1.Feasibility of the spatiotemporal filtering model for analyzing the spatiotemporal distribution of reported schistosomiasis cases
Jiayao XU ; Zengliang WANG ; Fenghua GAO ; Zhijie ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2025;37(3):232-238
Objective To investigate the feasibility of the spatiotemporal filtering model in analysis of reported schistosomiasis cases, so as to provide insights into analysis of complicated data pertaining to schistosomiasis control. Methods Demographic and epidemiological data of reported schistosomiasis cases in Anhui Province from 1997 to 2010 were collected from Anhui Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the annual prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum human infections was calculated. The meteorological data were captured from meteorological stations in counties (cities, districts) of Anhui Province where schistosomiasis cases were reported from 1997 to 2010 at the National Meteorological Information Center, including monthly average air temperature and precipitation. Meteorological data were interpolated using the inverse-distance weighting method, and the annual average air temperature and annual precipitation were calculated in each county (city, district). The centroid of the county (city, district) where schistosomiasis cases were reported was extracted using the software ArcGIS 10.0, and the Euclidean distance from each centroid to the Yangtze River was calculated as the distance between that county (city, district) and the Yangtze River. The global Moran’s I of the prevalence of S. japonicum human infections in Anhui Province for each year from 1997 to 2010 were calculated to analyze the spatial autocorrelation. A spatial weight matrix was constructed using Rook adjacency, and a first-order temporal weight matrix was built to quantify the relationship between disease changes over time. Subsequently, a spatiotemporal structure matrix was constructed. A negative binomial model was built based on the spatiotemporal structure matrix and data pertaining to reported schistosomiasis cases, and a linear model was created between the residual of the model and candidate set feature vectors to determine the optimal subset composition of the spatiotemporal filter through stepwise regression. Then, a spatio-temporal filtering model was constructed using the negative binomial model. Negative binomial models, Bayesian spatial models, and Bayesian spatiotemporal models were constructed and compared with the spatiotemporal filtering model to validate the performance of the spatiotemporal filtering model, and cross-validation was conducted for each model. The goodness of fit was evaluated using the deviance information criterion (DIC) and Watanabe-Akaike information criterion (WAIC), and the effectiveness of model validation was assessed using mean squared error (MSE), while the accuracy of assessment results was assessed using coefficients and their 95% confidence intervals (CI), and the computational efficiency was assessed based on the running time of the model. The four feature vectors with the largest Moran’s I values were selected to identify regions with autocorrelation through their schematic diagrams to investigate the differences in spatiotemporal patterns of specific regions. Results Of all models created, the spatiotemporal filtering model exhibited the highest goodness of fit (DIC = 3 240.70, WAIC = 3 257.80), the best model validation effectiveness (MSE = 42 617.52), and the runtime was 3.18 s, exhibiting the optimal performance. Across all modeling results, the distance from the Yangtze River showed a negative correlation with the number of reported schistosomiasis cases (coefficient values = −4.93 to −3.78, none of the 95% CIs included 0), and annual average air temperature or average precipitation posed no significant effects on numbers of reported schistosomiasis cases (both of the 95% CIs included 0). Schematic diagrams of feature vectors showed that the transmission of schistosomiasis might be associated with water systems in Anhui Province, and localized clustering patterns were primarily concentrated in the northern and western parts of schistosomiasis-endemic areas in the province. Conclusion The spatiotemporal filtering model is an effective spatiotemporal analysis characterized by simple modeling, user-friendly operation, accurate results and good flexibility, which may serve as an efficient alternative to conventional complex spatiotemporal models for data analysis in schistosomiasis researches.
