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Registration is now open for BrainNet 2025 workshop!
by Pascal Helson March 3, 2025

March 3, 2025

Dear all, We are thrilled to announce the fourth BrainNet workshop. If you're interested in exploring how analysis of brain data, network science and different imaging methods can explain more about the brain and its functioning, we cordially invite you to attend the BrainNet 2025 in Stockholm, Sweden, from May 5th to 8th. Our interdisciplinary set of speakers will showcase state-of-the-art methods for analyzing and explaining brain data, offering insights from both theoretical and experimental perspectives. The event is hybrid, you can participate either in person or virtually. For on-site participants, you can submit an abstract for giving a contributed talk! Registration closes on 6th of April 2025. The confirmed speakers are: Adrián Ponce-Alvarez, Polytechnic University of Catalonia Roxana Zeraati, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics Michael Winding, Francis Crick Institute Barbara Hollunder, Charité - University Medicine Berlin Jacob Vogel, Lund University Alex Bhogal, UMC Utrecht Andrew Lehr, University Medical Center Göttingen Sacha van Albada, Research center Jülich Lida Kanari, Open Brain Institute Grégoria Kalpouzos, Karolinska Institutet Katharina Heining, Karolinska Institutet Annegret Habich, Karolinska Institutet Rodrigo Moreno, KTH Dhrubaditya Mitra, Nordita, Stockholm University Josefine Waldthaler, Karolinska Institutet This is a unique opportunity to connect with the experts and the participants, the event is structured with ample time for discussions. You can find all the details – including the preliminary schedule, speaker list, and registration link – on the BrainNet 2025 webpage at https://brainnet2025.carrd.co/. We look forward to seeing you there! Please distribute the link in your networks for anyone who might be interested in attending. Best regards, The BrainNet 2025 Organizing Committee: Pascal Helson, KTH Arvind Kumar, KTH Henri Riihimäki, Nordita, Stockholm University Jason Smith, Nottingham Trent University Gonzalo Uribarri, KTH Sarah Vandenbulcke, KTH

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Student/TA applications are open for Neuromatch summer courses
by Bonnen, Kathryn March 3, 2025

March 3, 2025

Dear colleagues, Student and TA applications are open for Summer 2025 ! This is a great opportunity to learn computational concepts and modeling with students from around the globe. Courses are available in Computational Neuroscience, NeuroAI, Deep Learning and Computational Climate Science. You can apply as a student or a TA (TA positions offer financial compensation). Please share with students/postdocs and your departments. More information below. Thanks, Kate Bonnen Kathryn Bonnen Assistant Professor, School of Optometry Indiana University kbonnen(a)iu.edu<mailto:kbonnen@iu.edu> https://bonnenlab.github.io<https://bonnenlab.github.io/> -- We're thrilled to announce our lineup of immersive courses at Neuromatch Academy! Whether you're a student eager to dive into cutting-edge topics or a seasoned researcher looking to contribute as a Teaching Assistant, we have opportunities tailored for you. 3-week Courses (July 7-25): * Computational Neuroscience<https://neuromatch.io/computational-neuroscience-course/>: Explore the intricacies of the brain's computational processes and join an engaging community of learners. * Deep Learning<https://neuromatch.io/deep-learning-course/>: Delve into the world of artificial intelligence to uncover the principles and applications of deep learning. 2-week Courses (July 14-25): * Computational Tools for Climate Science<https://neuromatch.io/computational-tools-for-climate-science-course/>: Uncover the tools and techniques driving climate science research in this dynamic two-week course. * NeuroAI<https://neuromatch.io/neuroai-course/>: Explore the intersection of neuroscience and artificial intelligence through the lens of generalization. Application Info: * Close: Sunday, March 23rd, at midnight in your local time zone * Decisions: Mid-April * Requirements: * Students are expected to be familiar with Python and have foundational science skills in math/science. * Teaching Assistants should have strong Python skills and a background in the relevant topic. See the course pages for more information. * Link: Apply Here<https://portal.neuromatchacademy.org/> Additional Information: * All courses are synchronous but will be conducted exclusively online, providing flexibility and accessibility. * Participation fees are lower than those of other courses to make education affordable to everybody, no matter their financial background. They are also adjusted for national economic factors. Detailed information about course fees can be found here<https://neuromatchacademy.github.io/widgets/cola.html>. * Teaching Assistants will lead small groups of students, fostering collaborative learning. TA positions offer financial compensation; detailed rates can be found here<https://neuromatchacademy.github.io/widgets/ta_cola.html>. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to expand your knowledge, connect with experts in the field, and contribute to the success of our courses. Apply today and join us on a journey of discovery! Should you have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out to us at nma(a)neuromatch.io<mailto:nma@neuromatch.io>. We look forward to welcoming you to the Neuromatch Academy family!

