain. The smartwatch has 100+ sports modes that can track strength and cardiovascular activities and other low and moderate-intensity activities. The built-in 24-Hour Heart Rate Sensor, SpO2 Monitor, Sleep Tracker, and Step-Counter track fitness levels and activities throughout the day. Breathing, guided meditation mode, and sedentary reminders are also available to users.

“Fitshot Saturn is one of Fitshot’s most awaited products. This smartwatch is an ideal match for Generation Z, who want everything at their fingertips and are always on the go. It has
unrivaled features packed in an extremely stunning body. It is designed to be a smart style statement.” says Sachin Railhan, CEO & Founder, of Fitshot.

Fitshot Saturn includes a Remote Camera Shutter, Stopwatch, Alarm Clock, Remote Music Player Control, Timer, Weather Forecast, Drink Water Reminder, Do Not Disturb Mode, and many other features.

Fitshot Saturn is one of the best-looking round dial smartwatches ever launched! It has unique straps in many not-so-ordinary colors which make this smartwatch extremely beautiful. With the availability of multiple useful features, Fitshot Saturn is a combination of style and function.

New Delhi, February 23, 2023: Reinforcing its commitment toward a sustainable future, the 12th Responsibility Summit of the Fortune Institute of International Business(FIIB) served as a benchmark in scale, participation, and knowledge-sharing.

The historic summit touched upon the theme, “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion- Redesigning for a Resilient Planet.” and witnessed the participation of a distinguished and seasoned group of professional experts to exchange effective sustainability practices.

The inaugural speech for the event was delivered by Dr. Kokil Jain, Professor (Marketing), FIIB which highlighted the institute’s history of sustainable development that aligns with the philosophy of Mr. R.K.Shrivastava, the founder of FIIB.

Dr. Kokil discussed three key areas of responsible work at FIIB: teaching, operating activities, and community engagement.

Technological advancements and globalization have created unprecedented social, economic, and environmental challenges, and integrating and coordinating global, national, regional, and local sustainability efforts are key to meeting these challenges.

Following the inaugural speech, Dr. Anil Sinha, Director at FIIB in his keynote address discussed novel ideas to drive global sustainability transformation. He also emphasized the initiatives like the FIIB Responsibility Summit play in disseminating and recognizing CSR work that makes our planet and country better places to live.

”Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) convey a fundamental shift in the way we operate businesses and its impact on the environment and society. Today we have an obligation to think beyond our immediate requirements and consider the long-term outcomes of our actions. We have a distinctive opportunity to utilize our resources, expertise, and influence to make a positive change in the world,” said Dr. Anil Sinha.

Echoing his views, Radhika Shrivastava, Executive Director, FIIB stated,” Responsible management starts with delivering equal opportunities for every member of the workplace to contribute and influence decisions, irrespective of their role. As we move towards sustainability and CSR, it is critical to remember that ESG is an outcome of DEI, and both are critical in defining a business’s true worth and societal impact.”

Some of the eminent guest speakers who graced the event with their presence included Ms. Sangeeta Robinson, Chief Sustainability Officer, PVR Limited; Ms. Dolly Mittal, Head, Affirmative Hiring, TCS; Ms. Shailza Taneja, Senior Consultant, UN SDG; Ms. Shivani Madan Bose, DEI Consultant, Proud HR Services and Mr. Mallikarjuna Iytha Founder, Inclusive Divyangjan Entrepreneurship Association (IDEA).

In sharing their accomplishments and struggles in implementing sustainability-related initiatives for better impact, the speakers discussed the necessity of a strategy reinvention that would address both business challenges and sustainability concerns.

The summit concluded with the launch of FIIB’s responsibility report, detailing how it engages internal and external stakeholders to achieve the desired societal impact outlined in its mission and relevant strategic goals. As an organization, FIIB has adopted the Sustainable Development Goals to align with the UN’s motto of “Transforming our world with SDGs: the 2030 Agenda for a sustainable future”.

