| Allergy Consumer Review Issue #67
Editor: Mercia Tapping, President,
Allergy Buyers Club
PLEASE NOTE that references to prices or specials within this archive reflect prices
and market conditions at the time of newsletter publication.
Prices may have changed since publication. |
Dear Everyone
 I
can hardly believe it is Fall already before
I feel we had a real summer, but I certainly
can tell from the constant sneezing that
I endure that it is now ragweed season.
If you haven't been back to
our website, keep an eye on it these next
couple of months as we will be announcing
quite a few new products which we have been
researching all year. One that I am really
excited about is the IQAir Compact Plus
air purifier, an exclusive to AllergyBuyersClub.com.
This is an IQAir Compact air cleaner with
a special filter made especially for our
customers. It has a combination prefilter
and carbon filter with 2lbs of carbon it
in for only $30 more than the regular Compact
one. It debuts early October and we will
be able to retrofit our Compact customers
with this new filter.
We have been adding some fabulous
new hypoallergenic
pillows and you can read about these
new favorites in this newsletter. We also
have a new hypoallergenic
Siberian comforter by TempraKON which
purports to have amazing properties of absorbing
heat from your body and releasing it just
when you need it. This together with TempraKON
pillows we predict will be big sellers
this Fall and for the holidays. They will
be here end of October 2004 and priced very
reasonably.
I have also written in this
issue about how to clean house as an Allergy
Sufferer, and clearly using
steam cleaners is an integral part of
the operation. Now with the cooler weather
in hand, I have done all sorts of nifty
cleaning chores with a steam cleaner recently
including killing weeds and green slime
on my patio, totally restoring a hardwood
floor which was covered with particles of
black gummy foam underlay, and steaming
the dirt out of my teak wooden furniture.
The more you use steam cleaners the more
you love them!
Our new full size print catalog
is now at the printers as we speak. It displays
most of my favorite products all in one
place. Do subscribe
today in time for the holiday season.
I am about to remodel the
kitchen and bathrooms in my house and dread
even the thought of it. I will tell you
next month how I try to survive including
managing the extra dust. This will be especially
painful as I have an almost dust free home
at present. I can go from week to week and
never pick up a dust cloth - now back to
the beginning again.
Keep Well.
Mercia |
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In This Issue
Shop Talk
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New
Products
 *
AirFree
Air Purifier wall unit. If you prefer
a wall-mounted AirFree Air Purifier, now
there is one. Useful for business environments
who are especially interested in combating
mold or viruses. Price is $319.00.
* Pacific
Rim Video Entertainment Center and Armoire.
This is an extension of our line of beds
and chests by Pacific Rim. They are handsome,
beautifully-made pieces made out of solid
maple with a non-toxic finish. This one
is going in my bedroom at home! Price start
at $1789.95
* Miele
ART Series Hot Chocolate Vacuum Cleaner.
Simply scrumptious and daringly innovative,
this new offering from Miele is for those
of you who prefer uprights to canisters.
The Hot Chocolate is an upright vacuum cleaner
with turbo suction for homes with bare floors
and scatter rugs, prices start at $378.95.
Light and startlingly maneuverable. See
this new hot contender perform on video
on our web site.
 *
Euphoria
Organic Dust Mite Encasings. High grade
soft organic dust mite encasings from this
vendor who uses all the simply the best
organic materials to be found. From $216.00
for a twin size.
* Clarifier
Medical Plus Air Purifier. A serious
air purifier when you need a serious job
done. The American manufactured NQ Clarifier
does not compromise in the quality of its
internal parts. The efficiency of its hepa
filter is among the best we have ever tested.
It copes with the needs of people for whom
clean air is not just more pleasant, it
is critical to support their life. The huge
amount of coconut fill carbon copes with
a variety of noxious odors and gases. Covers
up to 1,500 sq. ft. $999.00.
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AirFree
Purifier Customer Appreciation Letter
Editor's Note: We
love to get these kinds of letters. Do send
us your stories! Address on our website.
Sent: Saturday, September
25, 2004
To: allergybuyersclub.com
Subject: Airfree 60
 Almost
a year ago I bought the AirFree
RL60 purifier for my 5 yr. old's bedroom
since he suffers from a weak immune system.