2.A retrospective cohort study on the protective effectiveness of influenza vaccine against influenza A among the individuals aged between 3‒17 years old in Fenghua District, Ningbo City from 2022 to 2023
Yuqi SHAO ; Weibo DONG ; Yingping XIA ; Chuan ZHANG ; Yi LIU
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(8):654-658
ObjectiveTo analyze the protective effect of different types of influenza vaccines (InfV) against influenza A among the individuals aged between 3‒17 years old, and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of influenza in the future. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted to collect data on the incidence and InfV vaccination of the individuals aged between 3‒17 years during the influenza epidemic season from 2022 to 2023. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) was calculated, and a log-binomial regression model was used to calculate the corrected VE. ResultsThe incidence rate of influenza in InfV vaccinated and un-vaccinated groups was 7.32% (1 937/ 26 446) and 9.65% (4 421/45 837), respectively. After adjusting for age and gender factors, the unadjusted VE (95%CI) was 54.57% (52.24%‒56.78%). The unadjusted VE (95%CI) was 53.66% (50.36%‒56.74%) for males and 55.60% (52.24%‒58.72%) for females, respectively. The unadjusted VE (95%CI) for the age group of 3‒ years, 6‒ years, 9‒ years, 12‒ years, and 15‒17 years were 64.08% (60.89%‒67.01%), 57.40% (53.71%‒60.80%), 57.77% (52.49%‒62.47%), 24.36% (9.49%‒36.79%), and 24.09% (-17.59%‒51.00%), respectively. The unadjusted VE (95%CI) for quadrivalent split-virion inactivated influenza vaccine, trivalent split-virion inactivated influenza vaccine, trivalent subunit influenza vaccine, and trivalent live attenuated influenza vaccine were 53.84% (51.32%‒56.24%), 62.17% (56.28%‒67.26%), 79.83% (69.94%‒86.46%), and 31.59% (19.07%‒42.18%), respectively. ConclusionThe InfV used during the 2022‒2023 influenza season had a good protective effect against influenza A among the individuals aged between 3‒17 years old, especially in those aged between 3‒11 years old.
3.Immune monitoring in sepsis: Present and prospective issues.
Hui ZHANG ; Fenghua YAO ; Yongming YAO
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(13):1519-1521
4.Esculetin triggers ferroptosis via inhibition of the Nrf2-xCT/GPx4 axis in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Zhixin QU ; Jing ZENG ; Laifeng ZENG ; Xianmei LI ; Fenghua ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(4):443-456
Esculetin, a natural dihydroxy coumarin derived from the Chinese herbal medicine Cortex Fraxini, has demonstrated significant pharmacological activities, including anticancer properties. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, has garnered considerable attention due to its lethal effect on tumor cells. However, the exact role of ferroptosis in esculetin-mediated anti-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) effects remains poorly understood. This study investigated the impact of esculetin on HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. The findings indicate that esculetin effectively inhibited the growth of HCC cells. Importantly, esculetin promoted the accumulation of intracellular Fe2+, leading to an increase in ROS production through the Fenton reaction. This event subsequently induced lipid peroxidation (LPO) and triggered ferroptosis within the HCC cells. The occurrence of ferroptosis was confirmed by the elevation of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, the depletion of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, and the disruption of mitochondrial morphology. Notably, the inhibitor of ferroptosis, ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), attenuated the anti-tumor effect of esculetin in HCC cells. Furthermore, the findings revealed that esculetin inhibited the Nrf2-xCT/GPx4 axis signaling in HCC cells. Overexpression of Nrf2 upregulated the expression of downstream SLC7A11 and GPX4, consequently alleviating esculetin-induced ferroptosis. In conclusion, this study suggests that esculetin exerts an anti-HCC effect by inhibiting the activity of the Nrf2-xCT/GPx4 axis, thereby triggering ferroptosis in HCC cells. These findings may contribute to the potential clinical use of esculetin as a candidate for HCC treatment.
Umbelliferones/administration & dosage*
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Ferroptosis/drug effects*
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Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/physiopathology*
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NF-E2-Related Factor 2/genetics*
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Humans
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Liver Neoplasms/physiopathology*
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Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase/genetics*
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Animals
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Cell Line, Tumor
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Mice
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Amino Acid Transport System y+/genetics*
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Male
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Signal Transduction/drug effects*
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Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects*
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Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism*
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Mice, Nude
5.Trends in areas of Oncomelania hupensis snail habitats in Anhui Province from 2004 to 2023 based on the Mann-Kendall test
Fenghua GAO ; Shiqing ZHANG ; Songjun DING ; Xiaojuan XU ; Tianping WANG ; Bo DAI
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2024;36(5):460-465
