Fitspott

The "Brain Bike" - Perhaps Children Can Pedal Their Way To Straight A's?

                        

Fitspott can always count on Phil Lawler from PE4life.org to keep us up to date on the latest research detailing the link between exercise and learning. (aka Active Learning).

An exciting new piece of equipment that Phil was kind enough to share with us is called the "Brain Bike." The Brain Bike was developed by Brain Center America and combines a cardio workout with brain-stimulating exercises such as math problems, matching patterns and memory games, all on a computer screen attached to the bike.

The bike is being tested in Madison Junior High School, a school which resides in the Napperville School District. The Napperville School District received National attention over the past few years due to John Ratey's book Spark which detailed the amazing results (health, academic and behavioral) that exercise has had on their student body. (no pun intended)     

About The Brain Bike

"It's like getting a morning coffee ... you hop on the bike for a few minutes and you train your cardio, train your brain and it makes you more in the mood for learning new skills," said Stephane Bergeron, president of Brain Center America.

The program can help with 16 cognitive functions such as focus, memory, word skills, processing speed and arithmetic - and can be adjusted to help riders of almost any age. Among other possibilities, developers say the brain exercises can help business people stay on top of their game and riders of any age combat the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

As the biker gets more answers correct, the questions get progressively harder.

"What studies have shown in medicine is your brain behaves like a muscle," Bergeron said. "The more you flex your brain, the more you exercise it, the bigger it gets, the stronger it grows and it really changes physiologically."

He said recent research shows people can generate new brain cells and improve connectivity in the brain. The NeuroActive programs can increase brain function by 20 percent, he says, the same amount the average adult loses over a 10-year period.

In addition to being programmed into the bike's computer, software also is available for the typical home or office computer and even iPhones.

Image and Content Source: The Daily Herald (Chicago)

Perhaps we will read about success stories from the Brain Bike in a sequel by John Ratey, Spark 2? Either way we will be tracking the progress of the Brain Bike as well as other innovative Active Learning intiatives that are gaining momentum throughout the country.

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Omek Interactive - A Technology That Could Raise The Exergaming Experience To The Next Level

On Friday, Fitspott had the pleasure of meeting with Janine Kutliroff, CEO of Israel based Omek Interactive. Omek’s proprietary technology translates raw data from 3D cameras, allowing a participants natural body motion to control an onscreen character for a gaming experience that is truly active and immersive.

Little did I know, the glass of water that Janine asked for when she first arrived was actually going to be for ME. After Janine gave me a brief overview and history of Omek Interactive it was time to give the technology a try.

Janine attached a standard 3D camera to the top of her laptop and demonstrated just how responsive the on screen avatar was in response to the players movements. No matter how fast she lifted or lowered her arms, swung them in circles, lifted her leg, the avatar kept up. Did I mention no hand held controllers were required?

After this brief demonstration of the software's capabilities, Janine booted up one of Omeks prototype games. An avatar on a futuristic running track appeared on the screen and Janine instructed me to start running in place. Sure enough the avatar started running along with me. As I moved forward, obstacles such as trampolines, fences, etc. blocked my path and Janine kindly yelled at me to leap to the side, duck or lift my arms for balance.

The first trace of sweat started down my back.

As Janine instructed me to continue running while I moved onto more advanced levels, I quickly realized I was NOT wearing the right clothes for this demonstration..the reason, I was getting a very good workout and sweating quite profusely.

A few major things distinguished Omek's technology from other exergames I have tried:

- No hand held controllers were required.

- The movements of the on screen avatar mimicked my natural movements almost exactly.

Both of these distinguishing factors translate into a significant potential to bring the benefits of exergaming to new levels. With a player’s natural body movement so closely mirroring the onscreen character, one can only imagine the type of game titles that can be developed which will offer an extremely vigorous workout while also being (and this is the most important part) FUN. 

I highly recommend checking out their website to learn more about this exciting new technology.  