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[Call for Abstracts] 5th Inter. Conf. Phil. Mind (15-21 May 2025)
by steven gouveia March 2, 2025

March 2, 2025

Dear All, We are happy to announce the Call for Abstracts for the 5th International Conference Philosophy of Mind: Natural and Artificial Intelligence, which will happen between the 15-21 May 2025 at the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Porto. The conference will be divided into two formats: 15-16 May fully online, and 19, 20 and 21 May 2025 fully in-person in Porto. Keynotes speakers are: * Michael Spezio (Scripps College, USA) * Anna Strasser (LMU-Munich) * Gabriel Mograbi (Federal Uni. Rio Janeiro) * Sara Lumbreras (Uni. Pontificia Comillas, Madrid) * Sofia Miguens (University of Porto). The best submitted talk will receive the Philosophy of Mind Award 2025 (waived fee). More information can be found here: https://ifilosofia.up.pt/activities/5-international-conference-philosophy-m… [deadline: 15 March 2025]. Organizers

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Two fully funded PhD opportunities @University of Plymouth starting October 1, 2025
by Vassilis Cutsuridis March 2, 2025

March 2, 2025

We are excited to offer **** two **** *fully-funded PhD positions* at the University of Plymouth in the fields of Neuromorphic AI, Brain-Computer Interaction, Optimization, and Biosignal Analysis. Details of both opportunities are below. *Generative AI for image and video reconstructions from brain signals* Can we access our inner thoughts and memories from brain signals and reconstruct their visual contents? The project aims to develop an explainable and trustworthy Generative AI pipeline system capable of decoding in real-time electroencephalography (EEG) brain signals of human participants while they are passively viewing or imagining visual content (faces, animals, etc) and of reconstructing their visual content with high fidelity. *Link*: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/postgraduate-research-stu… <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.plymo…> *Supervisors*: Vassilis Cutsuridis, Giorgio Ganis, Vivek Singh *Contact*: vassilis.cutsuridis(a)plymouth.ac.uk *Enhancing AI Performance with AMD's Neural Processing Units* The project aims to maximize the potential of AMD’s cutting-edge Neural Processing Units (NPUs) in the area of computer vision. This project is partially funded by AMD and the successful candidate will collaborate with AMD researchers. *Link:* https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/postgraduate-research-stu… <https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.plymo…> *Supervisors*: Vasilios Kelefouras, Vassilis Cutsuridis, Krithika Anil *Contact:* vasilios.kelefouras(a)plymouth.ac.uk *Submission deadline* for application materials for both PhD opportunities is *12 noon on March 28, 2025* Feel free to share with anyone who might be interested! --- *Dr Vassilis Cutsuridis* Associate Professor in Computer Science School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK, PL4 8AA Email: vassilis.cutsuridis(a)plymouth.ac.uk Web: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/staff/vassilis-cutsuridis *** I work strange hours. You may receive emails from me outside of office hours, but please do not feel you need to reply outside of office hours.

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World wide VVTNS series (fifth season): Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 11:00 am EST| Yonatan Loewenstein, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
by David Hansel March 2, 2025

March 2, 2025

[image: VVTNS.png] https://www.wwtns.online <https://streaklinks.com/A9c7PbbpKY7PxB6PaAJWGD3-/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wwtns.on…> - on twitter: wwtns@TheoreticalWide You are cordially invited to the lecture given by Yonatan Loewenstein ELSC The Hebrew University of Jerusalem On Idiosyncratic Biases in Decision-Making The lecture will be held on zoom on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at *11:00 am EST * To receive the link: https://www.wwtns.online/register-page *Abstract: *Why do individuals, both humans and animals, exhibit personal biases in two-alternative decision-making tasks, even when no clear reason exists to favor one alternative over another? In this talk, I will explore two competing hypotheses to explain these idiosyncratic biases. The first suggests that such tendencies arise from unique personal experiences, where past associations between actions and feedback influence future choices. The second hypothesis proposes that the bias reflects irreducible microscopic heterogeneities in the dynamics of decision-making networks. I will present experimental data and theoretical findings that support the latter hypothesis, shedding new light on the neural mechanisms behind seemingly irrational preferences. *About VVTNS : Launched as the World Wide Theoretical Neuroscience Seminar (WWTNS) in November 2020 and renamed in homage to Carl van Vreeswijk in Memoriam (April 20, 2022), Speakers have the occasion to talk about theoretical aspects of their work which cannot be discussed in a setting where the majority of the audience consists of experimentalists. The seminars, **held on Wednesdays at 11 am ET,** are 45-50 min long followed by a discussion. The talks are recorded with authorization of the speaker and are available to everybody on our YouTube channel.*

