Breakthrough in clean energy: Palladium nanosheets pave way for affordable hydrogen

Scientists develop a low-cost palladium-based nanosheet catalyst that matches platinum’s performance in hydrogen production

Tokyo University of Science

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Researchers develop a highly active catalyst to replace platinum-based catalysts for affordable production of hydrogen.

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Credit: Hiroaki Maeda from Tokyo University of Science, Japan

Hydrogen energy is emerging as a key driver of a clean, sustainable future, offering a zero-emission alternative to fossil fuels. Although it is promising, the large-scale production of hydrogen relies heavily on expensive platinum-based catalysts, and hence affordability remains a major challenge for the industry. 

To surpass this, researchers from the Tokyo University of Science (TUS) have developed a novel hydrogen evolution catalyst, bis(diimino)palladium coordination nanosheets (PdDI), that offers platinum-like efficiency at a fraction of the cost. Their groundbreaking study, which was published on November 28, 2024, and made available online on January 27, 2025, in Volume 31, Issue 6 of Chemistry – A European Journal, has also been selected as a “Cover Feature” for the journal, highlighting its significance in advancing sustainable hydrogen production.

The study was led by Dr. Hiroaki Maeda and Professor Hiroshi Nishihara from TUS in collaboration with high-profiled researchers from the University of Tokyo, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, Kyoto Institute of Technology, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, and the National Institute for Materials Science, Japan. The discovery marks a breakthrough in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) technology, which is a key process in green hydrogen energy generation. HER occurs in the process of electrolytic splitting of water for the generation of hydrogen. The HER catalyst electrodes, traditionally made of platinum, facilitate the conversion of nascent hydrogen ([H])—generated at the electrode surface during water splitting—into hydrogen gas (H₂). While platinum (Pt) as a HER catalyst is highly effective, its scarcity and high cost significantly increase manufacturing expenses, limiting its large-scale application.

Using a simple synthesis process and limited amounts of precious metals, the research team offered a highly efficient alternative for Pt catalysts. The team fabricated palladium-based nanosheets that could maximize catalytic activity while minimizing metal usage, drastically lowering the costs associated with H₂ production.

"Developing efficient HER electrocatalysts is key to sustainable H₂ production. Bis(diimino)metal coordination nanosheets, with their high conductivity, large surface area, and efficient electron transfer, are promising candidates,” says lead researcher, Dr. Maeda. “Additionally, their sparse metal arrangement reduces material usage. Here, we have successfully developed these nanosheets using palladium metal."

The team developed PdDI nanosheets (C-PdDI and E-PdDI) using two different methods: gas-liquid interfacial synthesis and electrochemical oxidation respectively. After undergoing the activation, the E-PdDI sheets exhibited a low overpotential of 34 mV as well as platinum’s overpotential of 35 mV, which meant that very little extra energy was required to drive the hydrogen production. The exchange current density of 2.1 mA/cm² also matched the platinum’s catalytic performance. The results therefore place E-PdDI among the most efficient HER catalysts developed to date, making it a promising low-cost alternative to platinum.

One of the critical aspects of any catalyst is its long-term stability. These PdDI nanosheets demonstrated excellent durability, remaining intact after 12 hours in acidic conditions, confirming their suitability for real-world hydrogen production systems. "Our research brings us one step closer to making H₂ production more affordable and sustainable, a crucial step for achieving a clean energy future," explains Dr. Maeda.

Furthermore, by minimizing the reliance on scarce and costly platinum, PdDI nanosheets align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 7—promoting affordable and clean energy, SDG 9—industry, innovation, and infrastructure. The implications of this study extend beyond laboratory experiments. The scalability, enhanced activity, and cost-effectiveness of PdDI nanosheets make them highly attractive for industrial hydrogen production, hydrogen fuel cells, and large-scale energy storage systems.

Additionally, replacing platinum-based catalysts with PdDI could reduce mining-related emissions, accelerating the transition to a sustainable hydrogen economy. Also, the density of palladium atoms is ten times lesser than Pt atoms, reducing the dependency on precious Pt metal, and approaching for a cost-effective production of electrodes.  The replacement of Pt with PdDI nanosheets is expected to produce great outcomes in automobiles, hydrogen production, and electrode-supplying industries.

As research progresses, the team at TUS aims to further optimize PdDI nanosheets for commercialization, contributing to the development of an environmentally friendly hydrogen society.

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Reference                     

DOI: 10.1002/chem.202403082

 

About Tokyo University of Science
Tokyo University of Science (TUS) is a well-known and respected university, and the largest science-specialized private research university in Japan, with four campuses in central Tokyo and its suburbs and in Hokkaido. Established in 1881, the university has continually contributed to Japan's development in science through inculcating the love for science in researchers, technicians, and educators.

