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Cecchini MP, Pizzini FB, Boschi F, Marcon A, Moro L, Gordon E, Guizard N, Cavedo E, Ricatti MJ, Veronese S, Tamburin S, Tinazzi M, Mansueto G, Sbarbati A. Long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with and without chemosensory disorders at disease onset: a psychophysical and magnetic resonance imaging exploratory study. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:2409-2418. [PMID: 38441790 PMCID: PMC11082021 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07429-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
A preserved sense of smell and taste allows us to understand many environmental "messages" and results in meaningfully improvements to quality of life. With the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear how important these senses are for social and nutritional status and catapulted this niche chemosensory research area towards widespread interest. In the current exploratory work, we assessed two groups of post-COVID-19 patients who reported having had (Group 1) or not (Group 2) a smell/taste impairment at the disease onset. The aim was to compare them using validated smell and taste tests as well as with brain magnetic resonance imaging volumetric analysis. Normative data were used for smell scores comparison and a pool of healthy subjects, recruited before the pandemic, served as controls for taste scores. The majority of patients in both groups showed an olfactory impairment, which was more severe in Group 1 (median UPSIT scores: 24.5 Group 1 vs 31.0 Group 2, p = 0.008), particularly among women (p = 0.014). No significant differences emerged comparing taste scores between Group 1 and Group 2, but dysgeusia was only present in Group 1 patients. However, for taste scores, a significant difference was found between Group 1 and controls (p = 0.005). No MRI anatomical abnormalities emerged in any patients while brain volumetric analysis suggested a significant difference among groups for the right caudate nucleus (p = 0.028), although this was not retained following Benjamini-Hochberg correction. This exploratory study could add new information in COVID-19 chemosensory long-lasting impairment and address future investigations on the post-COVID-19 patients' research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Paola Cecchini
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicines and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, Verona University, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy.
| | | | - Federico Boschi
- Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine, Engineering and Physics Section, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Alessandro Marcon
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Heath, Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Lucia Moro
- Department of Infectious-Tropical Diseases and Microbiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore, Negrar, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Maria Jimena Ricatti
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicines and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, Verona University, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Sheila Veronese
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicines and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, Verona University, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefano Tamburin
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicines and Movement Sciences, Neurology Unit, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Michele Tinazzi
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicines and Movement Sciences, Neurology Unit, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Mansueto
- Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine, Radiology Unit, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Andrea Sbarbati
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicines and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, Verona University, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
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Two-Year Follow-Up on Chemosensory Dysfunction and Adaptive Immune Response after Infection with SARS-CoV-2 in a Cohort of 44 Healthcare Workers. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12101556. [PMID: 36294991 PMCID: PMC9605261 DOI: 10.3390/life12101556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Persistent chemosensory dysfunction (PCD) is a common symptom of long-COVID. Chemosensory dysfunction (CD) as well as SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody levels and CD8+ T-cell immunity were investigated in a cohort of 44 healthcare workers up to a median of 721 days after a positive PCR test. CD was assessed using questionnaires and psychophysical screening tests. After 721 days, 11 of 44 (25%) participants reported PCD, with five describing an impaired quality of life. One participant reported hyperosmia (increased sense of smell). The risk of PCD at 721 days was higher for participants reporting qualitative changes (parosmia (altered smell), dysgeusia (altered taste), or phantosmia (hallucination of smell)) during initial infection than in those with isolated quantitative losses during the first COVID-19 infection (62.5% vs. 7.1%). The main recovery rate occurred within the first 100 days and did not continue until follow-up at 2 years. No correlation was found between antibody levels and CD, but we observed a trend of a higher percentage of T-cell responders in participants with CD. In conclusion, a significant proportion of patients suffer from PCD and impaired quality of life 2 years after initial infection. Qualitative changes in smell or taste during COVID-19 pose a higher risk for PCD.
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Karimian A, Behjati M, Karimian M. Molecular mechanisms involved in anosmia induced by SARS-CoV-2, with a focus on the transmembrane serine protease TMPRSS2. Arch Virol 2022; 167:1931-1946. [PMID: 35939103 PMCID: PMC9358639 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-022-05545-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Since 2020, SARS-CoV-2 has caused a pandemic virus that has posed many challenges worldwide. Infection with this virus can result in a number of symptoms, one of which is anosmia. Olfactory dysfunction can be a temporary or long-term viral complication caused by a disorder of the olfactory neuroepithelium. Processes such as inflammation, apoptosis, and neuronal damage are involved in the development of SARS-CoV-2-induced anosmia. One of the receptors that play a key role in the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the host cell is the transmembrane serine protease TMPRSS2, which facilitates this process by cleaving the viral S protein. The gene encoding TMPRSS2 is located on chromosome 21. It contains 15 exons and has many genetic variations, some of which increase the risk of disease. Delta strains have been shown to be more dependent on TMPRSS2 for cell entry than Omicron strains. Blockade of this receptor by serine protease inhibitors such as camostat and nafamostat can be helpful for treating SARS-CoV-2 symptoms, including anosmia. Proper understanding of the different functional aspects of this serine protease can help to overcome the therapeutic challenges of SARS-CoV-2 symptoms, including anosmia. In this review, we describe the cellular and molecular events involved in anosmia induced by SARS-CoV-2 with a focus on the function of the TMPRSS2 receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Karimian
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Science, Kashan, Iran
| | - Mohaddeseh Behjati
- Cellular, Molecular and Genetics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Karimian
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, 47416-95447, Iran.
