Thymoquinone / TNF-α Cancer Research Results

TQ, Thymoquinone: Click to Expand ⟱
Features: Anti-oxidant, anti-tumor
Thymoquinone is a bioactive compound found in the seeds of Nigella sativa, commonly known as black seed or black cumin.
Pathways:
-Cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, ROS generation in cancer cells
-inhibit the activation of NF-κB, Suppress the PI3K/Akt signaling cascade
-Inhibit angiogenic factors such as VEGF, MMPs
-Inhibit HDACs, UHRF1, and DNMTs

-Note half-life 3-6hrs.
BioAv low oral bioavailability due to its lipophilic nature. Note refridgeration of Black seed oil improves the stability of TQ.
DIY: ~1 part lecithin : 2–3 parts black seed oil : 4–5 parts warm water. (chat ai)
Pathways:
- usually induce ROS production in Cancer cells, and lowers ROS in normal cells
- ROS↑ related: MMP↓(ΔΨm), ER Stress↑, GRP78↑, Cyt‑c↑, Caspases↑, DNA damage↑, cl-PARP↑, HSP↓, Prx,
- May Low AntiOxidant defense in Cancer Cells: NRF2↓(usually contrary), GSH↓ HO1↓(contrary), GPx↓
- Raises AntiOxidant defense in Normal Cells: ROS↓, NRF2↑, SOD↑, GSH↑, Catalase↑,
- lowers Inflammation : NF-kB↓, COX2↓, p38↓, Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines : NLRP3↓, IL-1β↓, TNF-α↓">TNF-α, IL-6↓, IL-8↓
- inhibit Growth/Metastases : TumMeta↓, TumCG↓, EMT↓, MMPs↓, MMP2↓, MMP9↓, VEGF↓, FAK↓, NF-κB↓, CXCR4↓, TGF-β↓, ERK↓
- reactivate genes thereby inhibiting cancer cell growth : HDAC↓, DNMTs↓, EZH2↓, P53↑, HSP↓, Sp proteins↓, TET↑
- cause Cell cycle arrest : TumCCA↑, cyclin D1↓, cyclin E↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, CDK6↓,
- inhibits Migration/Invasion : TumCMig↓, TumCI↓, TNF-α↓">TNF-α, FAK↓, ERK↓, EMT↓,
- inhibits glycolysis /Warburg Effect and ATP depletion : HIF-1α↓, PKM2↓, cMyc↓, GLUT1↓, LDH↓, LDHA↓, HK2↓, PDKs↓, GRP78↑, GlucoseCon↓
- inhibits angiogenesis↓ : VEGF↓, HIF-1α↓, Notch↓, EGFR↓, Integrins↓,
- Others: PI3K↓, AKT↓, JAK↓, STAT↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin↓, AMPK, α↓, ERK↓, JNK,
- Synergies: chemo-sensitization, chemoProtective, RadioSensitizer, RadioProtective, Others(review target notes), Neuroprotective, Cognitive, Renoprotection, Hepatoprotective, CardioProtective,