With a mission of “Creating science and technology for the harmonious development of nature, human beings, and society," TUS has undertaken a wide range of research from basic to applied science. TUS has embraced a multidisciplinary approach to research and undertaken intensive study in some of today's most vital fields. TUS is a meritocracy where the best in science is recognized and nurtured. It is the only private university in Japan that has produced a Nobel Prize winner and the only private university in Asia to produce Nobel Prize winners within the natural sciences field.

Website: https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/mediarelations/

 

About Junior Associate Professor Hiroaki Maeda from Tokyo University of Science
Dr. Hiroaki Maeda is a leading researcher in coordination chemistry and electrochemistry, currently serving as a Junior Associate Professor at the Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science. He earned his Ph.D. in Science from the University of Tokyo and has since made significant contributions to the fields of electrochemistry and coordination chemistry. With an impressive record of 53 refereed publications, 57 conference presentations, and five patents, Dr. Maeda’s research has gained widespread recognition in the world of electrochemistry.

 

Funding information
This work was financially supported by JSPS KAKENHI (Grant number: JP19H05460, 22K14569, 22K05055, and 24H00468) and the White Rock Foundation.

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Journal

Chemistry - A European Journal

DOI

10.1002/chem.202403082 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Synthesis of Bis(diimino)palladium Nanosheets as Highly Active Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution

Aluminum: A new hero of hydrogen production

Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)

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Mechanism of changes in electron structure of catalyst through aluminum doping as well as high activity and high durability confirmation through experiments

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Credit: POSTECH

Aluminum (Al) has been considered as a material susceptible to corrosion, but it will become key to core technology in producing clean hydrogen energy. Recently, a POSTECH research team succeeded in dramatically improving the performance of hydrogen production catalysts using this unstable metal.

 

This research was conducted by the team of: Professor Yong-Tae Kim of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Graduate Institute of Ferrous & Eco Materials Technology at POSTECH; Dr. Sang-Moon Jung of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ph.D. candidate Byeong-Jo Lee, and professor Seoin Back's team of Sogang University. The research was recognized for its excellence and was published as the cover paper of "ACS Catalysis," an academic journal published by the American Chemical Society (ACS).

 

Hydrogen is being spotlighted as a clean energy source replacing fossil fuels, and water electrolysis all of which is used to mass produce hydrogen using water. In particular, researches on alkaline water electrolysis using alkaline solution as an electrolyte are being actively conducted, as it is cost-effective and suitable for mass production.

 

Water electrolysis requires a catalyst that accelerates 2 important reactions. One of them is "hydrogen evolution reaction" (HER), which produces hydrogen gas (H2) by combining hydrogen ions (H+) and electrons. Another one is "oxygen evolution reaction" (OER), which produces oxygen gas (O2) as hydroxyl ions (OH-) lose electrons. However, nickel-iron (Ni-Fe) is a based catalyst mainly used in oxygen production reaction; it has had difficulties in commercializing due to its lack of activity and durability.

 

The research team solved the problem using aluminum. Aluminum is generally known to be easily corroded in alkaline environments, but the research team overcame the problem by designing it to form a stable structure on the surface of an electrode. As a result, aluminum efficiently controlled the existing catalytic electron structure without corrosion, accelerating oxygen production reaction.

 

Experiments conducted in an alkaline water electrolysis cell showed the results that the nickel-iron-aluminum (Ni-Fe-Al) catalyst improved performance by approximately 50% compared to existing catalysts. The research team confirmed that the aluminum catalyst maintained high current density even at low voltage. Additionally it was proven to be applicable in a large-scale hydrogen production process, as it maintained excellent stability in a long-term operation.

 

Professor Yong-Tae Kim, the leader of this research, said, "This research broke the stereotypes of existing catalyst designs. By using this innovative approach of utilizing aluminum, we were able to drastically improve the performance of catalysts used in a hydrogen production system. I expect this research would substantially advance the age of hydrogen economy and become a new milestone of eco-friendly energy technology."