Objective To investigate the trends in areas of Oncomelania hupensis snail habitats in Anhui Province from 2004 to 2023, so as to provide insights into facilitating the progress of schistosomiasis elimination in the province. Methods Areas of O. hupensis snail habitats in Anhui Province from 2004 to 2023 were collected, and the trends in and mutations of O. hupensis snail habitats in Anhui Province, and the trends in O. hupensis snail habitats in different types of schistosomiasis-endemic foci and in different cities of Anhui Province from 2004 to 2023 were analyzed using Mann-Kendall test. Results The areas of O. hupensis snail habitats reduced by 12.62% in Anhui Province in 2023 relative to in 2004. Mann-Kendall trend test showed that the areas of O. hupensis snail habitats appeared a tendency towards a decline in Anhui Province from 2004 to 2023 (Z = −3.926, P < 0.001, β = −215.66), with an annual average reduction of 215.66 hm2. Mann-Kendall mutation test showed that the areas of O. hupensis snail habitats appeared a tendency towards a decline in Anhui Province since 2015 (|Z| > U0.05, P < 0.05). The areas of O. hupensis snail habitats appeared a tendency towards a decline in marshland and lake regions (Z = −4.899, P < 0.001, β = −260.13), and a tendency towards a rise in hilly regions of Anhui Province from 2004 to 2023 (Z = 2.758, P < 0.01, β = 44.55). Among 9 cities endemic for schistosomiasis in Anhui Province, the areas of O. hupensis snail habitats appeared a tendency towards a decline in 5 cities of Ma’anshan, Tongling, Anqing, Huangshan and Chizhou (Z = −4.056 to −2.109, all P values < 0.05, β = −92.12 to −0.45). The average constituent ratios of areas of O. hupensis snail habitats were 88.19% and 11.81% in marshland and lake regions and hilly regions of Anhui Province from 2004 to 2023, respectively, and the ratio of areas of O. hupensis snail habitats in marshland and lake regions to areas of snail habitats in hilly regions reduced from 9.23∶1 in 2004 to 5.74∶1 in 2023 in Anhui Province, with the ratio appearing a tendency towards a decline (Z = −4.477, P < 0.001, β = −0.16). Conclusions The areas of O. hupensis snail habitats appeared a tendency towards a decline in Anhui Province from 2004 to 2023, with a reduction in areas of O. hupensis snail habitats in marshland and lake regions and a rise in hilly regions. Targeted O. hupensis snail control interventions are required tailored to real snail status.
6.Progress of lysine-specific demethylase 1 and its inhibitors in triple-negative breast cancer
Xunyi LIN ; Hang SU ; Jiaxing HUO ; Fenghua ZHANG
Cancer Research and Clinic 2024;36(1):69-73
Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is the firstly discovered histone demethylase. In recent years, LSD1 has become a hot topic in the study of the development and progression of malignancies, and its expression is closely related to the poor prognosis of malignancies. At present, some studies have showed that LSD1 is strongly related to the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, the specific mechanism is not fully understood. This article summarizes the possible mechanism of the development and progression in LSD1 and TNBC, and reviews the latest progress of LSD1 in the clinical research application of TNBC, so as to provide a reference for drug combination therapy in TNBC patients.
7.Evaluation of the effect and operability of DNV-1929 on canine lung strengthening
Fenjian LAO ; Yilin GUAN ; Zhexing SONGGU ; Yuxiao XIA ; Fenghua ZHANG
Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University(Medical Sciences) 2024;45(4):582-589
Objective To assess the reinforcing effect and operability of DNV-1929 in canine lungs so as to provide scientific basis for its clinical application by observing its characterisation during surgical resection.Methods Fifteen Beagles of 10-to 15-month-old,randomly assigned to three experimental groups,were used in this study for implantation experiments with DNV-1929 and negative control material.The experimental animals were housed in a defined environment and detailed clinical observations were made before and after the experiments.By using specific surgical techniques,the materials were implanted into different parts of the left lung of the dogs and their pressure resistance was assessed by airway pressure tests.The handling properties of the implanted materials were also evaluated.At weeks 2 and 4 after implantation,macroscopic visual observations and pathological examinations were performed on three sites of the canine left lung,the posterior anterior anterior lobe,the anterior posterior lobe,and and the posterior posterior lobe,in order to compare the tissue response of DNV-1929 with that of the negative control material.In addition,all experimental animals were evaluated for safety,including monitoring of clinical signs,food intake,and body weight.Results At airway pressure levels up to 35 hPa,both DNV-1929 and the negative control material showed similar pressure resistance with no gas leakage at the implantation site.During the procedure,DNV-1929 showed similar manoeuvrability to the negative control material,with no significant abnormalities observed.As seen by visual pathological observation after 2 and 4 weeks of implantation,both materials formed an encapsulation around the implantation site and underwent different degrees of adhesion with the thoracic organs,but the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05).There were more residual implants in the DNV-1929 group at 2 weeks and almost disappeared at 4 weeks of implantation,whereas a small amount of implanted material was still present in the negative control group,but residual material did not differ significantly between the two groups(P>0.05).Histological evaluation showed that the subtotal score of inflammatory condition of DNV-1929 in the 2-week implantation group was slightly higher than that of the negative control substance(P=0.016),while the subtotal score of inflammatory condition in the 4-week implantation group was not statistically different compared with that of the negative control substance(P>0.05).In terms of safety evaluation,the experimental dogs did not show any clinical abnormality or reduction in food intake during the study period,and there was no death on the day of implantation of DNV-1929 and the negative control substance.There was no significant change in body weight of the experimental dogs during the study cycle(P>0.05).Conclusion DNV-1929 demonstrated a strengthening effect and good manoeuvrability in canine lungs with no toxic effects on surrounding tissues.This provides preliminary evidence for the use of DNV-1929 in surgical treatment of the lung,establishes scientific basis for its use in clinical practice,and demonstrates its potential value.