- Selectivity: Cancer Cells vs Normal Cells

Rank Pathway / Target Axis Direction Label Primary Effect Notes / Cancer Relevance Ref
1 Reactive oxygen species (ROS) ↑ ROS Driver Upstream cytotoxic trigger Primary studies show TQ rapidly increases ROS; antioxidant/ROS modulation attenuates downstream effects, supporting ROS as an initiating mechanism in multiple cancer contexts (ref)
2 Glutathione (GSH) redox buffering ↓ GSH Driver Redox-collapse amplification Same prostate cancer study reports early GSH depletion alongside ROS rise; together these form a redox “one-two punch” that helps explain selective stress in tumor cells (ref)
3 Mitochondrial integrity (ΔΨm) ↓ ΔΨm Driver Mitochondrial dysfunction (MOMP axis) Primary leukemia/cancer study reports disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential after TQ exposure (mitochondrial events central to TQ-mediated death) (ref)
4 Intrinsic apoptosis (caspase-9 → caspase-3; PARP) ↑ caspases / ↑ apoptosis Driver Execution-phase cell death Same primary paper reports activation of caspases (8/9/3) with mitochondrial involvement—core evidence for apoptosis as the major outcome pathway (ref)
5 NF-κB signaling ↓ NF-κB activity Secondary Reduced pro-survival / inflammatory transcription Colon cancer work: TQ induces cell death and chemosensitizes cells by inhibiting NF-κB signaling (explicit pathway-direction support) (ref)
6 STAT3 signaling ↓ p-STAT3 / ↓ STAT3 activation Secondary Reduced survival/proliferation signaling Gastric cancer study explicitly reports TQ suppresses constitutive STAT3 activation and related signaling readouts (ref)
7 NRF2 antioxidant-response axis (NRF2/HO-1 program) ↑ NRF2 pathway (often as stress-response) Adaptive Cellular antioxidant counter-response In TNBC context, a primary study reports TQ upregulates NRF2 (and evaluates downstream immune/checkpoint consequences), consistent with NRF2 acting as an adaptive response to redox stress (ref)
8 HIF-1α hypoxia signaling ↓ HIF-1α protein / ↓ HIF-1α program Adaptive Loss of hypoxia survival signaling Renal cancer hypoxia paper identifies TQ as suppressing HIF-1α and links this to selective killing under hypoxia (ref)
9 Glycolysis / Warburg output (hypoxia-linked) ↓ glycolysis (↓ HIF-1α–mediated glycolytic genes; ↓ glycolytic metabolism) Phenotypic Metabolic suppression In hypoxic renal cancer, TQ suppresses HIF-1α–mediated glycolysis; in CRC, TQ inhibits glycolytic metabolism alongside tumor growth limitation (ref)  |  (ref)


TNF-α, TNF-α: Click to Expand ⟱
Source: HalifaxProj (block)
Type:
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a cytokine that plays a complex role in cancer biology. It is primarily produced by activated macrophages and is involved in systemic inflammation. TNF-α is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that can promote inflammation, which is a known factor in cancer development.
Overall, the expression of TNF-α in cancers is often linked to inflammation, tumor progression, and the tumor microenvironment.