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Available PhD Position: Multimodal AI-based Diagnosis of ADHD
by Amir Aly March 1, 2025

March 1, 2025

Dear All *Apologies for cross-posting* We are pleased to announce an opportunity for a tax-free fully funded PhD studentship - *Multimodal AI-based Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) -* at Plymouth University, UK. The closing date for applications is *12 noon on 28th March 2025** (**UK time) **(**The difference in tuition fees between national and international students will be waived for international candidates**)*. This exciting project aims to transform ADHD diagnosis by developing a multimodal Artificial Intelligence (AI) framework that addresses the significant limitations of current, subjective diagnostic practices. Although AI is emerging in ADHD research, its integration into standard clinical practices remains minimal. This project seeks to enhance diagnostic accuracy through a sophisticated integration of AI-driven insights that complement existing approaches. Some basic questions (among others) that this project will try to explore are: 1. How can machine learning and deep learning models be tailored to various data types like neuroimaging to uncover distinct ADHD diagnostic patterns? 2. What methods can be used to analyse fMRI data to delineate active brain regions and their connections, and how can these findings be linked to ADHD behaviours and cognitive functions? 3. How can we refine AI models to handle high data dimensionality and heterogeneity and enhance decision-making transparency in clinical settings using Explainable AI (XAI) methods? 4. What are the best practices to assess the robustness of AI models against the variability in ADHD diagnostic data? This ambitious project will allow the student to engage in a groundbreaking study at the intersection of AI, neuropsychiatry, and healthcare and gain experience in a highly collaborative environment supported by a strong supervisory team and international experts. The research leverages our team's extensive background in neuro-developmental disorders like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), where we recently discussed important brain regions related to ASD diagnosis (link) <https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.15374>. This PhD opportunity offers a deep dive not only into the diagnosis of ADHD using explainable AI but also into other related *co-occurring* disorders like ASD, providing a holistic perspective on patient care and intervention strategies across the spectrum of these interrelated conditions. This project is suitable for students from a broad range of disciplines, including computer science and artificial intelligence. More details about the topic and *how to apply* are available at: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/postgraduate-research-stu… If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me Regards -------------------------------------------- *Dr. Amir Aly*, PhD, FHEA, SIEEE Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Programme Manager of Artificial Intelligence UK and Ireland IEEE RAS Chapter Vice Chair Director of the Centre for Robotics and Neural Systems (CRNS) School of Engineering, Computing, and Mathematics Room A307 Portland Square, Drake Circus, PL4 8AA University of Plymouth, UK

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🎉 Applications Now Open for Neuromatch and Climatematch Academy! 🧪
by Courtney Dean Feb. 28, 2025

Feb. 28, 2025

Hello! We're thrilled to announce our lineup of immersive courses at Neuromatch & Climatematch Academy <https://neuromatch.io/courses/>! Whether you're a student eager to dive into cutting-edge topics or a seasoned researcher looking to contribute as a Teaching Assistant, we have opportunities tailored for you. *Please forward this email to folks you think would be interested!* *3-week Courses (July 7-25):* - *Computational Neuroscience <https://neuromatch.io/computational-neuroscience-course/>:* Explore the intricacies of the brain's computational processes and join an engaging community of learners. - *Deep Learning <https://neuromatch.io/deep-learning-course/>:* Delve into the world of artificial intelligence to uncover the principles and applications of deep learning. *2-week Courses (July 14-25):* - *Computational Tools for Climate Science <https://neuromatch.io/computational-tools-for-climate-science-course/>*: Uncover the tools and techniques driving climate science research in this dynamic two-week course. - *NeuroAI <https://neuromatch.io/neuroai-course/>:* Explore the intersection of neuroscience and artificial intelligence through the lens of generalization. *Application Info:* - *Close:* Sunday, March 23rd, at midnight in your local time zone - *Decisions:* Mid-April - *Requirements:* - *Students* are expected to be familiar with Python and have foundational science skills in math/science. See course specific prerequisites here <https://portal.neuromatchacademy.org/>. - *Teaching Assistants* should have strong Python skills and a background in the relevant topic. See the course pages for more information. - *Link:* Apply Here <https://portal.neuromatchacademy.org/> *Additional Information:* - All courses are synchronous but will be conducted exclusively online, providing flexibility and accessibility. - Tuition fees are lower than those of other courses to make education affordable to everybody, no matter their financial background. They are also adjusted for national economic factors. Detailed information about course fees can be found here <https://neuromatchacademy.github.io/widgets/cola.html>. - Teaching Assistants will lead small groups of students, fostering collaborative learning. *TA positions offer financial compensation*; detailed rates can be found here <https://neuromatchacademy.github.io/widgets/ta_cola.html>. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to expand your knowledge, connect with experts in the field, and contribute to the success of our courses. Apply today and join us on a journey of discovery! Should you have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out to us at nma(a)neuromatch.io. We look forward to welcoming you to the Neuromatch Academy family! *You can find flyers and outreach materials here <https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ghq9Mgt1DjdRDKOFRsgX0Q6K2BRtMjfI?us…>. Post a flyer! Share on social media! Forward this email! Support our efforts to democratize science.* Cheers, Courtney & The Academy Teams -- *Courtney Dean (she, her) * Program Director Schedule a meeting with me! <https://calendly.com/courtney-s-dean> c. 720.371.6559

