All events, All years

Mechanistic insights into ‘brainwashing’ 

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Hour: 12:30 - 13:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Jonathan Kipnis
|
Dept of Pathology and Immunology Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

One molecular- and one circuit-level insight into cognition from studying Drosophila

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Hour: 12:30 - 13:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Gaby Maimon
|
HHMI, The Rockfeller University, NY

A major goal of cognitive neuroscience is to clarify the functions of central brain regions. Over the past decade, the high-level functional architecture of a region in the middle of the insect brain––the central complex––has come into focus. I will start by briefly summarizing our understanding of the central complex as a microcomputer that calculates the values of angles and two-dimensional vectors important for guiding navigational behavior. I will then describe some recent findings on this brain region, revealing (1) how neuronal calcium spikes, mediated by T-type calcium channels, augment spatial-vector calculations and (2) how an angular goal signal is converted into a locomotor steering signal. These results provide inspiration for better understanding the roles of calcium spikes and goal signals in mammalian brains.

Non-canonical circuits for olfaction

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Hour: 12:30 - 13:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Dr. Dan Rokni
|
Dept of Medical Neurobiology, IMRIC The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ein Kerem

: I’ll describe two projects: In the first, we examined the circuitry that underlies olfaction in a mouse model with severe developmental degeneration of the OB. The olfactory bulb (OB) is a critical component of mammalian olfactory neuroanatomy. Beyond being the first and sole relay station for olfactory information to the rest of the brain, it also contains elaborate stereotypical circuitry that is considered essential for olfaction. In our mouse model, a developmental collapse of local blood vessels leads to degeneration of the OB. Mice with degenerated OBs could perform odor-guided tasks and even responded normally to innate olfactory cues. I will describe the aberrant circuitry that supports functional olfaction in these mice. The second project focusses on the nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract. This amygdaloid nucleus is typically considered part of the olfactory cortex, yet almost nothing is known about its function, connectivity, and physiology. I will describe our approach to studying this intriguing structure and will present some of its cellular and synaptic properties that may guide hypotheses about its function.

Immunoception: Brain Representation and Control of Immunity

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Hour: 13:00
Location:
Wolfson Building for Biological Research
Prof. Asya Rolls
|
HHMI-Wellcome Scholar Rappaport Institute for Medical Research TECHNION Haifa

To function as an integrated entity, the organism must synchronize between behavior and physiology. Our research focuses on probing this synchronization through the lens of the brain-immune system interface. The immune system, pivotal in preserving the organism's integrity, is also a sensitive barometer of its overall state. I will discuss the emerging understanding of how the brain represents the state of the immune system and the specific neural mechanisms that enable the brain to orchestrate immune responses.

Olfactory information processing: timing, sequences, geometry  and relevance

Lecture
Date:
Thursday, January 4, 2024
Hour: 12:30 - 13:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Dmitry Rinberg
|
Dept of Neuroscience and Physiology Neuroscience Institute NYU

A paradigm shift in GPCR recruitment and activity: GPCR Voltage Dependence Controls Neuronal Plasticity and Behavior

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Hour:
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Moshe Parnas
|
Dept of Physiology and Pharmacology Tel Aviv University

: G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a paramount role in diverse brain functions. Twenty years ago, GPCR activity was shown to be regulated by membrane potential in vitro, but whether the voltage dependence of GPCRs contributes to neuronal coding and behavioral output under physiological conditions in vivo has never been demonstrated. We show in two different processes that muscarinic GPCR mediated neuromodulation in vivo is voltage dependent. First, we show that muscarinic type A receptors (mAChR-A) mediated neuronal potentiation is voltage dependent. This potentiation voltage dependency is abolished in mutant flies expressing a voltage independent receptor. Most important, muscarinic receptor voltage independence caused a strong behavioral effect of increased odor habituation. Second, we show that muscarinic type B receptors (mAChR-B) voltage dependency is required for both efficient and accurate learning and memory. Normally, to prevent non-specific olfactory learning and memory, mAChR-B activity suppress both signals that are required for plasticity. Behavior experiments demonstrate that mAChR-B knockdown impairs olfactory learning by inducing undesired changes to the valence of an odor that was not associated with the reinforcer. On the other hand, mAChR-B voltage dependence prevents mAChR-B to interfere with plasticity in neurons that are required for the learning and memory process. Indeed, generating flies with a voltage independent mAChR-B resulted in impaired learning. Thus, we provide the very first demonstrations of physiological roles for the voltage dependency of GPCRs by demonstrating crucial involvement of GPCR voltage dependence in neuronal plasticity and behavior. As such, our findings create a paradigm shift in our thinking on GPCR recruitment and activity. Together, we suggest that GPCR voltage dependency plays a role in many diverse neuronal functions including learning and memory and may serve as a target for novel drug development. Light refreshments before the seminar.