About Omek Interactive  

Omek Interactive is a leading creator of motion games and motion gaming technology. Using the latest USB 3D cameras, Omek's proprietary Motion Game System software translates natural body motion into seamless 3D movement onscreen. The player's body controls the action, making interactive entertainment truly active as healthy movement replaces sedentary inactivity during gaming sessions. Omek creates both original PC games and motion gaming middleware.    

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A Touching Story of How Exergaming is Helping Special Needs Students

This afternoon, Fitpsott received an email from Phil Lawler of PE4life.org, regarding a touching news story he cane across from a news station in South Carolina. With Phil's permission, I have paraphrased his email directly...you might want to have some tissues handy.

Subject: For everyone connected to the exergaming world

Everyone in the exergaming world should watch this video……watch the faces of the children and listen to the testimonies of what this exergaming lab has meant to some challenged students. The video is powerful, but after talking to the head of the PE in this district, this room is having a greater impact on these special students than even the video captured.

The school that put in this lab, is an underprivileged school in Carolina. After visiting Naperville’s PE4life academy, the administrative leaders said they were going to put a lab in their school. The administration said, we have limited funds, but that will not stop us……this room will change lives. At that time this plan did not include their special needs students, but now the lab has become part of the daily routine of the special students. Regular students are also benefiting from this exerlearning lab, but what a bonus, the lab is making such a profound difference in these young people lives.

The one story that touched me the most was the young man that was non-verbal. He only said his first word when he was 6 years old and continued to have a limited vocabulary until he experienced this lab. I am not sure what triggered this change in the lab, maybe the stimulation and movement was rewiring his brain, maybe it was the social stimulation of having fun and experiencing success in the room, no one knows for sure, but the one thing we do know, this concept of exerlearning labs is working.

It might take some time to change the thinking of conservative educational leaders, but our President and Sec. of Education has challenged our educational leaders to think outside the box, and come up with some new and innovative changes that will impact children, the exergaming world has it, we need to promote it, so we can change young people’s lives.  

Here is a link to view the video: http://is.gd/qSsF

Check back periodically as Fitspott will be interviewing some other advocates of exergaming over the next few weeks.

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New Years Resolutions vs. Springtime Resolutions - Is Either Effective?

You wouldn't know it from the snow flurries but today is offcially the first day of spring. In the health club business, there are two distinct high points of the year. New Years Eve and The Beginning of Spring.

As we all know, January 1st is marked by the appearance of many new faces in health clubs throughout the world (New Years resolutionists). This group is often motivated by the concept of "starting off the new year right" and/or making this the "Best Year Ever"...unfortunately most of these new faces are usually gone within a month.

Spring resolutionists however are slightly different. As there are no specific celebrations to ring in this time of the year (ex. I do not remember ever going to a Spring Eve party), this group tends not to be motivated by the promise of a new year, but rather a fear of not being able to hide behind layers of clothes.

In my experience, Spring resolutionists tend to stay comitted to their initiative a little longer. With that said, once the initial fear of disrobing fades and is replaced with the reality of the effort involved with committing to an exercise routine, this group tends to thin out as well. Estimated time of departure: 4-8 weeks.  

This week, Fitspott had a conversation with a friend of ours, Rahz Slaughter. Co-Founder of Breakthroughs to Fitness. He recently attended a 4 day Tony Robbins conference and was quite motivated after the event. Having read Tony's books in the past, it was interesting hearing about Rahz's experience and getting an update on the technologies taught by Tony Robbins. It also got me thinking how helpful his tools could be for the two groups mentioned above.

One of the concepts taken from Tony Robbins book many years ago, I still utilize today. This concept has prevented me from falling into either one of the two resolution groups and perhaps it can do the same for you as well.

Here it is: The types of questions we ask OURSELVES will determine the answers we get in return. Let me illustrate:

Negative Questions

Should I just skip the gym today and workout tomorrow?

Should I just sleep late so I can be better rested for work tomorrow?

Should I just stay at my job late to get more work done?

Why does this always happen to me?

Positive Questions

Wouldn't it be great to blow off some stress?

How much better will I feel if I work out today?

How much better will I look if I work out today?

What can I do to solve this problem?