Before I purchased this machine he was sick
every month with high fevers (over 104)
and nonstop coughing and was constantly
on antibiotics. Since purchasing this machine
he very rarely gets sick and when he does
he doesn't stay sick for long nor is it
as severe. In fact, he hasn't needed any
antibiotics for almost 9 months! I recently
had his antibodies/immune system rechecked
by his doctor to test whether or not his
immune system was getting stronger or if
in fact it was due in large part to your
air purifier. The test results came back
and there have been significant improvements
with his immune system which leads me to
the conclusion that your machine has performed
miracles for our family & his life.
It's wonderful that it is easy to transport
as we now never go on vacation or allow
him to spend the night at friends without
it. Thank you!!! If possible, can you send
me some brochures and/or literature about
this machine as I would like to pass it
along to my doctor so that he can share
my experience with his other patients that
suffer with the same problems my son has.
Lastly, do you manufacturer
an AirFree machine that covers a larger
square foot area (than 250 square feet)?
I would be very interested in purchasing
another machine but my home is 1800 sf &
do not want to have over 7 machines throughout
the house. Sincerely,
D
Family
Editor's note: this manufacturer
will come out with a larger area machine
early in 2005.
* New!
AirFree
Air Purifier wall unit. If you prefer
a wall-mounted AirFree Air Purifier, now
there is one. Useful for business environments
who are especially interested in combating
mold or viruses. Price is $319.00.
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Pillow
Talk - Editor's Favorite Choices To Spruce
Up Your Bed This Fall
By Mercia Tapping
As some of you know, my husband
and I have been dutifully trying out every
pillow known to humanity for the last three
years. Pillows are a very personal choice
but in the end I think it boils down to
a final few, which I would welcome on my
bed long term.
If you like the feeling of
down but are allergic, then the Hypodown,
which is real down but processed in a way
so it is hypoallergenic, may well be the
answer. Hypodown is a fusion of high quality
goose down and Syriaca (milkweed) which
makes for a more resilient and hypoallergenic
product. After having tried out every conceivable
variation of Hypodown, I have come to a
couple of conclusions. You are best off
getting 800 fill because it is "puffier"
and will last longer, but the least expensive
"Monarch" covering does just as
well since you still have to put a dust
mite encasing on the pillow, as these are
not impervious to dust mites. As far as
the level of firmness goes, while the "medium"
is the most popular with our customers and
will last longer, my personal preference
is for the "soft" as my husband
and I both like to sleep on our sides and
scrunch up a soft pillow underneath our
necks. (From $99.95)
 When
the weather is particularly humid or if
you do not like to chance even remotely
being in close proximity to down, there
are a few other very pleasing choices. The
nearest to the feel of down is a Euphoria
organic pure wool pillow which has a
medium loft and is surprisingly soft, while
admittedly not being as soft as down, it
is pretty darn close. It is far softer and
loftier than any other wool pillow I have
ever tried, which is in part to do with
the purity of the wool. I have always rejected
a wool pillow as being as hard as a rock
but not this one! Since wool wicks away
perspiration, a wool pillow will always
feel comfortable even in the stickiest of
weathers- no more sweaty necks! A bonus
is that wool is inhospitable to dust mites
so there is no added expense of dust mite
encasings. A perfect choice for multiple
chemical sufferers. (From $156.00)
 I
am a great fan of silk in comforters and
the idea of a silk
pillow was very appealing as it is a
completely natural textile. The silk is
very soft and the pillow starts out at quite
a loft and feels quite wonderful, but I
am afraid a silk pillow will not last forever
since silk will deloft relatively quickly.
However, if you wanted to impress someone,
or even splurge on yourself a silk pillow
should make the holiday gift list. Silk
will neither mildew or harbor dust mites
so it does have some distinct advantages
($112.00).
 TempraKON
has an exceptional new clever pillow. If
you are not sure what level of softness
you will prefer in your pillow or even like
to ring the changes the new Ergomagic
Down and Foam pillow manages to let
you have it your way with latex foam inserts
which you can change in and out until you
reach the desired level of hard or softness.