Context-Dependent Dynamic Coordination of Head and Eye Movements During Visual Orienting

Lecture
Date:
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Hour: 14:00 - 15:00
Location:
Ofer Karp-PhD Defense seminar
|
Dept of Brain Sciences Advisor: Prof. Ehud Ahissar

The orienting response, described by Pavlov as the “what is it?” reflex, aims to describe an individual's reaction to unexpected stimuli in their environment. Many experimental results show that in such an event, the quickest motor response is of a saccadic eye movement, and if the head is free to move, a head-shift follows the eye to meet the event. Studying orienting in different tasks and contexts have uncovered several variations in head-eye coordination, including modulations of the number of saccades during a single orienting motion and modulations of the relative timing between head and eye movements. In this presentation, I will present my attempt at understanding and modeling the brain-environment loops underlying the visual orienting response. For this aim I have designed and constructed a virtual reality (VR) setting that allows head and eye real-time tracking during visual tasks in different contexts. I will show that, with head-free viewing, the classic eye-leading, fast saccadic gaze-shift response is typical for cases of external visual stimuli. In contrast, multi-saccadic, head-leading gaze-shifts are typical for cases in which the subject orients towards an internal reference position, with no external visual que, regardless of the angle. I demonstrate that the kinematics of the first saccadic eye movement is different between the two conditions, suggesting different motor control mechanisms. My results suggest that the context of orienting, whether it is exogenous (targeting an external stimulus) or endogenous (targeting an internal reference point) affects the balance between the two mechanisms. A comparison of the orienting responses towards visual versus auditory stimuli suggests different modalities (such as auditory and proprioceptive) are treated as endogenous by the visual control system.  Based on these results, I suggest a competitive multiple-closed-loop dynamic model of gaze orienting. Simulations of the model show it can replicate the empirical kinematics and statistics. My results suggest that the traditional view of the mechanism underlying gaze orienting response should be revisited to take into account the source of the response as well as the subjective context of orienting. I propose that the closed-loop model for orienting presented here can address this aspect. If accepted, this model can facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of several oculomotor impairments. Zoom: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98466393859?pwd=blJkSDUyWkR0L2FhQUFueS9FY2lwZz09 Id: 98466393859 passcode: 059130

Dissecting the role of peripheral immunity in Alzheimer’s Disease pathogenesis and disease course

Lecture
Date:
Thursday, November 23, 2023
Hour: 11:30 - 12:30
Location:
Tommaso Croese PhD Defense
|
Advisor: Prof. Michal Schwartz Dept of Brain Sciences WIS

Recent research has increasingly focused on the intricate interactions between the brain and the immune system, a critical line of inquiry for understanding neurological disorders like Alzheimer's Disease (AD). AD, once defined primarily by amyloid-β and tau aggregations, is now being explored for its complex interplay with immune processes, offering a deeper understanding of its development. This study delves into the dynamic relationship between the brain and the immune system, utilizing human samples from individuals predisposed to AD and various preclinical models. Our findings reveal that both environmental and genetic risk factors for AD significantly influence immune phenotypes and functions, which in turn impact disease progression. Further, we discovered that disrupting brain-spleen communication alters myeloid cell fate and cognitive performance in 5xFAD mice. These insights demonstrate the profound and reciprocal influence between the brain and the immune system. They underscore the importance of these interactions in understanding not only AD but also a wider array of neurological conditions, suggesting that this interplay is crucial for comprehending the complexities of such diseases. Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5420322495?pwd=ZmhUR0kxWTB6aDh0bklBNFlzV1JNdz09 Meeting ID: 542 032 2495 Password: 862769

Experience-dependent genetic and synaptic regulation of stability and plasticity in cortical circuits

Lecture
Date:
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Hour: 11:00 - 12:15
Location:
The David Lopatie Hall of Graduate Studies
Dahlia Kushinsky-Student Seminar PhD Thesis Defense
|
Advisor-Dr. Ivo Spiegel

Neural circuits in the brain must be plastic enough to allow an animal to adapt to and learn from new experiences yet they must also remain functionally stable such that previously learned skills and information are retained. Thus, fundamental questions in neuroscience concern the molecular, cellular, and circuit mechanisms that balance the plasticity and stability of neural circuits. During my studies, I investigated these mechanisms in three studies that focused on sensory- and behavioral state-dependent changes in transcription and GABAergic inhibition in the visual cortex of adult mice. In my Ph.D. defense, I will elaborate on the novel molecular-cellular mechanisms that I discovered in these studies and discuss their role in conveying both plasticity and stability to visual processing and perception.