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Gao L, Zheng C, Shi Q, Xiao K, Wang L, Liu Z, Li Z, Dong X. Evolving trend change during the COVID-19 pandemic. Front Public Health 2022; 10:957265. [PMID: 36203708 PMCID: PMC9531778 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.957265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused unimaginable damage to public health and socio-economic structures worldwide; thus, an epidemiological depiction of the global evolving trends of this disease is necessary. As of March 31, 2022, the number of cases increased gradually over the four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating the need for continuous countermeasures. The highest total cases per million and total deaths per million were observed in Europe (240,656.542) and South America (2,912.229), despite these developed countries having higher vaccination rates than other continents, such as Africa. In contrast, the lowest of the above two indices were found in undeveloped African countries, which had the lowest number of vaccinations. These data indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic is positively related to the socio-economic development level; meanwhile, the data suggest that the vaccine currently used in these continents cannot completely prevent the spread of COVID-19. Thus, rethinking the feasibility of a single vaccine to control the disease is needed. Although the number of cases in the fourth wave increased exponentially compared to those of the first wave, ~43.1% of deaths were observed during the first wave. This was not only closely linked to multiple factors, including the inadequate preparation for the initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the gradual reduction in the severity of additional variants, and the protection conferred by prior infection and/or vaccination, but this also indicated the change in the main driving dynamic in the fourth wave. Moreover, at least 12 variants were observed globally, showing a clear spatiotemporal profile, which provides the best explanation for the presence of the four waves of the pandemic. Furthermore, there was a clear shift in the trend from multiple variants driving the spread of disease in the early stage of the pandemic to a single Omicron lineage predominating in the fourth wave. These data suggest that the Omicron variant has an advantage in transmissibility over other contemporary co-circulating variants, demonstrating that monitoring new variants is key to reducing further spread. We recommend that public health measures, along with vaccination and testing, are continually implemented to stop the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liping Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Canjun Zheng
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Kang Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Lili Wang
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiguo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Zhiguo Liu
| | - Zhenjun Li
- Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China,State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China,Zhenjun Li
| | - Xiaoping Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, National Institute for viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China,Xiaoping Dong
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Duong BV, Larpruenrudee P, Fang T, Hossain SI, Saha SC, Gu Y, Islam MS. Is the SARS CoV-2 Omicron Variant Deadlier and More Transmissible Than Delta Variant? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19084586. [PMID: 35457468 PMCID: PMC9032753 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19084586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Genetic variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) have been globally surging and devastating many countries around the world. There are at least eleven reported variants dedicated with inevitably catastrophic consequences. In 2021, the most dominant Delta and Omicron variants were estimated to lead to more severity and deaths than other variants. Furthermore, these variants have some contagious characteristics involving high transmissibility, more severe illness, and an increased mortality rate. All outbreaks caused by the Delta variant have been rapidly skyrocketing in infection cases in communities despite tough restrictions in 2021. Apart from it, the United States, the United Kingdom and other high-rate vaccination rollout countries are still wrestling with this trend because the Delta variant can result in a significant number of breakthrough infections. However, the pandemic has changed since the latest SARS-CoV-2 variant in late 2021 in South Africa, Omicron. The preliminary data suggest that the Omicron variant possesses 100-fold greater than the Delta variant in transmissibility. Therefore, this paper aims to review these characteristics based on the available meta-data and information from the first emergence to recent days. Australia and the five most affected countries, including the United States, India, Brazil, France, as well as the United Kingdom, are selected in order to review the transmissibility, severity and fatality due to Delta and Omicron variants. Finally, the vaccination programs for each country are also reviewed as the main factor in prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao V. Duong
- School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; (B.V.D.); (P.L.); (T.F.); (S.C.S.)
| | - Puchanee Larpruenrudee
- School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; (B.V.D.); (P.L.); (T.F.); (S.C.S.)
| | - Tianxin Fang
- School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; (B.V.D.); (P.L.); (T.F.); (S.C.S.)
| | - Sheikh I. Hossain
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia;
| | - Suvash C. Saha
- School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; (B.V.D.); (P.L.); (T.F.); (S.C.S.)
| | - Yuantong Gu
- School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia;
| | - Mohammad S. Islam
- School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; (B.V.D.); (P.L.); (T.F.); (S.C.S.)