Scientific Papers found: Click to Expand⟱
2207- AgNPs,  TQ,    Protective effects of Nigella sativa L. seeds aqueous extract-based silver nanoparticles on sepsis-induced damages in rats
- in-vivo, Nor, NA
*eff↑, *RenoP↑, *hepatoP↑, *MDA↓, *SOD↑, *GSH↑, *TNF-α↓, *IL1β↓,
3407- TQ,    Thymoquinone and its pharmacological perspective: A review
- Review, NA, NA
*antiOx↑, *ROS↓, *GSTs↑, *GSR↑, *GSH↑, *RenoP↑, *IL1β↓, *TNF-α↓, *MMP13↓, *COX2↓, *PGE2↓, *radioP↑, Twist↓, EMT↓, NF-kB↓, p‑PI3K↓, p‑Akt↓, p‑GSK‐3β↓, DNMT1↓, HDAC↓,
3409- TQ,    Thymoquinone therapy remediates elevated brain tissue inflammatory mediators induced by chronic administration of food preservatives
- in-vivo, Nor, NA
*MDA↓, *TGF-β↓, *CRP↓, *NF-kB↓, *TNF-α↓, *IL1β↓, *Casp3↓, *GSH↑, *NRF2↑, *IL10↑, *neuroP↑, *ROS↓, *Apoptosis↓, *Inflam↓,
3410- TQ,    Anti-inflammatory effects of thymoquinone and its protective effects against several diseases
- Review, Arthritis, NA
*Inflam↓, *antiOx↑, *COX2↓, *NRF2↑, *HO-1↑, *IL1β↓, *IL6↓, *TNF-α↓, *IFN-γ↓, *PGE2↓, *cardioP↑, *Catalase↑, *SOD↑, *Thiols↑, *neuroP↑, *IL12↓, *MCP1↓, *CXCc↓, *ROS↓,
3404- TQ,    The Neuroprotective Effects of Thymoquinone: A Review
- Review, Var, NA - Review, AD, NA - Review, Park, NA - Review, Stroke, NA
*Inflam↓, AntiCan↑, *TNF-α↓, *IL6↓, *IL1β↓, *NF-kB↓, *iNOS↓, *NRF2↑, *neuroP↑, *MMP↑, *ROS↓, *MDA↓, *GSH↑, *Catalase↑, *SOD↑, *IL12↓, *MCP1↓, *IP-10/CXCL-10↓, *PGE2↓,
3422- TQ,    Thymoquinone, as a Novel Therapeutic Candidate of Cancers
- Review, Var, NA
selectivity↑, P53↑, PTEN↑, NF-kB↓, PPARγ↓, cMyc↓, Casp↑, *BioAv↓, BioAv↝, eff↑, survivin↓, Bcl-xL↓, Bcl-2↓, Akt↓, BAX↑, cl‑PARP↑, CXCR4↓, MMP9↓, VEGFR2↓, Ki-67↓, COX2↓, JAK2↓, cSrc↓, Apoptosis↑, p‑STAT3↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, Casp3↑, Casp7↑, Casp9↑, N-cadherin↓, Vim↓, Twist↓, E-cadherin↑, ChemoSen↑, eff↑, EMT↓, ROS↑, DNMT1↓, eff↑, EZH2↓, hepatoP↑, Zeb1↓, RadioS↑, HDAC↓, HDAC1↓, HDAC2↓, HDAC3↓, *NAD↑, *SIRT1↑, SIRT1↓, *Inflam↓, *CRP↓, *TNF-α↓, *IL6↓, *IL1β↓, *eff↑, *MDA↓, *NO↓, *GSH↑, *SOD↑, *Catalase↑, *GPx↑, PI3K↓, mTOR↓,
3406- TQ,  SeNPs,    A study to determine the effect of nano-selenium and thymoquinone on the Nrf2 gene expression in Alzheimer’s disease
- in-vivo, AD, NA
*NRF2↑, *GSH↑, *MDA↓, *TNF-α↓,
3402- TQ,    Enhanced Apoptosis in Pancreatic Cancer Cells through Thymoquinone-rich Nigella sativa L. Methanol Extract: Targeting NRF2/HO-1 and TNF-α Pathways
- in-vitro, PC, PANC1 - in-vitro, PC, MIA PaCa-2
tumCV↓, NRF2↑, HO-1↑, TNF-α↓,
3400- TQ,  Chemo,    Thymoquinone Ameliorates Carfilzomib-Induced Renal Impairment by Modulating Oxidative Stress Markers, Inflammatory/Apoptotic Mediators, and Augmenting Nrf2 in Rats
- in-vitro, Nor, NA
*GSH↑, *SOD↑, *lipid-P↓, *IL1β↓, *IL6↓, *TNF-α↓, *Casp3↓, *Catalase↑, *NRF2↑, *RenoP↑,
3570- TQ,    Thymoquinone alleviates the experimentally induced Alzheimer's disease inflammation by modulation of TLRs signaling
- in-vivo, AD, NA
*Inflam↓, *Aβ↓, *TNF-α↓, *IL1β↓, *TLR2↓, *IRF3↓, *TLR4↓, *memory↑, *NF-kB↓, *MyD88↓, *TRIF↓, *BBB↑, *cognitive↑,
3571- TQ,    The Role of Thymoquinone in Inflammatory Response in Chronic Diseases
- Review, Var, NA - Review, Stroke, NA