Understanding spontaneous neuronal activity with neurophotonics

Lecture
Date:
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Hour: 12:30 - 13:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Anna Devor
|
Chief Editor of Neurophotonics SPIE Associate Director, Neurophotonics Center, Boston University

The last decade has seen a rapid advance of neurophotonic technologies, in large part thanks to the BRAIN Initiative as well as other large-scale neuroscience projects in the US and around the world. We now have a large array of diverse experimental and computational tools to study the brain across species, scales, levels of description, in animals and humans. Notably, the lion’s share of these technologies falls under the general umbrella of neurophotonics. This lecture will focus on several microscopic neurophotonic technologies in the context of understanding spontaneous neuronal and neurovascular activity in the mouse cerebral cortex. Among these tools is optically transparent Windansee electrode arrays that can be combined with optical imaging. Combining Windansee recordings with two-photon imaging and biophysical modeling, we show that spontaneous inputs to layer 1 were coded by a selective, sparse sub-population of local neurons. This is in contrast with earlier studies in the same system where each instance of a sensory input activated a different subset of neurons indicating redundancy in coding. Because selective coding by a few “oracle” neurons is nonredundant, we are tempted to speculate that the health of internally generated brain activity may be more vulnerable to damage or disease compared to that in response to external stimuli. Light refreshments before the seminar

Pages

All events, All years

Mechanistic insights into ‘brainwashing’ 

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Hour: 12:30 - 13:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Jonathan Kipnis
|
Dept of Pathology and Immunology Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

One molecular- and one circuit-level insight into cognition from studying Drosophila

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Hour: 12:30 - 13:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Gaby Maimon
|
HHMI, The Rockfeller University, NY

A major goal of cognitive neuroscience is to clarify the functions of central brain regions. Over the past decade, the high-level functional architecture of a region in the middle of the insect brain––the central complex––has come into focus. I will start by briefly summarizing our understanding of the central complex as a microcomputer that calculates the values of angles and two-dimensional vectors important for guiding navigational behavior. I will then describe some recent findings on this brain region, revealing (1) how neuronal calcium spikes, mediated by T-type calcium channels, augment spatial-vector calculations and (2) how an angular goal signal is converted into a locomotor steering signal. These results provide inspiration for better understanding the roles of calcium spikes and goal signals in mammalian brains.

Non-canonical circuits for olfaction

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, January 16, 2024
Hour: 12:30 - 13:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Dr. Dan Rokni
|
Dept of Medical Neurobiology, IMRIC The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ein Kerem

: I’ll describe two projects: In the first, we examined the circuitry that underlies olfaction in a mouse model with severe developmental degeneration of the OB. The olfactory bulb (OB) is a critical component of mammalian olfactory neuroanatomy. Beyond being the first and sole relay station for olfactory information to the rest of the brain, it also contains elaborate stereotypical circuitry that is considered essential for olfaction. In our mouse model, a developmental collapse of local blood vessels leads to degeneration of the OB. Mice with degenerated OBs could perform odor-guided tasks and even responded normally to innate olfactory cues. I will describe the aberrant circuitry that supports functional olfaction in these mice. The second project focusses on the nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract. This amygdaloid nucleus is typically considered part of the olfactory cortex, yet almost nothing is known about its function, connectivity, and physiology. I will describe our approach to studying this intriguing structure and will present some of its cellular and synaptic properties that may guide hypotheses about its function.

Immunoception: Brain Representation and Control of Immunity

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Hour: 13:00
Location:
Wolfson Building for Biological Research
Prof. Asya Rolls
|
HHMI-Wellcome Scholar Rappaport Institute for Medical Research TECHNION Haifa

To function as an integrated entity, the organism must synchronize between behavior and physiology. Our research focuses on probing this synchronization through the lens of the brain-immune system interface. The immune system, pivotal in preserving the organism's integrity, is also a sensitive barometer of its overall state. I will discuss the emerging understanding of how the brain represents the state of the immune system and the specific neural mechanisms that enable the brain to orchestrate immune responses.