As long as you are part of the human race, whenever doubt exists, you will engage in an inner dialogue. By simply posing the questions you ask yourself in a positive way, you are much more likely to get positive answers that could make all the difference between a resolutionist versus a committed fitness enthusiast.

MORALE OF THIS STORY: The time of the year should not determine whether or not you start/stick to an exercise program.  

h.u.m.a.n. (Healthy Vending) - A Good Idea, an Even Better Company!

                           

This afternoon, I had an opportunity to chat with Sean Kelly, CEO of HealthyVending.com. Many years ago, I had explored the concept of healthy vending with a good friend of mine that was in the industry. On the surface the concept seemed quite simple. All we had to do was replace the poor choices found in most vending machines with some healthier options, and we would cure worldwide obesity within a few years.

After spending about a week researching this "simple concept" we quickly realized a successful execution of a healthy vending machine business was anything but simple...we never spoke about it again.

So at this point I should step back and thank Twitter.

Earlier this week, I asked (via tweet) if anyone knew of any healthy vending machine companies. A visit to a local high school for my Sunday morning b-ball game prompted me to ask this question as there was not one healthy option to choose from in the vending machine.

While I received several responses to my post, no one was able to provide me with any answers. Just when I thought the issue was dead, I was contacted by Sean introducing me to his company, healthyvending.com. 

The mission of Sean's company is to help unite man and nutrition (h.u.m.a.n.) by placing premium healthy vending machines across the globe and giving 10% of proceeds back to charitable causes that fight obesity and malnutrition.

For the last 15 months h.u.m.a.n. Healthy Vending has focused on building a one of a kind healthy vending machine, specifically designed to overcome the obstacles that have prevented healthy vending from achieving a mainstream adoption in the past.

h.u.m.a.n. machines were created to accomplish three primary goals:

1. Increase revenues & profits for vending operators & sales commissions for locations.
2. Make operating, maintaining, & stocking the machines easier while making consumer interaction more enjoyable.
3. Create happy, healthy & loyal customers.

The machine features a touch-screen LCD, streaming video content, a cashless payment system, an eco-friendly power device and attractive graphics.

Aside from their unique machine, h.u.m.a.n. Healthy Vending utilizes on-location surveys, demographical analysis, & past precedence, to determine the specific product mix that best suits each location.

What most impressed me about my conversation with Sean is his companies commitment to the fight against obesity/malnutrition coupled with his clarity regarding the importance of making his machines profitable.

In today's economy, most schools, health clubs, airports, hospitals, etc. would be hesitant about giving up the revenue they derive from their current vending machines just to promote healthier food choices.

h.u.m.a.n. Healthy Vending is the rare breed of company that truly does offer the best of both worlds.

Healthy Food Choices + A Significant Revenue Opportunity = h.u.m.a.n. Healthy Vending

 

Beachbody®/American Diabetes Association® - Using The Power of Support To Fight Type 2 Diabetes

Yesterday, Fitspott had the pleasure of interviewing Beachbody Coach, Taryn Perry, to learn more about the Beachbody®/American Diabetes Association® alliance, focused on reducing the incidence of Type 2 Diabetes. 

With a limited knowledge of Beachbody®, Taryn provided me with a detailed overview of the Beachbody® products and services including their DVD's, affilitate networking program and coaching opportunities. I must say I was extremely impressed with their well rounded approach to health and fitness and can understand why their franchise is growing so rapidly.

After Taryn was confident that I had a good understanding of what Beachbody® had to offer, we moved onto the discussion of Beachbody® and the American Diabetes Association's alliance, and their efforts to thwart the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems:

• Right away, your cells may be starved for energy.
• Over time, high blood glucose levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.

Source: ADA Website  

Research has determined that exercise can help control type 2 diabetes by: Improving your body's use of insulin, reducing body fat, increasing muscle strength and bone density, lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol (LDL's), improving blood circulation, increasing energy levels and reducing stress.

Enter...Kathy Smith's project: YOU! Type 2™  by Beachbody®.

Developed in conjunction with doctors, certified diabetes educators, and the American Diabetes Association®, Kathy Smith's Project:YOU! Type 2™ is the first all-in-one solution to help manage diabetes, reduce your risk for diabetes complications, and get you back in control of your life!