Some of the key sustainability initiatives carried by the FIIB to date include-:

1.  In collaboration with the Haub School of Business, FIIB developed a sustainability dashboard to help universities share best practices on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With its SDG Dashboard, FIIB is the fourth Indian business school to have one.
2.  As a core course of FIIB, SIP (Social Internship Program) provides students with fieldwork experience in the social sector. Collaboration with Social Sector Organizations (SSOs) aligns students’ project needs with those of the organizations.
3.  FIIB Jaagriti Club aims to contribute to society by teaching service orientation to students. Jaagriti Club held Nukkad Natak, Skill Development for Primary School Children, Education Awareness Activities, and Clothes Donation Drives this year.
4.  FIIB has also partnered with Betterlyf to foster a sense of well-being and mental health among students, faculty, and staff.
5.  FIIB has adopted a cluster of five villages under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan of the GOI. The bank will work with residents in this cluster to pinpoint challenges and design solutions to accelerate sustainable growth.
6.  “Digital Economy: A leveler or a source of economic inequality?” was the theme of Manthan this year. The concept of ‘Manthan’ relates to UN SDG Goal 8, which states that “Sustained and inclusive economic growth can drive progress, create decent jobs for all and improve living standards”.

Mumbai, February 23, 2023: The fifteenth Biennial Conference of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) began on Wednesday at the institute’s campus. The three-day conference on ‘Entrepreneurship’ that will conclude on February 24 provided a platform for researchers, educationists, and practitioners to share their research studies and findings in different areas of entrepreneurship development.

During the conference, over 125 papers and studies by scholars from more than 10 countries on the themes of social, green, women, agricultural, digital, MSME, and inclusive entrepreneurship, were presented.

The conference was inaugurated by Dr Kavil Ramachandran, Professor of Entrepreneurship (Practice), Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, in the presence of Dr Gabriel Dwomoh, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Kumasi Technical University; Dr Ajit K Mohanty, Emeritus Fellow, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar; Dr Ramakrishna Velamuri, Dean & Professor of Entrepreneurship, School of Management, Mahindra University, Hyderabad; and Dr Sunil Shukla, Director General, EDII.

Dr Kavil Ramachandran said, “Entrepreneurship today is at the core of research and policy-making. It has become a global phenomenon. The environment, today, across the nation, is conducive to entrepreneurship. The success of a business depends on the resources available, which also includes the competence and merit of the owners and others involved in the business. Family Business is an area, where I believe the dynamics need to be researched more to ensure smooth sail across generations.”

Addressing the gathering, Dr Sunil Shukla said, “The Biennial Conference continues to be a forum for researchers and educators across the globe to exchange ideas and valuable feedback in various fields of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship research is key to identifying solutions and pursuing newer opportunities, and innovations. The research findings and papers presented in the conference bring forth fresh perspectives and emerging trends in entrepreneurship.”

Prof. (Dr.) Gabriel Dwomoh, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Kumasi Technical University, Ghana opined, “Entrepreneurship and enterprise development are viewed with great significance in Ghana. Amidst a time when finding jobs in formal and informal sectors is difficult in Ghana, we are focussing on developing job creators. “

(Dr.) Ajit K. Mohanty, Emeritus Fellow, Utkal University & Former Professor, ICSSR National Fellow Chief Adviser, NMRC, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi expressed, “The process of social development and entrepreneurship is bound to transform the inclination of society towards knowledge and wisdom. In such a society, the process of development will be more inclined towards a collaborative and cooperative process, with focus on including wellbeing of the lesser developed nations as well.”

Prof. (Dr.) Ramakrishna Velamuri, Dean & Professor of Entrepreneurship, School of Management, Mahindra University, Hyderabad said, “Entrepreneurs emerge and blossom in a social context, so when we want entrepreneurship to blossom in India, it is important to focus on educating the parents, teachers, bankers, policymakers, and other similar stakeholders at a decision-making level so that the different beneficiaries could be encouraged to be creative and take the plunge as entrepreneurs.”

As part of the conference, a vice chancellors’/directors’ conclave was also held to discuss the importance of entrepreneurship education in the context of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Universities from across the country were represented.

Another important event of the Conference was the Doctoral Colloquium where the Ph.D. scholars and FPM students from across the country were mentored and guided on their research work.

EDII has been organizing the Biennial Conference on Entrepreneurship since 1994.

India’s biggest Travel Tourism Fair, the 3-day fair (24, 25, and 26 February) at Chennai Trade Centre, Nungambakkam, Chennai. This edition of TTF Chennai with strong participation of close to 150 exhibitors from 8 countries and 21 Indian states and union territories. More than 700 trade visitors have pre-registered for TTF Chennai 2023. TTF provides an annual opportunity for organizations from India and abroad to showcase their products and services to a large cross-section of the travel trade and consumers across major markets in India. Thousands of travel professionals attend TTF year after year because of the valuable networking opportunities and connections it offers. This B2B travel show network is the perfect place for exhibitors to inform about new developments in the industry and for visitors to interact with tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, and airlines to plan their holidays for this year. Over 10,000 trade visitors and travellers are expected to walk in at this edition.