Olfactory information processing: timing, sequences, geometry  and relevance

Lecture
Date:
Thursday, January 4, 2024
Hour: 12:30 - 13:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Dmitry Rinberg
|
Dept of Neuroscience and Physiology Neuroscience Institute NYU

A paradigm shift in GPCR recruitment and activity: GPCR Voltage Dependence Controls Neuronal Plasticity and Behavior

Lecture
Date:
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Hour:
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Moshe Parnas
|
Dept of Physiology and Pharmacology Tel Aviv University

: G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a paramount role in diverse brain functions. Twenty years ago, GPCR activity was shown to be regulated by membrane potential in vitro, but whether the voltage dependence of GPCRs contributes to neuronal coding and behavioral output under physiological conditions in vivo has never been demonstrated. We show in two different processes that muscarinic GPCR mediated neuromodulation in vivo is voltage dependent. First, we show that muscarinic type A receptors (mAChR-A) mediated neuronal potentiation is voltage dependent. This potentiation voltage dependency is abolished in mutant flies expressing a voltage independent receptor. Most important, muscarinic receptor voltage independence caused a strong behavioral effect of increased odor habituation. Second, we show that muscarinic type B receptors (mAChR-B) voltage dependency is required for both efficient and accurate learning and memory. Normally, to prevent non-specific olfactory learning and memory, mAChR-B activity suppress both signals that are required for plasticity. Behavior experiments demonstrate that mAChR-B knockdown impairs olfactory learning by inducing undesired changes to the valence of an odor that was not associated with the reinforcer. On the other hand, mAChR-B voltage dependence prevents mAChR-B to interfere with plasticity in neurons that are required for the learning and memory process. Indeed, generating flies with a voltage independent mAChR-B resulted in impaired learning. Thus, we provide the very first demonstrations of physiological roles for the voltage dependency of GPCRs by demonstrating crucial involvement of GPCR voltage dependence in neuronal plasticity and behavior. As such, our findings create a paradigm shift in our thinking on GPCR recruitment and activity. Together, we suggest that GPCR voltage dependency plays a role in many diverse neuronal functions including learning and memory and may serve as a target for novel drug development. Light refreshments before the seminar.

Context-Dependent Dynamic Coordination of Head and Eye Movements During Visual Orienting

Lecture
Date:
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
Hour: 14:00 - 15:00
Location:
Ofer Karp-PhD Defense seminar
|
Dept of Brain Sciences Advisor: Prof. Ehud Ahissar

The orienting response, described by Pavlov as the “what is it?” reflex, aims to describe an individual's reaction to unexpected stimuli in their environment. Many experimental results show that in such an event, the quickest motor response is of a saccadic eye movement, and if the head is free to move, a head-shift follows the eye to meet the event. Studying orienting in different tasks and contexts have uncovered several variations in head-eye coordination, including modulations of the number of saccades during a single orienting motion and modulations of the relative timing between head and eye movements. In this presentation, I will present my attempt at understanding and modeling the brain-environment loops underlying the visual orienting response. For this aim I have designed and constructed a virtual reality (VR) setting that allows head and eye real-time tracking during visual tasks in different contexts. I will show that, with head-free viewing, the classic eye-leading, fast saccadic gaze-shift response is typical for cases of external visual stimuli. In contrast, multi-saccadic, head-leading gaze-shifts are typical for cases in which the subject orients towards an internal reference position, with no external visual que, regardless of the angle. I demonstrate that the kinematics of the first saccadic eye movement is different between the two conditions, suggesting different motor control mechanisms. My results suggest that the context of orienting, whether it is exogenous (targeting an external stimulus) or endogenous (targeting an internal reference point) affects the balance between the two mechanisms. A comparison of the orienting responses towards visual versus auditory stimuli suggests different modalities (such as auditory and proprioceptive) are treated as endogenous by the visual control system.  Based on these results, I suggest a competitive multiple-closed-loop dynamic model of gaze orienting. Simulations of the model show it can replicate the empirical kinematics and statistics. My results suggest that the traditional view of the mechanism underlying gaze orienting response should be revisited to take into account the source of the response as well as the subjective context of orienting. I propose that the closed-loop model for orienting presented here can address this aspect. If accepted, this model can facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of several oculomotor impairments. Zoom: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/98466393859?pwd=blJkSDUyWkR0L2FhQUFueS9FY2lwZz09 Id: 98466393859 passcode: 059130

Dissecting the role of peripheral immunity in Alzheimer’s Disease pathogenesis and disease course

Lecture
Date:
Thursday, November 23, 2023
Hour: 11:30 - 12:30
Location:
Tommaso Croese PhD Defense
|
Advisor: Prof. Michal Schwartz Dept of Brain Sciences WIS