The latex foam pads are encased in soft
hypoallergenic Siberian down and owing to
the latex core have a long life for a pillow.
(From $119.95)
Last and not least, are latex
pillows which have quite a different feel
to them, but for their fans they cannot
be beat. I have tried out a number of latex
pillows over the last two years and some
of them, such as the contoured ones are
quite frankly are way too firm and only
to be recommended to those with neck problems,
for which they are a boon. For those of
you who have tried out a memory foam pillow,
thought it felt wonderful, but rejected
it (because it is a synthetic non breathable
product that can get moldy and harden at
about 60ºF), then the following two
latex pillows will give you what you liked
about the memory foam and more!
For the purists, a Euphoria
rubber pillow is a totally latex product.
It comes in one level of firmness (about
a medium) and is unbelievably "springy"
and envelopes you as you sink into it. Rubber
is a breathable substance, so you will not
become hot at night like memory foam, and
is almost completely impervious to dust
mites and mold, so no dust mite covers are
needed. Together with a life of five years
or more, these pillows are all set for many
years of faithful service without the annoying
lumping and breakdown of conventional pillows.
We did not like the rubber bits version
of this pillow which felt like soft popcorn
,but it is the ultimate moldable pillow
for those folks who like to sleep with a
pillow between their legs. (Prices start
at $108.00 for the standard size.)
 Another
delicious choice is a latex
pillow which contains 70% pure latex
and 30% synthetic latex bonded together
for resiliency through the Talalay process.
These pillows come in three levels of firmness.
Most people will prefer medium but the side
sleepers who like to pillow scrunch will
be in pillow heaven with the "soft".
This I admit is a pillow that when my husband
and I tried out, we fought over who was
going to sleep on it that night. For the
soft pillow fan, this one is just yummy
and my family are all going to get these
latex pillows as gifts this holiday season.
(Prices start at $96.95 for a standard size
set of two.)
These are only a few of the pillow choices
on our website but to my mind they represent
the cream of the crop. Sweet Dreams!
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A
New Comforter This Fall?
By Mercia Tapping
 A
couple of years ago I made a mistake when
I bought a hypoallergenic comforter for
the winter. I thought like many people here
in the Northeast that I wanted to be toasty
warm in winter, and so I bought the Hypodown
"Arctic weight". This hypoallergenic
goose down comforter will certainly keep
you warm against the elements, and as I
came to learn even when your furnace breaks
down and the house is 45ºF, but in
normal circumstances because of its superb
thermal properties, you can overheat.
I have ended up throwing this
comforter to one side in the middle of the
night feeling so warm like I am about to
ignite into flames! Lest you think this
is a gender issue, even my husband who feels
like a lump of ice in bed in winter, has
complained at times that he is too hot.
So unless you keep your bedroom at about
60ºF or below, then a Classic
weight would be much more comfortable.
I also bought an "Oversize King"
and would never do that again, as off-the-shelf
duvet covers do not exist in that size and
the custom one I had made seemed to add
about 10lbs of weight on top of me, which
as the last thing I intended to do, having
just indulged in purchasing the cloud-like
800-fill top-of-the-line comforter.
One thing you should realize
is that while you can avoid down allergies
with Hypodown
Comforters you will still have to use
a dust
mite encasing if you are allergic to
dust mites. To me personally, that adds
an annoying amount of weight to my comforter,
which is why I have been experimenting in
recent years with both wool and silk comforters
as alternatives.
Down comforters appeal to
people who like the "puffy" look,
and the Hypodown
line is as good as it gets for those of
us who are allergic to down. It is a fusion
of down and Syriaca which in part explains
its unusual hypoallergenic properties. I
would always buy an 800-fill regardless
of weight, but economize on the covering,
as you still must keep this comforter in
a duvet cover. Think about it, once a comforter
is in its duvet cover you will never know
the difference in the fabric shell. If you
are in a southern climate the "Summer"
weight is the one you should get, but the
rest of us are best off with "Classic".
While not the cheapest comforter you can
buy, these are warranted for a lifetime
of 75 years, so are clearly made to last.
(Prices start at $289.00 for the Hypodown
Monarch Down Comforter.)