 

This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, Ministry of Science and ICT, and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

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Journal

ACS Catalysis

DOI

10.1021/acscatal.4c04393 

Article Title

Highly Active and Stable Al-Doped NiFe Self-Supported Oxygen Evolution Reaction Electrode for Alkaline Water Electrolysis

 

Heat from the sun affects seismic activity on Earth

Incorporating solar activity predictions into detailed Earth temperature models may improve earthquake forecasts

American Institute of Physics

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WASHINGTON, March 4, 2025 – Seismology has revealed much of the basics about earthquakes: Tectonic plates move, causing strain energy to build up, and that energy eventually releases in the form of an earthquake. As for forecasting them, however, there’s still much to learn in order to evacuate cities before catastrophes like the 2011 magnitude 9.0 Tōhoku earthquake that, in addition to causing a tsunami that led to the Fukushima nuclear disaster, resulted in more than 18,000 deaths.

In recent years, research has focused on a possible correlation between the sun or moon and seismic activity on Earth, with some studies pointing to tidal forces or electromagnetic effects interacting with the planet’s crust, core, and mantle.

In Chaos, by AIP Publishing, researchers from the University of Tsukuba and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan explored the likelihood that Earth’s climate, as affected by solar heat, plays a role. The study builds on one that a pair of the researchers had published in the same journal in 2022; that study connected solar activity, particularly sunspot numbers, with seismic systems on Earth to establish a causal effect.

“Solar heat drives atmospheric temperature changes, which in turn can affect things like rock properties and underground water movement,” said author Matheus Henrique Junqueira Saldanha. “Such fluctuations can make rocks more brittle and prone to fracturing, for example — and changes in rainfall and snowmelt can alter the pressure on tectonic plate boundaries. While these factors may not be the main drivers of earthquakes, they could still be playing a role that can help to predict seismic activity.”

Using mathematical and computational methods, the researchers analyzed earthquake data alongside solar activity records and surface temperatures on Earth. Among other findings, they observed that when they included Earth surface temperatures into their model, the forecasting became more accurate, especially for shallow earthquakes.

“That makes sense, since heat and water mostly affect the upper layers of the Earth’s crust,” said Junqueira Saldanha.

The findings suggest the transfer of solar heat to the surface of the Earth does affect seismic activity, however minutely, and that incorporating solar activity predictions into detailed Earth temperature models may help issue earthquake forecasts.

“It’s an exciting direction, and we hope our study sheds some light on the bigger picture of what triggers earthquakes,” said Junqueira Saldanha.

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The article “The role of solar heat in earthquake activity” is authored by Matheus Henrique Junqueira Saldanha, Masanori Shiro, Yuji Yagi, and Yoshito Hirata. It will appear in Chaos on March 4, 2025 (DOI: 10.1063/5.0243721). After that date, it can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0243721.

ABOUT THE JOURNAL

Chaos is devoted to increasing the understanding of nonlinear phenomena in all areas of science and engineering and describing their manifestations in a manner comprehensible to researchers from a broad spectrum of disciplines. See https://pubs.aip.org/aip/cha.

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Journal

Chaos An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science

DOI

10.1063/5.0243721 

Article Title

The role of solar heat in earthquake activity

Article Publication Date

4-Mar-2025

 

Study: World’s critical food crops at imminent risk from rising temperatures

Global food security could be notably impacted by a marked decline in crop diversity if temperatures rise by more than 1.5°C, reveals new research.

Aalto University

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Change in the potential diversity of food crops in +2C global warming scenario as compared to the situation at present (%).

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Credit: Matti Kummu et. al / Aalto University

Global warming is already reshaping our daily lives, with storms, floods, wildfires and droughts around the world. As temperatures continue to rise, a third of global food production could be at risk. Now, a new study in Nature Food offers a more precise picture of exactly where and how warming will affect our ability to grow food.

Researchers at Aalto University studied how future changes in temperature, precipitation and aridity will affect growing conditions of 30 major food crop species across the globe. They found that low-latitude regions face significantly worse consequences than mid- or high-latitudes. Depending on the level of warming, up to half of the crop production in low-latitude areas would be at risk as climate conditions become unsuitable for production. At the same time, those regions would also see a large drop in crop diversity.

‘The loss of diversity means that the range of food crops available for cultivation could decrease significantly in certain areas. That would reduce food security and make it more difficult to get adequate calories and protein,’ says Sara Heikonen, the doctoral researcher who led the study.

Up to half of the world’s food crop production may be affected

Warming will severely decrease the amount of global cropland available for staple crops  –– rice, maize, wheat, potato and soybean –– which account for over two-thirds of the world’s food energy intake . In addition, ‘tropical root crops such as yam, which are key to food security in low-income regions, as well as cereals and pulses are particularly vulnerable. In sub-Saharan Africa, the region which would be impacted most, almost three quarters of current production is at risk if global warming exceeds 3°C,’ Heikonen says.