*BioAv↓, *BioAv↑, *Inflam↓, *antiOx↑, *ROS↓, *GSH↑, *GSTs↑, *MPO↓, *NF-kB↓, *COX2↓, *IL1β↓, *TNF-α↓, *IFN-γ↓, *IL6↓, *cardioP↑, *lipid-P↓, *TAC↑, *RenoP↑, Apoptosis↑, TumCCA↑, TumCP↓, TumCMig↓, angioG↓, TNF-α↓, NF-kB↓, ROS↑, EMT↓, *Aβ↓, *p‑tau↓, *BACE↓, *TLR2↓, *TLR4↓, *MyD88↓, *IRF3↓, *eff↑, eff↑, DNAdam↑, *iNOS↓,
3560- TQ,    Protective effects of thymoquinone on D-galactose and aluminum chloride induced neurotoxicity in rats: biochemical, histological and behavioral changes
- in-vivo, AD, NA
*cognitive↑, *SOD↑, *TAC↑, *AChE↓, *MDA↓, *NO↓, *TNF-α↓, *Bcl-2↑, *Ach↑, *neuroP↑,
3557- TQ,    Thymoquinone protects against lipopolysaccharides-induced neurodegeneration and Alzheimer-like model in mice.
- in-vivo, AD, NA
*Inflam↓, *antiOx↑, *cognitive↑, *TNF-α↓, *IL1β↓, *AChE↓, *IL10↑, *ChAT↑, *Aβ↓,
3556- TQ,    Thymoquinone alleviates the experimentally induced Alzheimer’s disease inflammation by modulation of TLRs signaling
- in-vivo, AD, NA
*Inflam↓, *memory↑, *cognitive↑, *Aβ↓, *TNF-α↓, *IL1β↓, *TLR2↓, *NF-kB↓, *IRF3↓, TLR4↓, MyD88↓, TRIF↓,
3429- TQ,    Thymoquinone exerts potent growth-suppressive activity on leukemia through DNA hypermethylation reversal in leukemia cells
- in-vitro, AML, NA - in-vivo, NA, NA
DNMT1↓, Sp1/3/4↓, NF-kB↓, Apoptosis↑, Casp↑, Bcl-xL↓, COX2↓, iNOS↓, 5LO↓, TNF-α↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, BioAv↝, TumCG↓,
3427- TQ,    Chemopreventive and Anticancer Effects of Thymoquinone: Cellular and Molecular Targets
ROS⇅, Fas↑, DR5↑, TRAIL↑, Casp3↑, Casp8↑, Casp9↑, P53↑, mTOR↓, Bcl-2↓, BID↓, CXCR4↓, JNK↑, p38↑, MAPK↑, LC3II↑, ATG7↑, Beclin-1↑, AMPK↑, PPARγ↑, eIF2α↓, P70S6K↓, VEGF↓, ERK↓, NF-kB↓, XIAP↓, survivin↓, p65↓, DLC1↑, FOXO↑, TET2↑, CYP1B1↑, UHRF1↓, DNMT1↓, HDAC1↓, IL2↑, IL1↓, IL6↓, IL10↓, IL12↓, TNF-α↓, iNOS↓, COX2↓, 5LO↓, AP-1↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, cMET↓, VEGFR2↓, CXCL1↓, ITGA5↓, Wnt↓, β-catenin/ZEB1↓, GSK‐3β↓, Myc↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, N-cadherin↓, Snail↓, Slug↓, Vim↓, Twist↓, Zeb1↓, MMP2↓, MMP7↓, MMP9↓, JAK2↓, STAT3↓, NOTCH↓, cycA1/CCNA1↓, CDK2↓, CDK4↓, CDK6↓, CDC2↓, CDC25↓, Mcl-1↓, E2Fs↓, p16↑, p27↑, P21↑, ChemoSen↑,
2084- TQ,    Thymoquinone, as an anticancer molecule: from basic research to clinical investigation
- Review, Var, NA
*ROS↓, *chemoPv↑, ROS↑, ROS⇅, MUC4↓, selectivity↑, AR↓, cycD1/CCND1↓, Bcl-2↓, Bcl-xL↓, survivin↓, Mcl-1↓, VEGF↓, cl‑PARP↑, ROS↑, HSP70/HSPA5↑, P53↑, miR-34a↑, Rac1↓, TumCCA↑, NOTCH↓, NF-kB↓, IκB↓, p‑p65↓, IAP1↓, IAP2↑, XIAP↓, TNF-α↓, COX2↓, Inflam↓, α-tubulin↓, Twist↓, EMT↓, mTOR↓, PI3K↓, Akt↓, BioAv↓, ChemoSen↑, BioAv↑, PTEN↑, chemoPv↑, RadioS↑, *Half-Life↝, *BioAv↝,
2133- TQ,  CUR,  Cisplatin,    Thymoquinone and curcumin combination protects cisplatin-induced kidney injury, nephrotoxicity by attenuating NFκB, KIM-1 and ameliorating Nrf2/HO-1 signalling
- in-vitro, Nor, HEK293 - in-vivo, NA, NA
*creat↓, *TNF-α↓, *IL6↓, *MRP↓, *GFR↑, *mt-ATPase↑, *p‑Akt↑, *NRF2↑, *HO-1↑, *Casp3↓, *NF-kB↓, *RenoP↑,
2103- TQ,    Anti-inflammatory effects of the Nigella sativa seed extract, thymoquinone, in pancreatic cancer cells
- in-vitro, PC, Hs766t - in-vitro, PC, MIA PaCa-2
MCP1↓, TNF-α↓, IL1β↓, COX2↓, NF-kB↓, HDAC↓, P21↑,