 For
those who are just shamelessly self-indulgent
our premium Siberian down comforters fit
the bill. Hypoallergenic properties aside,
our Opulence
and Venus
Siberian goose down comforters are simply
gorgeous, and when we do "show and
tell" with samples at our office, these
get many "oohs" and "ahs"
from our staff who dream about owning one
some day. (The Opulence Queen Size Goose
Down Comforter starts at $959.95.)
 When
we heard about the TempraKON line of bedding,
it sounded too good to be true. Originally
designed by NASA, the Temprakon
hypoallergenic comforter is the world's
first temperature regulating comforter made
with Siberian Down. This amazing comforter
absorbs excess heat into the comforter,
and then releases the stored heat when you
need it. So you will improve your REM sleep
cycle and sleep better. By now you should
be expecting to hear that this comforter
costs a fortune. Here comes the good news,
this is one of the competitively priced
comforters that we offer. A note of caution;
we did compare the Temprakon to our existing
Venus and Opulent Siberian Down comforters
which are three times the price, and they
are clearly not the same league but in my
opinion represent excellent value for money
and the comforters are a nicely fabricated
product. (From $299.95)
 The
unsung heroine of the hypoallergenic comforter
line is surely the silk-filled. A silk filled
comforter when taken care of properly, will
last about 5 years or more, is light as
a cloud while being surprisingly warm (remember
your silk thermal undies?). The silk has
a disconcertingly flat look to those who
are used to down, but it is very luxurious
to the touch and surprisingly affordable.
For the allergy or multiple chemical sufferer
The Ming
Dynasty and Imperial
Delight silk comforters are both very
well made with high grade mulberry floss.
Silk comforter can be an all year round
choice in warmer climates. For those of
us in the North East it is the summer comforter
between May and October. (Prices start at
$199.95 for the Imperial Delight Silk Comforter
and $349.95 for the Ming.)
However a silk comforter is
dust mite and mildew resistant, needs no
dust mite encasing so go ahead and splurge
for the silk
duvet cover which will end up as a luxurious
duo at a reasonable price. Be warned, once
you buy a silk duvet cover you will be smitten
and spoilt for life. They are light and
have a sensuous feel to them that cannot
be beat.(Prices start at $229.95 for the
3-piece silk White Cloud Print Duvet Cover
and Sham Set.)
 My
own personal and unexpected favorite is
the Euphoria
Organic Wool comforter. I always thought
that wool comforters would be heavy as my
mind always flips back to the infamous heavy
wool blankets in boarding school days. The
Euphoria comforters are a complete surprise
with the answer to their lightness yet warmth
stemming from the region in which the sheep
are reared, and the cleaning process the
wool goes through. The lanolin in the wool
discourages the dust mites as well as the
dry environment of a wool comforter.
Sleeping under a wool comforter
is a very different experience and is hard
to describe. You are never toasty or sweaty
hot, nor are you chilly. Wool maintains
a very comfortable body temperature year
round. For those of us females who "run
hot", a wool comforter is a great alternative
to sleeping without bedclothes, as it quickly
absorbs excess moisture and quickly wicks
it away Best of all, this comforter is lighter
than most down comforters, so the warmth
is achieved without weight. Use a light
weight wool comforter in Southern climates
and a "medium" for everywhere
else for a year round comforter. Pair it
with a silk duvet as I have done, for a
really luxurious and light weight finish.
I have fallen in love with the Euphoria
comforters so completely, that in a new
summer home I am building this is my personal
comforter of choice for the bedrooms. (From
$324.00)
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Mattress
Toppers, Pillow Top Pads, and Mattress Pads
By Mercia Tapping
Have you bought a traditional
inner sprung mattress bed in the last couple
of years, let alone suffer in misery on
a sofa bed, and regretted your purchase
because your back hurts, your ankles ache?