The program comes with a 12 week workout guide, workout wallet with CD's and DVD's, Workout Calendar, cookbook, mix and match meal cards, program guides and 12-week food & fitness journal, Beachbody coach and online support. (It is important to note that proceeds from the sale of this product support American Diabetes Association's mission: to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of people with diabetes.)

To me one of the reasons this alliance holds such promise is the support system offered by the Beachbody® coaches. It is a fact of life that not everyone exhibits the same level of self motivation when it comes to exercise. Simply knowing what to do does not always guarantee success. As a result, sometimes people need that little push offered by a support system to succeed.

As Taryn explained the interaction she has with all of "her team", it reminded me of the type of interaction I have had with my clients over the years. As trainers, we sometimes take for granted the influence our little motivating speeches, emails, phone calls and directives can have over our clients...and this is why I have high hopes for this alliance and its possibilities with regards to controlling the potential negative effects of Type 2 diabetes.

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New Alliance To Fight Childhood Obesity...is it missing a big piece of the puzzle?

Fitspott is extremely pleased to hear about the formation of a new alliance led by former President Bill Clinton, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the American Heart Association to make nutrition counseling more easily available to millions of American children. 

The benefits offered by the alliance are said to result in the payment of at least four dietitian visits and four physician visits annually in order to teach kids and their parents more healthful eating habits and other tips for weight control.

As part of my research on this effort, I came across an editorial from InsideBayArea.com that I concur with 100%. To paraphrase the article as it pertains to the alliance: But their efforts alone will not solve the problem. Indeed, the solution must begin at home with parents and older siblings setting healthy examples and taking an active role in children's eating habits. It's not rocket science, but it often requires lifestyle adjustments for all members of the family.

The stakes are high. The rise in childhood obesity has been linked to an increase in the number of kids suffering from Type 2 diabetes. There may be a link between the rise in childhood obesity and the increase in childhood asthma. And overweight children are more likely to grow up to be overweight adults and more likely to develop heart problems.

Curbing these problems will not only improve the health of our children, it will save money. Dr. Timothy Gardner, president of the American Heart Association, estimates that childhood obesity accounts for $14 billion a year in direct health care costs.

But visits to doctors and nutritionists alone won't solve the problem. As a society, we need to look at our role. At school, and at home, we often offer our children foods laden with fats, sugars, salt and calories.

Fewer of our elementary schools offer daily physical education classes. Recess has become a thing of the past at many schools. And this is what I believe to be the missing piece of the puzzle.

If members of this alliance spent 5 minutes on the phone with advocates of school exercise programs such as PE4life.org led by Phil Lawler, or Generation Fit led by Judy Shasek, they would realize the magnitude of the opportunity that is being missed by not including these proven programs in their plan. Not only are these types of programs showing an undeniable success in terms of a reduction in childhood obesity, but they are also improving academic performance and cutting down on school violence.

While I am extremely positive about the possibilities of this alliance, I can only imagine how much more effective it could be if the fitness component was valued as highly as the nutritional component.  

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Leveraging Social Media & Fitness

 

In this day in age we are finding that social media can help you to accomplish reaching your fitness goals. It may be difficult for some to equate the personal support of a trainer with social media especially if you are used to the face to face interaction of someone in your face telling you to work harder and even to smile about it. It takes not only discipline on your part but honesty. Your online connection to a personal trainer has to evolve around trust and honesty. If it does not then the results will show this.

 

Let’s get real. We live in a world where our time is limited. Most of us want to go to a gym a few times a week or even daily but as each day hits bed time we realize that other priorities have taken precedent.

 

These days we see and hear from our “friends” via Email, Texting, Linked In, Twitter or Facebook and other social mediums. Before you know it you are sucked into the computer screen, typing this, commenting on that and in a few weeks your behind may be filling out your chair. Why don’t you leverage the connections you have online to help motivate you offline with one of those friends or local personal trainers? Research shows that people who exercise together get better results.