Showing Research Papers: 1 to 19 of 19

* indicates research on normal cells as opposed to diseased cells
Total Research Paper Matches: 19

Pathway results for Effect on Cancer / Diseased Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

HO-1↑, 1,   NRF2↑, 1,   ROS↑, 4,   ROS⇅, 2,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics

CDC2↓, 1,   CDC25↓, 1,   XIAP↓, 2,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

AMPK↑, 1,   ATG7↑, 1,   cMyc↓, 1,   PPARγ↓, 1,   PPARγ↑, 1,   SIRT1↓, 1,  

Cell Death

Akt↓, 3,   p‑Akt↓, 1,   Apoptosis↑, 3,   BAX↑, 1,   Bcl-2↓, 3,   Bcl-xL↓, 3,   BID↓, 1,   Casp↑, 2,   Casp3↑, 2,   Casp7↑, 1,   Casp8↑, 1,   Casp9↑, 2,   DR5↑, 1,   Fas↑, 1,   IAP1↓, 1,   IAP2↑, 1,   iNOS↓, 2,   JNK↑, 1,   MAPK↑, 1,   Mcl-1↓, 2,   Myc↓, 1,   p27↑, 1,   p38↑, 1,   survivin↓, 3,   TRAIL↑, 1,  

Kinase & Signal Transduction

cSrc↓, 1,   Sp1/3/4↓, 1,  

Transcription & Epigenetics

EZH2↓, 1,   tumCV↓, 1,  

Protein Folding & ER Stress

eIF2α↓, 1,   HSP70/HSPA5↑, 1,  

Autophagy & Lysosomes

Beclin-1↑, 1,   LC3II↑, 1,  

DNA Damage & Repair

CYP1B1↑, 1,   DNAdam↑, 1,   DNMT1↓, 4,   p16↑, 1,   P53↑, 3,   cl‑PARP↑, 2,   UHRF1↓, 1,  

Cell Cycle & Senescence

CDK2↓, 1,   CDK4↓, 1,   cycA1/CCNA1↓, 1,   cycD1/CCND1↓, 4,   E2Fs↓, 1,   P21↑, 2,   TumCCA↑, 2,  

Proliferation, Differentiation & Cell State

cMET↓, 1,   EMT↓, 4,   ERK↓, 1,   FOXO↑, 1,   GSK‐3β↓, 1,   p‑GSK‐3β↓, 1,   HDAC↓, 3,   HDAC1↓, 2,   HDAC2↓, 1,   HDAC3↓, 1,   miR-34a↑, 1,   mTOR↓, 3,   NOTCH↓, 2,   P70S6K↓, 1,   PI3K↓, 3,   p‑PI3K↓, 1,   PTEN↑, 2,   STAT3↓, 1,   p‑STAT3↓, 1,   TumCG↓, 1,   Wnt↓, 1,  

Migration

5LO↓, 2,   AP-1↓, 1,   DLC1↑, 1,   E-cadherin↑, 1,   ITGA5↓, 1,   Ki-67↓, 1,   MMP2↓, 1,   MMP7↓, 1,   MMP9↓, 2,   MUC4↓, 1,   N-cadherin↓, 2,   Rac1↓, 1,   Slug↓, 1,   Snail↓, 1,   TumCMig↓, 1,   TumCP↓, 1,   Twist↓, 4,   Vim↓, 2,   Zeb1↓, 2,   α-tubulin↓, 1,   β-catenin/ZEB1↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature

angioG↓, 1,   VEGF↓, 2,   VEGFR2↓, 2,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