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Final call: Spring School on Control Theory and Reinforcement Learning (March 17-21, 2025) at CWI, Amsterdam, NL
by Aditya Gilra Feb. 28, 2025

Feb. 28, 2025

Dear all, Final call to register for the Spring School on Control Theory and Reinforcement Learning for starting PhD / advanced Master's students:Dates: March 17-21, 2025.Venue: CWI (Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science), Amsterdam, Netherlandshttps://www.cwi.nl/en/events/cwi-research-semester-programmes/spring-school-control-theory-and-reinforcement-learning/ Control theory and reinforcement learning share similar objectives, but have differed in their assumptions and approaches. This spring school emphasises connections across control theory, reinforcement learning and stochastic approximation, enabling students to access these broader themes and start to work on cross-cutting projects. The school will be at a preparatory PhD level, suitable for advanced Master's and starting PhD students in these areas. Distinguished Lecturers:Bert Kappen, Radboud Univ, Nijmegen, NetherlandsDebabrota Basu, Inria, Lille, FranceFrans Oliehoek, TU Delft, NetherlandsMaryam Kamgarpour, EPFL, Lausanne, SwitzerlandSean Meyn, Univ. of Florida, USA This school is part of a research semester programme on Control Theory and Reinforcement Learning at CWI, Amsterdam, NL, which comprises this Spring School (17-21 March), a Workshop on Themes (24-25 March), a Workshop on Modern Applications (20-21 May), and an upcoming one on Theory (19-20 June). Download and advertise the poster. Looking forward to seeing you!On behalf of the organizers.https://www.cwi.nl/en/events/cwi-research-semester-programs/control-theory-and-reinforcement/

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Workshop: "Collective Dynamics and Information Processing in Neural Systems" - Venice, Italy | June 30 - July 02
by Fabrizio Lombardi Feb. 28, 2025

Feb. 28, 2025

Dear All, We invite applications to the workshop "Collective Dynamics and Information Processing in Neural Systems <https://liphlab.github.io/NeuroStatPhys_Satellite/>". The workshop will take place* in Venice, Italy, on 30 June - 02 July 2025* at the European Center for Living Technology (ECLT). Application deadline: *April 15, 2025*. *About the workshop* A longstanding question is how populations of neurons cooperate and coordinate to perform function and maintain an “optimal” state for information processing and computation. While electrophysiological recordings in behaving animals have provided considerable information about what the firing patterns of single neurons encode in isolation, it remains largely a mystery how populations of neurons interact to perform brain functions. How do emergent collective behaviors, such as neuronal oscillations, waves, or avalanches, support function? And what is the nature of the brain’s internal state and how that affects function? With the aim of further strengthening the connection between neuroscience and statistical physics, this satellite workshop is intended to gather neuroscientists, physicists, and mathematicians who work on collective dynamics, cognition and behavior, and provide an interdisciplinary stage to discuss recent theoretical/computational and experimental advances on the role of neural ensembles for brain function. The workshop will be carefully planned to foster discussion and interaction between attendees, and to encourage the establishment of professional relationships. Particular emphasis will be given to participation of young PI’s and scholars and to the diversity in the pool of participants, with a good balance between physicists, mathematicians, theoretical and experimental neuroscientists. *Topics that will be covered in this workshop include (but are not limited to):* - Dynamics of neuronal ensembles: theory and models - Encoding and decoding of neural ensembles - Learning and memory - Control theory and behavior - Statistical inference - Modeling of brain dynamics in health and disease - Criticality in neural systems *Confirmed invited speakers:* - Stefano Fusi (Columbia University) - Gašper Tkačik (IST Austria) - Dietmar Plenz (NIH) - Gianluigi Mongillo (Institut de la Vision) - Raffaella Burioni (University of Parma) - Henrik J. Jensen (Imperial College) - Francesca Mastrogiuseppe (Champalimaud Foundation) - Gaia Tavoni (Washington University in St Louis) - Luca Mazzucato (University of Oregon) - Carlotta Martelli (University Mainz) - Athena Akrami (University College London) - Federico Stella (Donders Institute) - Johannes Felsenberg (FMI Basel) - Ana Paula Millán Vidal (University of Granada) - Michele Allegra (University of Padova) For further information please check the workshop website https://liphlab.github.io/NeuroStatPhys_Satellite/ We hope to see you in Venice! The organizing committee, Fabrizio Lombardi, Lucilla de Arcangelis, Serena Di Santo, Samir Suweis, Ulisse Ferrari, Achille Giacometti, Guido Caldarelli, Elisa Tentori