 

I have always had a personal fitness regimen built into my day. Without it I would run out of steam working the hours I do, especially because most of my work is sitting in front of a computer. It also is great because it is not only an hour of personal time for me a day but reduces my stress to almost zilch. Technology and social media has certainly helped me stay on target with my fitness goals. I can log into a free web based tracking system, share with my private friends some who are local and some who are not and know that I am accountable not only to myself but my support team.  I can even twitter about my accomplishments to all of my followers, hopefully encouraging them to think about doing the same.

 

You may not know how to integrate social media & the free tools into your more traditional fitness routine but that will all change after you see the results of having such a large support team to not only encourage you but to give you ideas and from time to time a “wow, you look great”. Social media gives you the opportunity to share your results and even the days when you feel less than perfect, there is always someone to tell you that even though you are close to being perfect that there is always tomorrow (who doesn’t love a support team like that?).

 

I have recently been working with a personal trainer both online and offline in my local community. I have some upcoming events that I want to look great for and I have leveraged the social media platform so that even when we are not face to face I can keep him updated on my progress and even ask him for a kick in the pants. This though usually requires a visit to my home and a lot of sweat and a bucket so I try my best to stay on plan.

 

The point is this: Social media is a great way to not only find or create a support group, but to stay connected, committed and motivated. In our training sessions we work together, literally. Our favorite piece of equipment is the Lebert Buddy System™. Two people, “the buddies” (me- the weaker of the two and Travis) operate together as a single unit so we are able to monitor and help each other. This is similar in a way to how social media works whereas your fitness is concerned. You get what you give.

My Take on The EA SPORTS Active Demo in New York

 

                                 

 

Fitspott was really looking forward to attending the EA SPORTS Active demo this week and we were not disappointed. Reminiscent of a typical NYC night club opening (velvet ropes and all) the event was held in a pretty cool event space in Mid-Town Manhattan.

 

While many other new EA SPORTS titles were being debuted, it was EA SPORTS Active that took center stage. From the time I walked through the door, company representatives,  Jen Riley and Kathryn Peck (shown above),  were busy demonstrating the product and answering questions.

 

In a nutshell, I believe EA SPORTSActive can/will serve as a great supplement to a "real life" exercise regimen, as well as an effective tool for boosting confidence in people that might not have had a good experience with exercise in the past. The user friendly set up process, tracking modules, 30 Day Challenge, social component and large library of fun and interactive  activities make this game relevant for all levels of fitness (beginner to advanced).

 

According to one of the company reps, EA SPORTS Active was developed with input from a team of fitness specialists and experts in the field of health and fitness...this is evident.

 

EA SPORTS Active Features

Special leg and resistance bands are used in conjuntion with the handheld Wii Controllers to perform most exercises. 

•          Active fitness from the comfort of your home in just 20 minutes a day…

–        20 minute circuits feature a variety of familiar activities that target upper body, lower body as well as cardio. Circuits can be customized to your interest and fitness level.

–        Choose your duration, intensity level & set your own goals for calories burn.

•          Take the 30 Day Challenge…

–        20 minute circuits change each day throughout the 30 Day Challenge as you progress.

–        Circuits will adjust to your fitness level and will track calories, intensity and progress.

•          Your trainer in a box…

–        Bob Greene will be the focal point both of the experience, providing you with clear instruction, motivation and positive encouragement.

–        Feedback will be given throughout your workout.

•          New Ways to Play…

–        The specially designed leg strap lets us track your movements on screen.

–        A resistance band is included to increase the intensity of upper body exercises.

 

I get the sense that EA SPORTS Active is going to be marketed heavily to the stay at home mom as well as the youth market. As a personal trainer of 17 years (many of my clients were stay at home moms), if I had to guess I would say it will be the youth market that is most likely to embrace EA SPORTS Active and really benefit from all that it has to offer.

 

One of the goals of Fitspott is to help exergaming products such as EA SPORTS Active to be included in many of the "NEW" fitness programs that are launching in schools across our nation. The data is mounting regarding the many tangible benefits that can be achieved by schools that include organized fitness programs as part of their curriculum. 