By contrast, mid- and high-latitude areas will probably retain their productive land overall, though zones for specific crops will change. These areas are also likely to see an increase in crop diversity. ‘For example, the cultivation of temperate fruits, such as pears, could become more common in more northerly regions,’ says Heikonen.

However, even if climatic conditions are favourable, other factors could hamper agriculture in these areas, says the study’s senior author, Professor Matti Kummu. ‘We showed that there’s climatic potential but, for example, warming might bring new pests and extreme weather events, which our model doesn’t include. So the situation isn’t really that black and white.’

Options for adaptation and mitigation 

Many of the low-latitude regions threatened most by warming are already vulnerable in numerous ways. They face problems with food sufficiency, and economic and systemic forces make them less resilient than northern countries. Nevertheless, Kummu sees ways that these regions could, at least partly, meet the challenge.

‘In many low latitude areas, especially in Africa, the yields are small compared to similar areas elsewhere in the world. They could get higher yields with access to fertilisers and irrigation as well as reducing food losses through the production and storage chain. However, ongoing global warming will add a lot of uncertainty to these estimates and probably even more actions are needed, such as crop selection and novel breeding,’ he says. ‘But I always say that the modelling and analysis is the easy part –– understanding how to make the changes happen is the hardest part.’

While policy-makers in low-latitude countries should work to close those gaps, in mid- and high-latitude regions farmers and policy-makers need more flexibility, says Kummu. Warming will likely change which crops are grown in those areas, and further changes will come from the array of pressures on the global food system. Coping with those changes will require the ability to adjust and adapt as the consequences of climate change unfold.

‘If we want to secure our food system in the future, we need to both mitigate climate change and adapt to its effects,’ says Heikonen. ‘Even if the biggest changes are in equatorial regions, we will all feel the effects through the globalised food system. We need to act together to address these problems.’

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Journal

Nature Food

DOI

10.1038/s43016-025-01135-w 

Article Title

Climate change threatens crop diversity at low latitudes

Article Publication Date

4-Mar-2025

 

Giant clone of seaweed in the Baltic Sea

University of Gothenburg

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The clone of bladderwrack in the Baltic Sea was long assumed to be a separate species, which was called narrow seaweed.

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Credit: Lena Bergström

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have discovered that what was previously thought to be a unique seaweed species of bladderwrack for the Baltic Sea is in fact a giant clone of common bladderwrack, perhaps the world's largest clone overall.  The discovery has implications for predicting the future of seaweed in a changing ocean.

In the brakish waters of the Baltic Sea, bladderwrack is the dominant seaweed species as it is one of the few seaweed species that can tolerate low salinity.

The seaweed forms large forests from the surface down to a depth of 10 metres. Fish fry, snails and crustaceans thrive here, and the kelp forests also provide an important habitat for larger fish. This makes it an interesting species for researchers to study. Using genetic mapping of marine species is one way to understand how these species should be managed.

Falsely mistaken for an own species

“The Baltic Sea is entering a period of warmer and probably even fresher seawater. In new conditions, all species must try to adapt in order to survive, including the important bladderwrack,” says Kerstin Johannesson, Professor of Marine Ecology at the University of Gothenburg and one of the lead authors of a new study in the journal Molecular Ecology.

Through DNA sequencing, the researchers have found that a small, bushy form of seaweed in the Baltic Sea that was previously thought to be a separate species (called narrow wrack) is a clone of bladderwrack. The clone has formed new populations by dispersing fragments of an original female plant with the water currents and growing into new individuals of wrack. The clone spreads over more than 500 km of the coast of the Bothnian Sea, from Öregrund in Uppland to just south of Umeå, and may be the world's largest clone of any organism.

Millions of individuals in one clone

Bladderwrack has separate male and female plants that normally form new individuals after sexual fertilisation.

“This clone comprises millions of individuals, and in some areas, it is completely dominant, while in other areas it grows alongside sexually propagated individuals of bladderwrack. We have found a few more large clones in the Baltic Sea, but the female clone off the Swedish Gulf of Bothnia is by far the largest clone – a real super female,” says Ricardo Pereyra, researcher in the group who led the genetic analyses.

Uncertain future for clones

Seaweed clones face an uncertain future as the Baltic Sea is affected by climate change. Without constant sexual reproduction, there are few genetic changes and adaptations in the genetic material of the stocks.

“A clone almost completely lacks the genetic variation that otherwise means that there are individuals in a population that can handle the changes and make the species survive,” says Kerstin Johannesson.