Perhaps you have heard about the amazing
properties of latex beds, but you choke
at their price? All is not lost. Mattress
toppers and pillow top pads soften,
and do a makeover for an existing mattress
at a semi-affordable price. While I love
the feel of viscoelastic memory foam, it
is a synthetic non-breathable product, which
makes some people feel like they are in
Dante's Inferno they are so hot! The very
heat sensitive properties, which make foam
sensitive to your body heat and mold to
your body, can make you overheat, while
conversely in winter, the foam will be as
hard as a rock when the temperature approaches
60ºF. Unfortunately, as I found out
recently, if you have a memory foam mattress
and you want to put on even a thin mattress
pad on it to make it more breathable, you
end up putting a barrier between your body
heat and the foam, and the foam needs your
body heat to soften it up. Memory foam mattress
manufacturers specifically recommend against
using mattress pads.
So let's assume you have a
regular mattress and you want to extend
its life.
 The
top of the heap belongs to Royal Pedic with
3-
and 5-inch flipable pillow top mattress
pads. These pillow top pads weigh as
much as some manufacturer's entire mattresses,
and latex core is encased in cotton and
Belgium wool and then quilted. If you are
retrofitting an existing bed go with the
5 inch, but if you want to add more softness
to an existing latex bad and not interfere
its body molding properties go with the
3 inch. Speaking as one who owns one of
these little pieces of bed heaven, I cannot
recommend them more highly. I have had one
for two years with no signs of wear. The
workmanship is superb and the resultant
effect is just blissful! The Royal Pedic
pillow top pads come in organic and non
organic versions. (From $668.00)
Another excellent choice is
the Euphoria
rubber (latex) topper which has a 2
inch latex core and is nicely finished with
all natural materials. The Euphoria mattress
topper transformed a guest room bed in our
house into a really comfortable bed. The
difference in feel was quite amazing. It
was softer and molded to my body. You cannot
hope to get the same full therapeutic benefits
with a latex topper as you can obtain from
the full depth of latex found in a latex
mattress, but you can obtain a dramatic
improvement. (From $432.00)
For the latex averse, there
is also the option of a wool
topper by Euphoria. This is a thick
surprisingly soft topper, which provides
a breathable layer on top of your mattress.
As a devotee of latex toppers, it would
not be my first choice, and be mindful that
wool does compress by about one third after
a while, and it does not have a luxury "enveloping
feel" to it but it is the softest and
thickest wool topper that we carry and is
a healthy choice. (From $358.00)
 Mattress
pads on the other hand, give a modest improvement
("takes off the edge") in comfort
while providing a hygienic barrier between
you and the mattress. Some form of mattress
pad is essential to prolong the life of
your mattress. Mattress pads vary in thickness
and as they get thicker, they usually get
more expensive. Leading the pack, we have
two encased wool mattress pads, one of which
is mixed
with alpaca (from $209.95) making it
extra soft. These are not thick but in fact
quite thin (about an inch after compression).
However they are long lasting and wick away
excess moisture from perspiration during
the night while giving a little extra comfort
level.
 The
Vista
wool (from $299.95) and Snug
Fleece mattress pads (from $159.95)
are wool which are not encased (more like
a sheepskin rug). I have both of these on
various beds in the house. The Vista is
absolutely worth the extra money since it
is very thick and plush. Both of them provide
an extra touch of softness on your bed with
no fear of dust mites colonizing underneath
your sheets. They do compress fairly fast
after about a year, but can spring back
to life with steam cleaning. Contrary to
my expectations, the exposed wool underneath
my sheets does not feel itchy but delightfully
soft. I happen to be great fans of these
wool mattress pads, and like the princess
and the pea, I have even put them on top
of my latex toppers.
For the budget conscious
among you here is a really good tip. Haul
out that elderly down comforter out of the
closet and just put it on your mattress
instead! Just shake it out to get the loft
back again. It works like a charm and the
price is right for a low cost feather bed!
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Cleaning
Tips For Allergy Sufferers
By Mercia Tapping
 For
those people with multiple chemical sensitivities,
and all those who get headaches around supermarket
chemicals and who are allergic to dust mites
and mold, we have compiled some of our best-tried
and tested cleaning tips.
The equipment needed is a
hepa
vacuum cleaner, a vapor
steam cleaner plus water, a good non-toxic
stain remover, micro
fiber cleaning cloths, lemon juice and
an oil soap.
- Cleaning
grout: The surface dirt and mold
which is ground into grout can be cleaned
very easily by using a brass nozzle brush
on a steam cleaner and wiping up the residue
with a towel. Dirt, which has penetrated
the grout, is more difficult to remove
and may require repeated cleaning.