Recent research has increasingly focused on the intricate interactions between the brain and the immune system, a critical line of inquiry for understanding neurological disorders like Alzheimer's Disease (AD). AD, once defined primarily by amyloid-β and tau aggregations, is now being explored for its complex interplay with immune processes, offering a deeper understanding of its development. This study delves into the dynamic relationship between the brain and the immune system, utilizing human samples from individuals predisposed to AD and various preclinical models. Our findings reveal that both environmental and genetic risk factors for AD significantly influence immune phenotypes and functions, which in turn impact disease progression. Further, we discovered that disrupting brain-spleen communication alters myeloid cell fate and cognitive performance in 5xFAD mice. These insights demonstrate the profound and reciprocal influence between the brain and the immune system. They underscore the importance of these interactions in understanding not only AD but also a wider array of neurological conditions, suggesting that this interplay is crucial for comprehending the complexities of such diseases. Zoom Link: https://weizmann.zoom.us/j/5420322495?pwd=ZmhUR0kxWTB6aDh0bklBNFlzV1JNdz09 Meeting ID: 542 032 2495 Password: 862769

Experience-dependent genetic and synaptic regulation of stability and plasticity in cortical circuits

Lecture
Date:
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Hour: 11:00 - 12:15
Location:
The David Lopatie Hall of Graduate Studies
Dahlia Kushinsky-Student Seminar PhD Thesis Defense
|
Advisor-Dr. Ivo Spiegel

Neural circuits in the brain must be plastic enough to allow an animal to adapt to and learn from new experiences yet they must also remain functionally stable such that previously learned skills and information are retained. Thus, fundamental questions in neuroscience concern the molecular, cellular, and circuit mechanisms that balance the plasticity and stability of neural circuits. During my studies, I investigated these mechanisms in three studies that focused on sensory- and behavioral state-dependent changes in transcription and GABAergic inhibition in the visual cortex of adult mice. In my Ph.D. defense, I will elaborate on the novel molecular-cellular mechanisms that I discovered in these studies and discuss their role in conveying both plasticity and stability to visual processing and perception.

Understanding spontaneous neuronal activity with neurophotonics

Lecture
Date:
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Hour: 12:30 - 13:30
Location:
Gerhard M.J. Schmidt Lecture Hall
Prof. Anna Devor
|
Chief Editor of Neurophotonics SPIE Associate Director, Neurophotonics Center, Boston University

The last decade has seen a rapid advance of neurophotonic technologies, in large part thanks to the BRAIN Initiative as well as other large-scale neuroscience projects in the US and around the world. We now have a large array of diverse experimental and computational tools to study the brain across species, scales, levels of description, in animals and humans. Notably, the lion’s share of these technologies falls under the general umbrella of neurophotonics. This lecture will focus on several microscopic neurophotonic technologies in the context of understanding spontaneous neuronal and neurovascular activity in the mouse cerebral cortex. Among these tools is optically transparent Windansee electrode arrays that can be combined with optical imaging. Combining Windansee recordings with two-photon imaging and biophysical modeling, we show that spontaneous inputs to layer 1 were coded by a selective, sparse sub-population of local neurons. This is in contrast with earlier studies in the same system where each instance of a sensory input activated a different subset of neurons indicating redundancy in coding. Because selective coding by a few “oracle” neurons is nonredundant, we are tempted to speculate that the health of internally generated brain activity may be more vulnerable to damage or disease compared to that in response to external stimuli. Light refreshments before the seminar

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Mini-Symposium-Windows into the Mind:New Approaches to Brain and Cognition

Conference
Date:
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Hour:
Location:
Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research

Homepage

Neurodegenerative diseases, stem cells and inflammation-new prospects for therapy

Conference
Date:
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Hour:
Location:
Dolfi and Lola Ebner Auditorium

Metabolism and the Metabolic Disorder

Conference
Date:
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Hour:
Location:
Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Building for Biomedical Research

Homepage

The enigma of inflammation in A.L.S: What can be learned from other

Conference
Date:
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Hour:
Location:
Dolfi and Lola Ebner Auditorium

Homepage

Measuring Behavior and Physiology: Bridging the Genotype Phenotype Gap

Conference
Date:
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Hour: 08:00 - 16:30
Location:
Dolfi and Lola Ebner Auditorium

Homepage

Olfaction: from receptors to behavior

Conference
Date:
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Hour: 08:00 - 16:30
Location:
Dolfi and Lola Ebner Auditorium

Homepage

A Conference on Neurodegenerative Diseases in Memory of Late Prof. Irith Ginzburg (1943-2008)

Conference
Date:
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Hour:
Location:

Homepage

Second Nachmansohn Memorial Symposium: Molecular Approaches to the Nervous System

Conference
Date:
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Hour:
Location:

Homepage

Minerva-Weizmann Workshop on Active Sensing in Touch Vision and Smell

Conference
Date:
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Hour:
Location:

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Benoziyo Center for Neurological Diseases - Fourth Annual Symposium

Conference
Date:
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Hour:
Location:

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