Date: 24th February 2023

Time: 11:00 AM onwards

Venue: Chennai Trade Centre, Nungambakkam, Chennai

Noida, 23 February 2023: PrepInsta, India’s number one and most visited website for placement preparation and a rising Ed-tech brand, has announced PrepSAT, a test through which PrepInsta will open horizons for engineers. PrepSAT will help candidates get job offers, internship offers, Pre Placement offers, and more. Over 300 plus companies are expected to analyze the applications through PrepSAT. In the first phase, PrepInsta opened and made the registration link live for all the aspirants.

The test is aimed at boosting one’s skills in the field. A dedicated team of professionals has curated the test based on requirements, and assessments of various service and product-based companies. The test will be conducted on the platform WeCP.

“We at PrepInsta have been trying to upskill the workforce in the field of tech, and help candidates prepare well. Thus, we have been trying to fill the gap in the bridge from both sides. This test is prepared by the PrepInsta team that understands on communicates on both sides- candidates, and employers. Thus, this is expected to serve the purpose of both the major stakeholders of the ecosystem, and boost the quality of aspiring professionals. Additionally, this test also opens paraphernalia of offers for candidates,” said Mr. Manish Agarwal- CMO and Co-founder, PrepInsta.

PrepSAT is free of cost and is open to register the first 1 lakh applications. The final date of the test will be announced within a month. All the updates related to the test and its results will be updated on its Instagram handle @prepinsta.offcampus

New Delhi, 23 February 2023: India’s leading destination for consuming business & economy-related news, Economic Times Digital has now launched a new OTT platform called ET GrandMasters.

For the first time ever, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and working professionals get a chance to learn from the brightest corporate minds of the world like Mr. N.R Narayana Murthy (Founder, Infosys), Mr. Harsh Mariwala (Founder & Managing Director, Marico), Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (Founder & Chairperson, Biocon), Mr. Nadir Godrej (Managing Director, Godrej Industries), Mr. Ronnie Screwvala (Co-Founder & Chairperson, upGrad), Mr. Puneet Dalmia (Managing Director, Dalmia Bharat Group), Mr. Martin Schwenk (President & CEO, Mercedes-Benz Thailand), Mr. Nithin Kamath (Founder & CEO, Zerodha), Mr. Adar Poonawalla (CEO, Serum Institute of India), Ms. Arundhati Bhattacharya (CEO & Chairperson, Salesforce India), and many more.

In their masterclasses, GrandMasters dive deep into various topics such as Leadership, Management & Strategy, Marketing & Communication, Retail & Logistics, Brand Building, and many more. Each module is carefully curated with solutions, advice, and anecdotes for business challenges from the life-long professional experiences of our seasoned and coveted GrandMasters. For example, the Founder of Infosys, Narayana Murthy delineates his genius when it comes to the IT sector, right from shutting down a failed start-up, managing employee attrition, ensuring a culture of aspirational leadership, and building one of the world’s most successful IT consultancies, Infosys.

Commenting on the launch of the platform, Amit Kumar Gupta, Business Head of ETB2B, said, “ET GrandMasters will truly reimagine the way we learn, consume, and engage with business content while top leaders of the country solve various business challenges and intrinsic problems of the corporate world through a wide range of intuitive topics. This is an opportunity to consume business content where the life learnings of business leaders with the collective experience of over 20 decades are distilled through 100+ exclusive episodes, with new leaders and modules added every month. ”

Chennai, India, 23 Feb 2023 – Rapido Auto, a leading player in the auto taxi service provider space in India, organized a road safety awareness campaign in collaboration with the Greater Chennai City Police (GCCP). The campaign was aimed at creating a safer and more responsible road environment in Chennai and was held at two major traffic signals in the city – Mylapore Luz Corner Signal and Lighthouse Signal in Santhome High Road.

As part of the campaign, 25 Rapido Auto Captains were trained in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and basic life support (first aid), and were awarded certificates by police Sub inspectors Mr. Pithakaras & Mr. Jenish. This training will enable Rapido Auto Captains to provide timely assistance in case of accidents or medical emergencies on the road. The campaign was led by Mr. Samay Singh Meena IPS, DCP East Division Chennai, who provided guidance and support throughout the event.

