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User’s instructions
The Bravissimo Series
BV-9X
In-the-ear
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Contents
Your new Bravissimo BV-9X. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A world of new sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Having something in your ear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Practice makes perfect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The road to better hearing and a more active everyday life. . . . . . . . 7
Help to help yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Bravissimo BV-9X. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Battery type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Inserting the battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Turning the hearing aid on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Left/right identification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Placing Bravissimo BV-9X in the ear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Removing Bravissimo BV-9X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Automatic adjustment of loudness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Fine tuning loudness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Listening programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Listening programs: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Switching between the listening programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Keeping Bravissimo BV-9X clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Cleaning accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
The sound outlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
The relief vent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
The CeruSTOP wax guard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Changing the CeruSTOP wax guard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Caring for your hearing aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Good advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
In case of malfunction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Your hearing aid and accessories may not look exactly the
same as in these user’s instructions. We furthermore reserve
the right to make any changes considered necessary.
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Your new Bravissimo BV-9X
We hope you will be pleased with your new Widex hearing aid. We have included these user’s instructions to inform you about the various aspects associated with wearing hearing aids. The instructions are made up of two
parts: The first part is an introduction to life as a hearing
aid user, how to get used to new sounds, etc. The second
part contains facts about your hearing aid. How to operate and maintain it and what you can do if you experience problems. Both parts are equally important, so we
recommend that you read the entire booklet to get full
satisfaction from the quality and performance we have
built into your new Bravissimo BV-9X hearing aid.
A world of new sounds
Becoming a hearing aid user can be an exciting challenge. Your hearing aid does not restore normal hearing,
but it brings back sounds that you may not have heard or
thought about for years - everyday sounds such as a ticking clock, dripping water, the television, the car, footsteps
on hard floors, children’s voices, music, doors banging,
laughter, tools, machinery, etc. All these sounds can be a
bit overwhelming. Try to identify and localize the sounds
you are not accustomed to hearing. Once you become
used to hearing these everyday sounds again, they will
become a part of your active world of sounds.
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Having something in your ear
Your ears need to become accustomed to your new hearing aids. If you are wearing a hearing aid for the first time,
you also have to become used to having something in
your ear. It is not uncommon to feel a sensation of pressure in the ear for the first few days and your ear canal
may feel warm and a bit sore. But if wearing the hearing
aid causes you outright discomfort, you should consult
your hearing healthcare professional.
Practice makes perfect
It is a good idea to start slowly and wear your hearing
aids for just short intermittent periods of time, for example one or two hours, and first try them in situations with
few people and not too much noise. Gradually you can
use them for longer periods of time and in noisier environments. It is important that you allow yourself the time
needed to become used to the new sounds and the new
sensation in your ears.
The road to better hearing and a more active
everyday life
Your hearing aids may help you regain the pleasure of
communicating with other people and increase your
quality of life. So, although it may feel like a big challenge
in the beginning, it will be worth the effort.
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Help to help yourself
Most modern hearing aids are designed with a multitude
of options, settings and features to benefit most hearing
aid users. Your Bravissimo BV-9X hearing aid is set individually to your hearing loss and hearing to ensure the best
and most comfortable sound reproduction.
After a period of use, your hearing aid may have to be fine
tuned by your hearing healthcare professional. Maybe
you have discovered new needs or maybe there are situations where the loudness level or sound reproduction is
not satisfactory. The more details you can provide for your
hearing healthcare professional about your initial experience with the hearing aids, the easier it is to find the right
solution. Before your next consultation with your hearing
healthcare professional, it is important that you notice
how your new hearing aids feel.
Make a note of the situations where you are not satisfied
and why. Is the problem related to low frequency, high
frequency, weak or loud sounds? Is it all the time or only
in specific situations? Try to describe your experiences as
detailed as possible so that you and your hearing healthcare professional have something to go on when you
meet again.
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Bravissimo BV-9X
1. Microphone openings, where the sound enters the
hearing aid.
2. Program button, which allows you to choose
between different listening programs.
3. On/off function, which is built into the battery
compartment cover.
(also see page 15)
4. Volume control is available in some Bravissimo BV-9X
models. It makes it possible to fine tune the
automatically adjusted loudness.
5. Nail grip on the battery compartment cover for easy
opening.
6. Sound outlet, through which the amplified sound
from the hearing aid reaches your ear.
7. Relief vent for aeration of the ear canal.
8. Colored Widex logo, indicating which ear the hearing
aid fits. Red logo: for your right ear, blue logo: for your
left ear.
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The battery
Battery type
The recommended battery type for Bravissimo BV-9X is:
Zinc Air battery type 312
For acquisition of batteries, consult your hearing healthcare professional. Please note the expiration date and the
recommendations regarding disposal of used batteries
on the battery pack. To ensure proper battery function,
do not use batteries past the expiration date. Because
they are Zinc Air type batteries, they need air to work.