8.Prevalence and influencing factors of patients with comorbidity of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia in residents aged 35-75 years in Tianjin
Fenghua WANG ; Maoti WEI ; Ning YANG ; Jiahe SUN ; Yuanli ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2024;45(9):1224-1232
Objective:To investigate the current comorbidity status among hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia in residents aged 35-75 years in Tianjin and to explore the main influencing factors to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of chronic disease comorbidity.Methods:From June 2019 to November 2023, 10 districts (Hedong, Hexi, Dongli, Beichen, Nankai, Xiqing, Wuqing, Baodi, Jizhou, and Binhai New District) in Tianjin were selected as the project sites. The community and natural village was used as the primary sampling unit, and each project site selected the screening sites by cluster random sampling method. Residents aged 35-75 who lived in the screening sites for 6 months and above were surveyed by questionnaire, physical examination, and biochemical tests. The chi-square test, analysis of variance, and multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. Age-standardized prevalence was based on the data of the sixth national census.Results:A total of 146 832 participants were included in this study, including 61 994 males (42.22%) and 84 838 females (57.78%), with an age of (56.83±8.84) years. The number of people with only one disease was 55 485 (37.79%), the number of people with two diseases was 36 942 (25.16%), and the number of people with three diseases was 9 683 (6.59%). The prevalence of hypertension combined with dyslipidemia was the highest (17.23%), and the standardized prevalence were 14.44%. The prevalence rates of three diseases and hypertension combined with diabetes was 6.59% and 4.98%, respectively, and the standardized prevalence was 5.42% and 4.11%, respectively. The prevalence of diabetes combined with dyslipidemia was 2.95%, and the standardized prevalence was 2.45%. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that advanced age (65- 75 years old: OR=2.69, 95% CI: 2.28-3.18), overweight/obesity (overweight: OR=2.21, 95% CI: 2.02-2.41; obesity: OR=4.50, 95% CI: 4.03-5.02), daily smoking ( OR=1.96, 95% CI: 1.72-2.24), regular and heavy drinking ( OR=1.63, 95% CI: 1.18-2.27), family history of hypertension/diabetes/hyperlipidemia (family history of hypertension: OR=81.17, 95% CI: 74.68-88.22; family history of diabetes: OR=15.26, 95% CI: 13.71-16.99; family history of hyperlipidemia: OR=7.13, 95% CI: 5.92-8.59), tea drinking (occasional tea drinking group: OR=1.74, 95% CI: 1.52-2.00; frequent tea drinking group: OR=2.23, 95% CI: 1.92-2.59) were risk factors for the comorbidity of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia (all P<0.05), while higher education level was a protective factor (senior high school/technical secondary school: OR=0.79, 95% CI: 0.72-0.86; college/bachelor's degree and above: OR=0.60, 95% CI: 0.53-0.68, all P<0.001). Conclusions:The comorbidity rate of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia is high in residents aged 35-75 years in Tianjin. It is necessary to strengthen the co-management of blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipid in key populations with old age, overweight/obesity, junior high school education or below, daily smoking, daily drinking, occasional or frequent tea drinking, and family history of hypertension/diabetes/dyslipidemia, and promote a healthy lifestyle.