- Cleaning
shower doors: If you need to
remove mineral deposits from shower doors
try lemon juice. These are difficult to
remove because they have penetrated deep
into the pores of the glass. Follow quickly
with a steam cleaner with a large triangle
brush and towel.
- Cleaning
ovens & BBQ grills: We clean
our grills by brushing off loose dirt
with a BBQ brush. After that we use a
tough brush kit from a steam cleaner and
hold the steamer on one spot for a minute
or two to loosen baked on food and then
gently rub to remove. Grease on stovetops
can be removed easily with a small triangular
brush followed up by immediately wiping
with a towel.
- Cleaning
carpets: There is no need to
shake any powder into the fibers of your
carpet to clean it, outgas new carpet,
kill bacteria or control dust mites. We
recommend first vacuuming any loose dirt
with a hepa vacuum cleaner. Then gently
go over the carpet with a steam cleaner
floor brush and a towel to allow the carpet
fibers to spring back to life. Now your
vacuum cleaner can really do its job and
you should vacuum again to suck up all
the dirt, which would have been trapped
by matted down carpet fibers. If your
carpet is very dirty we would recommend
it is first cleaned with a hot water extraction
carpet cleaner then the maintenance can
be followed as above.
- Stains:
While stains can be removed with steam
cleaning alone, we have found that spraying
the stained area with a high performance
non-toxic cleaner and then steaming straight
away can enhance the stain removal process.
- Under furniture:
A hepa vacuum cleaner, which lays down
almost flat to the floor, will help you
clean large dust bunnies from under furniture.
- Hardwood,
marble and tile floors: A special
hepa vacuum cleaner floor brush with bristles
in gap design for airflow will suck up
large dirt particles. A vapor steam cleaner
with a rectangular floor brush and towel
will effortlessly remove all the ground
in dirt with water vapor. Quick pickups
can be done with a supermarket electrostatic
disposable cloth broom. If the floor is
exceptionally dirty and has caked on particles,
pre-spraying the area with oil soap is
particularly effective.
- Cleaning countertops:
Quick wipe downs can be made with microfiber
towels, but for true sanitization and
killing bacteria a weekly cleaning with
the large triangular brush and towel of
a steam cleaner cleans deep into the pores
of a countertop.
- Kitchen
dirt crevices: The dirt here
is best flushed out with the one hole
nozzle tip of a steam cleaner and the
amount of hidden dirt will truly disgust
you.
- Dust on
furniture and sills baseboards: We
think these are best tackled with the
dusting brush attachment of your hepa
vacuum cleaner. A vacuum, which lets you
change tools easily on the fly, is a must.
Quick dusting can be done with a slightly
damp micro fiber cloth.
- Upholstery:
For dust mite control using a small turbo
brush on a hepa vacuum cleaner is essential.
A steam cleaner can be used to revitalize
old tired up upholstery fabric and you
will be able to sit on it as soon as ten
minutes later.
- Mattresses:
Research has shown that one two punch
with a vacuum cleaner and steam cleaner
will keep your mattress dust mite free.
You will need to repeat the process every
eight weeks.
- Clothing:
We prefer wet environmentally friendly
cleaning for your clothes, but if you
need to remove the odor of smoke, cleaning
fluids or dust mites, let alone wrinkles,
from your clothing a quick going over
with the cloths brush from a steam cleaner
will produce miracles.
- Refrigerator:
Mold and caked on food and beverage
spills can be removed with lightening
speed with a steam cleaner and a towel
attached to a large triangular brush.
- Windows:
No need for spraying on supermarket
chemicals. The Squeegee attachment on
a steam cleaner will do a superb job followed
up by a towel to wipe completely dry.
- Visible
Mold: Visible mold patches can
be removed with a solution of warm water
and 10% household bleach followed by a
steam cleaner to kill the remaining mold.
- Bathroom
Sanitization: A steam cleaner
will sanitize effectively without using
disinfectant sprays around the outside
and inside rim of the toilet bowl. Your
bathroom will smell wonderfully clean
to boot.
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Regards,
Mercia Tapping,
President
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