New species in Estonia

During the survey, the researchers from the University of Gothenburg also identified a new species of seaweed on the Estonian coast which, like the small seaweed clone, is small and bushy, but has both males and females and reproduces only sexually. This seaweed is very closely related to bladderwrack but is currently reproductively isolated from bladderwrack in the area. 

Bladderwrack is the dominant seaweed species in the Baltic Sea because it can withstand low salinity in the water.

Credit

Kerstin Johannesson

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Journal

Molecular Ecology

DOI

10.1111/mec.17699 

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

An Evolutionary Mosaic Challenges Traditional Monitoring of a Foundation Species in a Coastal Environment—The Baltic Fucus vesiculosus

 

Hidden dangers and myths: What you need to know about HPV and cancer

 the virus is actually more common among men than women and is associated with rising rates of other cancers that directly impact men.

Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – While the human papillomavirus (HPV) is most associated with cervical cancer risk and women, a new survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) shows that the majority of people are unaware that the virus is actually more common among men than women and is associated with rising rates of other cancers that directly impact men.

The consumer survey sought to understand the public’s knowledge of the lesser known but common virus – specifically how it is spread and its impact on cancer risk. 

Survey results were clear: most respondents didn’t know much about HPV and its long-term cancer risk, and they have misperceptions of how the infection is spread. That lack of knowledge, says Electra Paskett, PhD, a cancer control researcher at the OSUCCC – James, leaves many people at unnecessary risk for preventable cancers.

“We have a vaccine that has been shown to reduce the risk of HPV infection by up to 90%,” said Paskett. “This is a powerful tool for cancer prevention that has only been available to us in the past few decades, and we are seeing the impact of those vaccines now through the scientific data.”

Debunking myths about HPV

For this survey, respondents were asked if they agree or disagree with some basic statements about HPV to gauge public knowledge. Survey results showed that many people think this is an infection that impacts women more than men.

“This is concerning because more men are infected with HPV than women and they could unknowingly spread it to their partners,” said Paskett, who also serves as Marion N. Rowley Professor of Cancer Research and professor in The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Specific results from the survey include:

• Nearly half of respondents (45%) did not know if HPV was linked to cancers beyond cervical. FACT: It is the primary risk factor for cervical cancer but is also linked to rising rates of cancers that affect the tonsils, base of tongue, throat, neck, esophagus, anus and genitals according to peer-reviewed scientific data.
• 42% believed HPV was more common in women. FACT: HPV is more common in men, but because there is only a test for women, people mistakenly think HPV only affects women, according to the CDC.
• 40% believed that if you are infected with HPV, you will have symptoms. FACT: Many do not have symptoms until after they have cancer.

Power of prevention

Paskett noted that while the HPV vaccine is recommended between the ages of 9 and 12 for maximum effectiveness (prior to potential HPV exposure), it is now available to adults up until age 45.

Although the vaccine has been available since 2006, the lack of awareness that it can prevent cancer later in life has slowed progress in preventing these cancers. The CDC estimates that timely HPV vaccination could prevent 90% of cervical cancers alone, and only about half (56.9%) of children who qualify for the vaccine have received it. Among them, more girls and women are being vaccinated than boys and men.

HPV-related oropharyngeal (tonsil and tongue base) cancer cases rising rapidly

Right now, about 42 million people are infected with HPV, and most Americans (98%) have been exposed. The virus spreads through sexual contact (saliva or ejaculatory fluids) and can spread through childbirth. If the immune system can’t kill the virus, however, the cells can change into cancer. 

OSUCCC – James head and neck surgeon Matthew Old, MD, cites concerns about rapidly rising rates of HPV-related oropharyngeal (tonsil and tongue base) cancers, noting that if this trend continues, they could quickly be among the most common forms of cancer in adults between the ages of 45 and 65.

Recent estimates suggest that oropharyngeal cancer may become one of the top three cancers among middle-aged men in the United States by 2045, and the most common form of cancer among elderly men in the next 10 years.

“It can take years or even decades for the genetic changes caused by HPV to take effect and transform into cancer,” said Old “Once exposed, there are currently no treatments for HPV infections, and many who are unvaccinated unknowingly carry and spread high-risk strains of the virus. That’s why vaccination is so important.”

To learn more about treatment and research at the OSUCCC – James, visit cancer.osu.edu or call 1-800-293-5066.

Survey Methodology 
This study was conducted by SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. The SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is a national, twice-per-month, probability-based survey. Data collection was conducted from February 7-9, 2025, among a sample of 1,005 respondents. The survey was conducted via web (n=975) and telephone (n=30) and administered in English. The margin of error for total respondents is +/-3.8 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus data are weighted to represent the target population of U.S. adults ages 18 or older.

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