- Correspondence:
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Zarachi A, Pezoulas V, Milionis O, Lianou AN, Klouras E, Komnos I, Fotiadis D, Kastanioudakis I, Milionis C, Liontos A. The Impact of Age and Gender and Their Association with Chemosensory Dysfunction, in Hospitalized and Self-Quarantine Patients with Covid-19 Infection, in Epirus, Greece. MAEDICA 2022; 17:28-36. [PMID: 35733759 PMCID: PMC9168572 DOI: 10.26574/maedica.2022.17.1.28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Objective:Olfactory and gustatory dysfunction that relates with the infection from severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has already improved. The relation between chemosensory dysfunction and age and gender in covid-19 positive patients is the main objective of the present study. Methods:We used a questionnaire to select information about medical history, patient demographics and reported symptoms during infection. Three hundred covid-19 positive patients, who underwent a RT-PCR test in the University Hospital of Ioannina, Grecce, were included in this study; 150 of them recovered at home and the remaining 150 were admitted to hospital. Statistical analysis based on ÉBM-SPSS Statistics 26.0 was done. Results:The total sample included 300 patients, of which 106 females and 194 males. There was a statistically significant difference between the subgroup of patients aged 21-25, 61-65 and 71-75 with loss of smell, that of hospitalized patients aged 41-45 with loss of smell and the subgroup of those aged 31-35 and 71-75 with loss of taste. Conclusion:There is a significant association between chemosensory dysfunction and younger age groups. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunction appears more frequently in women than men. Male gender relates with disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athina Zarachi
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Vasileios Pezoulas
- Unit of Medical Technology and Intelligent Information Systems, Departement of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Orestis Milionis
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Aikaterini N Lianou
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Eleutherios Klouras
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Ioannis Komnos
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Fotiadis
- Unit of Medical Technology and Intelligent Information Systems, Departement of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Ioannis Kastanioudakis
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Charalampos Milionis
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Angelos Liontos
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
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Najafloo R, Majidi J, Asghari A, Aleemardani M, Kamrava SK, Simorgh S, Seifalian A, Bagher Z, Seifalian AM. Mechanism of Anosmia Caused by Symptoms of COVID-19 and Emerging Treatments. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:3795-3805. [PMID: 34609841 PMCID: PMC8507153 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The occurrence of anosmia, the loss or change in sense of smell, is one of the most common symptoms of COVID-19 experienced by almost 53% of those affected. Several hypotheses explain the mechanism of anosmia in patients suffering from COVID-19. This study aims to review the related mechanisms and answer the questions regarding COVID-19-related anosmia as well as propose a new strategy for treatment of long-term anosmia as a result of COVID-19 infection. This paper covers all of the studies investigating olfactory disorders following COVID-19 infection and explains the possible reasons for the correlated anosmia, including olfactory cleft syndrome, local inflammation in the nasal epithelium, early apoptosis of olfactory cells, changes in olfactory cilia and odor transmission, damage to microglial cells, effect on olfactory bulbs, epithelial olfactory injury, and impairment of olfactory neurons and stem cells. The key questions that arise in this field have been discussed, such as why prevalent anosmia is varied among the age categories and among sexes and the correlation of anosmia with mild or severe COVID-19 infection. The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor is a significant player in the mechanism of anosmia in COVID-19 patients. Based on current studies, a novel approach to treat long-COVID-19 with ongoing anosmia has been proposed. The fields of smart drug delivery, tissue engineering, and cell therapy provide a hypothesized strategy that can minimize the side effects of current treatments and support efficient recovery of the olfactory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raziyeh Najafloo
- Department
of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced
Technologies in Medicine, Iran University
of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran 1449614535, Iran
| | - Jila Majidi
- Department
of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced
Technologies in Medicine, Iran University
of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran 1449614535, Iran
| | - Alimohamad Asghari
- Skull
Base Research Center, Hazrat Rasoul Akram Hospital, The Five Senses
Health Institute, Iran University of Medical
Sciences (IUMS), Tehran 1445613131, Iran
| | - Mina Aleemardani
- Biomaterials
and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and
Engineering, Kroto Research Institute, The
University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7HQ, United Kingdom
| | - Seyed Kamran Kamrava
- ENT
and Head and Neck Research Center and Department, Hazrat Rasoul Akram
Hospital, The Five Senses Health Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran 1445613131, Iran
| | - Sara Simorgh
- Department
of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced
Technologies in Medicine, Iran University
of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran 1449614535, Iran
| | - Amelia Seifalian
- University
College London Medical School (UCL), London WC1E 6BT, United
Kingdom
- Watford
General Hospital, Watford WD18 0HB, United Kingdom
| | - Zohreh Bagher
- Department
of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced
Technologies in Medicine, Iran University
of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran 1449614535, Iran
- ENT
and Head and Neck Research Center and Department, Hazrat Rasoul Akram
Hospital, The Five Senses Health Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran 1445613131, Iran
| | - Alexander M. Seifalian
- Nanotechnology
and Regenerative Medicine Commercialisation Centre (NanoRegMed Ltd.), London BioScience Innovation Centre, London NW1 0NH, United Kingdom
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Abstract
The article highlights the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations of lesions of the central and peripheral nervous system that have arisen or persist in patients in the postcoid period (Long-COVID-19). Their correct assessment, the use of effective methods of complex treatment, targeted neurorehabilitation contribute to the reversibility of functional disorders, prevention, reduction of disability, improvement of quality of life indicators, prevention of the progression of cognitive, emotional, behavioral disorders initiated by SARS-CoV-2.
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