 

As with any form of exercise, long term success is dependent on a consistent effort  based on sound principles. There are no magic pills or potions (not yet) and no matter how good these games are in theory, I believe they will still require at least some involvement by a real life moderator to ensure a long term adherence.

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Exergaming - An Interview With The CEO of Gamercize (Part 2 of 2)

 

Fitspott was extremely pleased with the response from Part 1 of our interview with Richard Coshott, the CEO of Gamercize UK.  As a result of this interview, we have had some extremely inspiring conversations with other exergaming pioneers, including one of the founders of a company in Chicago whose efforts are featured in the book Spark by John Ratey.

 

About Gamercize

Gamercize is an exergaming company that uses the attraction of video games to develop motor skills, and to help build the confidence to participate in physical activity. 

In the second part of this two part interview series Richard tells us in his own words what will speed up the mainstream adoption of exergaming and if strength benefits can be achieved from an exergaming session. 

Fitspott: What steps can be taken to expedite the mainstream adoption of exergaming?

Richard: Exergaming is not a recent phenomenon as Konami's DDR has been around for over 10 years. It has only been in the last few years that exergaming has grasped the public interest and gained acceptance as an actual term. We can thank Nintendo's publicity campaigns of the Wii for raising awareness of the industry.

 

Unfortunately, the price we paid for this is that most media see exergaming as synonymous with this console alone. We already have witnessed a mainstream adoption of exergaming but the challenge is to open the minds of the public to the multitude of options that are available.

 

This issue is shared among exergaming practitioners as we all have pondered how to take exergaming forwards from this single point. Gamercize supports up to four players per Wii console, so it's not a great commercial concern to me. However, exergaming cannot reach it’s full potential and effectiveness without awareness of the diversity that exists.

 

Until recently, this emerging industry did not have the resources to step out of Nintendo's shadow.  I think EA Sports Active is going to change all this and greatly improve the public awareness due to the fact that there is an actual genre of exergaming and many more dimensions to explore.

 

Once the genre is recognized outside of industry followers, the multitude of research completed can be considered holistically. The research that has been published so far has focused on proving exergaming as a viable exercise medium. With this as a foundation, projects can move to longer term studies. This step is crucial to convince policy makers, not just consumers, that exergaming is effective.

 

I’m very encouraged from my visit to USF last year where the long term engagement of exergaming is under study. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundations (the primary supporter of Games for Health) funding stream and recent call for research proposals will give the opportunity to start projects with similar goals. When the results are published, exergaming as a genre will be able to translate into mainstream PE, sport and fitness.

 

Fitspott: We keep hearing about the cardiovascular benefits that can be achieved through exergaming. Can you describe the strength benefits that can be derived from an exergaming session?

 

Richard: Strength training relies on resistance to muscle movement, and the level of resistance required varies depending on the individual’s ability and current muscle condition. In order to gain strength benefits, the effort of an exergame needs to be variable, preferably at a level set or advised by fitness professionals.

 

I have not come across any exergame that has such a high level of resistance that it can be compared to the level of weight training as in bodybuilding. With that said, there are plenty of options that can deliver muscle endurance. Wii Sports does not provide any significant resistance to movement having light weight Wii motes and no air resistance such as the movement that you get with racquet sports. To find the options that do deliver we need to consider the wider exergaming genre.

 

The most common basis for exergaming equipment is an exercise cycle and almost all of these have a resistance setting which can be set progressively higher as muscle endurance improves. These can be found under a number of easily identified names, so I won’t risk missing someone out by naming them in this answer!

 

The advantage of exergaming with these devices is building strength in the lower body muscle groups that directly translates into better ability to play sports and be more active in traditional forms of exercise.

 

Upper body strength training in console exergaming has fewer options but one option is utilizing an upper body ergometer, which operates like a hand exercise cycle. This also opens exergaming up to limited mobility players. Wii Fit could also be considered in this group, with its strength training sections, but personally I find it a leap of faith too far to consider press ups on the balance board much of a compelling game!

 

For the Wii, a gentle start into upper body strength training is available from several Wii mote add-ons, such as racquet heads or extra weights, which will enable Wii Sports to be more effective.

 

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