9.Interaction of obesity and dyslipidemia on the risk of hypertension
Fenghua WANG ; Ning YANG ; Jing WANG ; Maoti WEI ; Xiongguan WANG ; Cheng YANG ; Yuanli ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2024;45(12):1658-1665
Objective:To understand the interaction effect of general obesity, central obesity, and dyslipidemia on the risk of hypertension to provide scientific evidence for the early prevention and control of hypertension.Methods:From 2019 to 2023, 10 of the 16 districts in Tianjin were selected as project sites. A community and a natural village were selected as monitoring sites in each project site using a multi-stage cluster random sampling method. A questionnaire, physical, and biochemical examination were conducted on permanent residents aged 35-75 who had lived in the surveillance sites for more than half a year. The chi-square test univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. The multiplicative and additive models were used to calculate the interaction between general obesity and dyslipidemia, as well as central obesity and dyslipidemia, respectively.Results:A total of 177 160 subjects were included in the study, with an age of (56.44±8.62) years old. There were 29 535 (16.67%) patients with general obesity, 67 338 (38.01%) patients with central obesity, 64 906 (36.64%) patients with dyslipidemia, and 90 266 (50.95%) patients with hypertension. Multiplication interaction analysis results showed that, after adjusting for gender, age, culture level, marriage status, drinking, smoking, and diabetes, the multiplicative interactions between general obesity and dyslipidemia, and central obesity and dyslipidemia on hypertension were statistically significant (all P<0.001), and the adjusted OR and 95% CI were 2.57 (2.47-2.68) and 2.14 (2.08-2.20), respectively. The results of the additive interaction analysis demonstrated that after adjusting for relevant variables, the relative excess risk of interaction ( RERI), the attributable proportion of interaction ( API), and the synergy index ( SI) of the interaction between generalized obesity and dyslipidemia were 0.48 (95% CI: 0.33-0.63), 0.15 (95% CI: 0.11-0.19), and 1.27 (95% CI: 1.18-1.36), respectively; the RERI, API, and SI of the interaction between central obesity and dyslipidemia were 0.37 (95% CI: 0.28-0.46), 0.13 (95% CI: 0.10-0.16), and 1.25 (95% CI: 1.18-1.32), respectively. Conclusions:There might be multiplicative and additive interactions between general obesity, central obesity, and dyslipidemia on the risk of hypertension. Simultaneous control of BMI, waist circumference, and blood lipid levels may effectively reduce the risk of hypertension.
10.Homoharringtonine promotes heart allograft acceptance by enhancing regulatory T cells induction in a mouse model
Xia QIU ; Hedong ZHANG ; Zhouqi TANG ; Yuxi FAN ; Wenjia YUAN ; Chen FENG ; Chao CHEN ; Pengcheng CUI ; Yan CUI ; Zhongquan QI ; Tengfang LI ; Yuexing ZHU ; Liming XIE ; Fenghua PENG ; Tuo DENG ; Xin JIANG ; Longkai PENG ; Helong DAI
Chinese Medical Journal 2024;137(12):1453-1464
Background::Homoharringtonine (HHT) is an effective anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-tumor protein synthesis inhibitor that has been applied clinically. Here, we explored the therapeutic effects of HHT in a mouse heart transplant model.Methods::Healthy C57BL/6 mice were used to observe the toxicity of HHT in the liver, kidney, and hematology. A mouse heart transplantation model was constructed, and the potential mechanism of HHT prolonging allograft survival was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis, immunostaining, and bulk RNA sequencing analysis. The HHT-T cell crosstalk was modeled ex vivo to further verify the molecular mechanism of HHT-induced regulatory T cells (Tregs) differentiation. Results::HHT inhibited the activation and proliferation of T cells and promoted their apoptosis ex vivo. Treatment of 0.5 mg/kg HHT for 10 days significantly prolonged the mean graft survival time of the allografts from 7 days to 48 days ( P <0.001) without non-immune toxicity. The allografts had long-term survival after continuous HHT treatment for 28 days. HHT significantly reduced lymphocyte infiltration in the graft, and interferon-γ-secreting CD4 + and CD8 + T cells in the spleen ( P <0.01). HHT significantly increased the number of peripheral Tregs (about 20%, P <0.001) and serum interleukin (IL)-10 levels. HHT downregulated the expression of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway-related genes ( CD4, H2-Eb1, TRAT1, and CD74) and upregulated the expression of IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF) -β pathway-related genes and Treg signature genes ( CTLA4, Foxp3, CD74, and ICOS). HHT increased CD4 + Foxp3 + cells and Foxp3 expression ex vivo, and it enhanced the inhibitory function of inducible Tregs. Conclusions::HHT promotes Treg cell differentiation and enhances Treg suppressive function by attenuating the TCR signaling pathway and upregulating the expression of Treg signature genes and IL-10 levels, thereby promoting mouse heart allograft acceptance. These findings may have therapeutic implications for organ transplant recipients, particularly those with viral infections and malignancies, which require a more suitable anti-rejection medication.

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