COX2↓, 5,   CXCL1↓, 1,   CXCR4↓, 2,   IL1↓, 1,   IL10↓, 1,   IL12↓, 1,   IL1β↓, 1,   IL2↑, 1,   IL6↓, 1,   Inflam↓, 1,   IκB↓, 1,   JAK2↓, 2,   MCP1↓, 1,   MyD88↓, 1,   NF-kB↓, 7,   p65↓, 1,   p‑p65↓, 1,   TLR4↓, 1,   TNF-α↓, 6,   TRIF↓, 1,  

Hormonal & Nuclear Receptors

AR↓, 1,   CDK6↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

BioAv↓, 1,   BioAv↑, 1,   BioAv↝, 2,   ChemoSen↑, 3,   eff↑, 4,   RadioS↑, 2,   selectivity↑, 2,   TET2↑, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers

AR↓, 1,   EZH2↓, 1,   IL6↓, 1,   Ki-67↓, 1,   Myc↓, 1,  

Functional Outcomes

AntiCan↑, 1,   chemoPv↑, 1,   hepatoP↑, 1,  
Total Targets: 143

Pathway results for Effect on Normal Cells:


Redox & Oxidative Stress

antiOx↑, 4,   Catalase↑, 4,   GPx↑, 1,   GSH↑, 8,   GSR↑, 1,   GSTs↑, 2,   HO-1↑, 2,   lipid-P↓, 2,   MDA↓, 6,   MPO↓, 1,   NRF2↑, 6,   ROS↓, 6,   SOD↑, 6,   TAC↑, 2,   Thiols↑, 1,  

Mitochondria & Bioenergetics

MMP↑, 1,  

Core Metabolism/Glycolysis

NAD↑, 1,   SIRT1↑, 1,  

Cell Death

p‑Akt↑, 1,   Apoptosis↓, 1,   Bcl-2↑, 1,   Casp3↓, 3,   iNOS↓, 2,  

Transcription & Epigenetics

Ach↑, 1,  

Migration

mt-ATPase↑, 1,   MMP13↓, 1,   TGF-β↓, 1,  

Angiogenesis & Vasculature

NO↓, 2,  

Barriers & Transport

BBB↑, 1,   MRP↓, 1,  

Immune & Inflammatory Signaling

COX2↓, 3,   CRP↓, 2,   CXCc↓, 1,   IFN-γ↓, 2,   IL10↑, 2,   IL12↓, 2,   IL1β↓, 11,   IL6↓, 6,   Inflam↓, 8,   IP-10/CXCL-10↓, 1,   MCP1↓, 2,   MyD88↓, 2,   NF-kB↓, 6,   PGE2↓, 3,   TLR2↓, 3,   TLR4↓, 2,   TNF-α↓, 14,   TRIF↓, 1,  

Synaptic & Neurotransmission

AChE↓, 2,   ChAT↑, 1,   p‑tau↓, 1,  

Protein Aggregation

Aβ↓, 4,   BACE↓, 1,  

Drug Metabolism & Resistance

BioAv↓, 2,   BioAv↑, 1,   BioAv↝, 1,   eff↑, 3,   Half-Life↝, 1,  

Clinical Biomarkers

creat↓, 1,   CRP↓, 2,   IL6↓, 6,  

Functional Outcomes

cardioP↑, 2,   chemoPv↑, 1,   cognitive↑, 4,   GFR↑, 1,   hepatoP↑, 1,   memory↑, 2,   neuroP↑, 4,   radioP↑, 1,   RenoP↑, 5,  

Infection & Microbiome

IRF3↓, 3,  
Total Targets: 71

Scientific Paper Hit Count for: TNF-α, TNF-α
19 Thymoquinone
1 Silver-NanoParticles
1 Selenium NanoParticles
1 Chemotherapy
1 Curcumin
1 Cisplatin
Query results interpretion may depend on "conditions" listed in the research papers.
Such Conditions may include : 
  -low or high Dose
  -format for product, such as nano of lipid formations
  -different cell line effects
  -synergies with other products 
  -if effect was for normal or cancerous cells
Filter Conditions: Pro/AntiFlg:%  IllCat:%  CanType:%  Cells:%  prod#:162  Target#:309  State#:%  Dir#:1
wNotes=0 sortOrder:rid,rpid

 

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