Apart from the training program, the campaign also involved the distribution of pamphlets with messages about road safety to the public. The messages covered a wide range of topics, including the importance of wearing helmets, following traffic rules, and being alert while driving. The messages were broadcasted through loudspeakers and were well-received by the public. These events received an enthusiastic response from the public and auto-captains and were covered by approximately 20 thousand people respectively, considering the traffic movement.

The highlight of the event was a mime program conducted by employees of Rapido Auto on the importance of road safety rules. The program was well-received by the public and police officials alike, who appreciated the effort made by the company to raise awareness about road safety.

Commenting on the initiative, Pavan Guntupalli, Co-founder of Rapido Auto, said, “As a responsible ride-hailing platform, we believe in contributing our part towards making India accident-free. We have been working towards this goal by organizing road safety awareness campaigns in different cities across India. We are pleased to partner with the Greater Chennai City Police for this initiative and are confident that it will help create a safer and more responsible road environment in Chennai. Rapido Auto’s road safety awareness campaign in Chennai was a successful event that helped create awareness about the importance of road safety among the public. We hope that more corporates will come forward to contribute to creating a safer and more responsible road environment in India.”

Rapido Auto has been actively involved in creating awareness about road safety in different parts of India. The company’s efforts are focused on educating the public about the importance of following traffic rules and being responsible while driving. The company has already organized several successful campaigns in Bangalore and Hyderabad and is committed to expanding its efforts to other cities in India.

The company is looking forward to partnering with the Greater Chennai Traffic Police in order to help create an accident-free Chennai. The company’s aim is to collaborate with the police and other stakeholders to create a comprehensive road safety program that will have a lasting impact on the road safety situation in Chennai.

By- Prof. Dr. Mahipal S Sachdev, Chairman & Medical Director, Centre for Sigh

As the country has been witnessing a surge in the number of cases of eye defects in the recent past, Centre for Sight has now come up with PLANET LASIK to offer refractive solutions under one single roof. Planet Lasik is considered to be a one-stop destination for innovative vision correction procedures as the hospital is equipped with the latest technology and specialists to perform several specialized eye-care procedures like Lasik, SMILE, ICL, PRK, Femto Lasik, and Contoura Vision. These procedures are seamless and comfortable for the patients while promoting the highest safety, hygiene, and quality standards.

The people who wear glasses or contact lenses often start to resent them due to their dependency on them to see clearly and with the rise in the number of people desiring clear vision without having to depend on these external factors, Lasik or Laser Eye Surgery has gained substantial popularity in recent times.
Lasik Surgery is a safe blade-free and precise procedure performed to correct the refractive error of the patient’s eyes to provide a clear vision of the world without having to use spectacles or contact lenses.

The use of spectacles or contact lenses is considered a temporary solution because in some rare cases, even after the regular use of contact lenses or spectacles for a few years, patients have shown weaker eyesight compared to their previous test.

The most recent advancement in the world of Laser Eye Surgeries is Contoura Vision which not only corrects the power of one’s eyeglass but also corrects the corneal irregularities besides working on Visual Axis which provides sharper visual outcomes for the patients. And while some people aren’t eligible for Lasik Surgery due to cornea irregularities, they can get better results with Contoura Vision eye surgery.

The iLasik Surgery is said to be one of the most successful surgeries done among the surgeries done in any part of the human body because of the low level of risk involved and with the various recent advancements in technology and medical procedures, the recovery time post operative has also decreased significantly.

Laser Eye Surgery is performed with the help of two lasers, one helps to create a smooth flap, and the other one to reshape the corneal bed. After that, it’s just a matter of minutes and the patient is able to see clearly without their spectacles or contact lenses, with the rapid advancements in technology the operative time has also decreased. But the patient needs to avoid rubbing his/her eye for a couple of weeks post-operative because a lot of temptation will be there. The patient sometimes also experiences slight pain or uneasiness, but these symptoms improve in a couple of days.

A recent study observing patient satisfaction after the surgery suggests that the people who have had Lasik surgeries done experience the same (or even better) quality of life as the patients who never wore glasses or had any eye surgeries done and this has stayed the same even after 10-15 years the procedure was performed.

Due to the recent global pandemic, a lot of people had to start working from home which resulted in an increase in their overall screen time. Similarly, the younger or elderly generation had to shift to binge-watching and social media consumption for entertainment purposes because a large group of people started having weaker eyesight.

A person’s eyes become weaker and weaker as they get older which results in the loss of vision but with increased screen time of smartphones and the use of these tech gadgets in the dark, this process happens on a rapid speed because of which more and more people are starting to depend upon spectacles or contact lenses for a clear vision of the world.
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