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Postdoctoral Researcher in Computational Neuroscience
by Fleur Zeldenrust Feb. 27, 2025

Feb. 27, 2025

*My lab is looking for a computational neuroscience postdoctoral researcher:* http://ru.nl/en/working-at/job-opportunities/postdoctoral-researcher-in-com… For the Vidi project ‘Top-down neuromodulation and bottom-up network computation,’ we seek a postdoc to study neuromodulators in efficient spike-coding networks. Using our lab’s data on dopamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin from the mouse barrel cortex, you’ll derive models connecting single cells, networks, and behavior. The aim of this project is to explain the effects of neuromodulation on task performance in biologically realistic spiking recurrent neural networks (SRNNs). You will use the efficient spike coding framework <https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003…>, in which a network is not trained by a learning paradigm but deduced using mathematically rigorous rules that enforce efficient coding <https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008…>(i.e. maximally informative spikes). You will study how the network’s structural properties such as neural heterogeneity influence decoding performance and efficiency. You will incorporate realistic network properties of the (barrel) cortex based on our lab’s measurements <https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12021-022-09576-5> and incorporate the cellular effects of dopamine, acetylcholine and serotonin <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://doi.org/10.1101…>we have measured <https://academic.oup.com/gigascience/article/7/12/giy147/5232232> over the past years into the network, to investigate their effects on representations, network activity measures such as dimensionality, and decoding performance. You will build on the single cell data, network models and analysis methods available in our group, and your results will be incorporated into our group’s further research to develop and validate efficient coding models of (somatosensory) perception. Therefore, we are looking for a team player who is willing to learn from the other group members and to share their knowledge with them. *Profile* - You hold a PhD in computational neuroscience, mathematics, physics, computer science, AI or a similar computational field. - You have experience working with coding models in computational neuroscience and can perform network simulations, analytical derivations and advanced data analysis. - You are a highly motivated, independent, critical and creative researcher who wants to bridge the gap between real data and abstract theoretical models. - You are a team player, ready to collaborate in a diverse, multidisciplinary research group. - You have an excellent command of spoken and written English. - You have coding experience (in Python and/or Matlab) You will be appointed at the Biophysics of Neural Computation group <https://www.ru.nl/en/departments/donders-centre-for-neuroscience/biophysics…> , Donders Center for Neuroscience <https://www.ru.nl/en/donders-centre-for-neuroscience>, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour <https://www.ru.nl/en/donders-institute>. This vibrant and multidisciplinary institute studies the organisation and function of neural circuits across scales and techniques, from genes and proteins to behaviour and from in vitro and in vivo experiments to computational modelling. It is an open and international environment, where young scientists from different backgrounds share a fascination for the interaction between brain structure and function. There is a lively community <https://www.ru.nl/en/donders-institute/talent-development/postdoc-support> of postdoctoral researchers who are provided with specialised support. *We offer* - We will give you a temporary employment contract of 26 months. - Your salary within salary scale 10 <https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https://www.ru.nl/en/st…>depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week. - You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. - You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days <https://www.ru.nl/en/staff/services/employment-conditions/working-time/flex…> of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. Fleur Zeldenrust -- Fleur Zeldenrust Associate Professor Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour Donders Centre for Neuroscience Faculty of Science, Radboud University Heyendaalseweg 135, room HG 00.111 6525 AJ Nijmegen, the Netherlands tel +31 24 36 53195 fleurzeldenrust.nl *Due to my own family/work balance, you may receive emails from me outside of normal working hours. I do not expect a response from you outside of your own working pattern, nor do I expect an immediate response when you are working.*

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