Therefore, do not remove the adhesive tab until just before inserting the battery in the hearing aid. Once the tab
has been removed, the battery will start functioning after
a few seconds. The lifetime of the battery depends on a
number of factors, such as the setting of your hearing aid,
how many hours you use it daily and the listening environments in which you use it.
Inserting the battery
Before inserting a new battery in your
hearing aid, remember to remove the
adhesive tab. Do not use batteries on
which there is a sticky residue from the
tab or other unwanted substance.
When opening the battery compartment cover, be careful not to force it beyond the upright position. Place the
battery in the battery compartment so that the side of
the battery with the small plus (+) sign is facing in the
same direction as the plus (+) sign on the battery compartment cover.
If the battery compartment cover does not close easily,
the battery is incorrectly inserted.
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Changing the battery
If you hear four rapid beep-tones while wearing your
hearing aid, it is an indication that the battery is nearly exhausted. Once the battery is totally exhausted, the hearing aid will be completely silent. Exactly how long the
hearing aid will function after the beep-tones varies from
one case to another. We recommend that you always
have a spare battery with you.
Never leave an exhausted battery in the hearing aid. Exhausted batteries may leak, which could damage the
hearing aid. When changing batteries, it is a good idea to
hold the hearing aid over a table or a carpet, in case you
drop the hearing aid or battery.
Turning the hearing aid on and off
The battery compartment cover of your Bravissimo BV9X also functions as the on/off switch. The hearing aid is
turned on when a battery is inserted correctly and the
battery compartment cover is completely closed.
The hearing aid is turned off when the battery compartment cover is open.
Please remember to switch the hearing aid off when it is
not in use. Remove the battery if the hearing aid will not
be used for several days.
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Left/right identification
If you wear hearing aids on both ears, your hearing healthcare professional can install a color marker to help you
easily identify the hearing aid for your right and/or left
ear.
Placing Bravissimo BV-9X in the ear
Before inserting the hearing aid,
you must place a battery in the
battery compartment and close
the battery compartment cover.
Hold your hearing aid with your
thumb and forefinger. Slowly
guide the hearing aid into your
ear canal until you feel resistance.
Let go of the hearing aid and use
the tip of your forefinger to gently
push the hearing aid into your ear
until it rests comfortably in your
canal.
To ease the final adjustments it can be a help to pull the
outer ear backwards and upwards with the opposite
hand.
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Removing Bravissimo BV-9X
Hold the hearing aid with your
thumb and forefinger and pull
gently. If it is difficult to loosen the
hearing aid, it may help to try to
move the hearing aid gent ly from
side to side. It may also help to
pull the outer ear backwards and
upwards while applying a little
pressure around the ear opening
with the opposite forefinger.
Automatic adjustment of loudness
Bravissimo BV-9X adjusts loudness automatically in accordance with your sound environment. Several thousand times per second, Bravissimo BV-9X analyzes the surroundings and tailors its sound accordingly. With Bravissimo BV-9X you do not have to think about adjusting the
volume – it happens quite automatically.
Important: If the volume in your hearing aid is too loud
or too weak, or if the reproduced sounds are distorted, or
you would like any further information, consult your hearing healthcare professional.
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Fine tuning loudness
Your hearing aid may be provided with a volume control,
shaped like a small lever. (The lever on your hearing aid
may be placed differently than the lever in the drawing).
Push the lever upwards to raise
the automatically set volume.
Push the lever downwards to
lower the volume. Use short
touches for minor corrections of
the volume. Faster adjustments
are obtained by keeping the lever pressed for some seconds.
When you raise the volume, you will hear a beep-tone for
each step the volume is raised. When you lower the volume, you will hear a deeper beep-tone for each step the
volume is lowered. When the maximum or minimum adjustment level is reached, a steady tone will sound until
you release the lever.
Any adjustment of the automatic volume setting will be
cancelled when your hearing aid is turned off.
Listening programs
Your Bravissimo BV-9X in-the-ear hearing aid may be
equipped with a number of listening programs optimized
for different listening situations. Your hearing healthcare
professional can help you select the programs that are
of use to you and make them available on the hearing
aid program button. If your needs change over time, the
combination of listening programs can be changed. In
these user’s instructions, the hearing healthcare professional can list the listening programs that are available in
your hearing aid (see page 25).
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Listening programs:
M: (microphone). This is the standard program, which
means it is the listening program for ordinary listening situations.
T: (telecoil). This listening program can only be used
where a loop system or specially adapted telephone is
installed. By selecting this program you can listen to the
sound source and shut out surrounding sounds.
M+T. This listening program is a combination of the M
(microphone) and T (telecoil) programs. If you activate
“M+T”, you can listen to the source of sound and still hear
the surrounding sounds.
Switching between the listening programs
You switch between the programs by pressing the program button on the battery compartment cover.
To switch between programs 1 and 2, press the button
briefly once (approx. 1 second). To switch from program
1 to program 3 you also press the button once, but for a
longer time (approx. 3 seconds).
If your Bravissimo hearing aid is set to program 3 and you
press the program button, the hearing aid will always
switch to program 1 (whether you give it a short or long
press).
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Each time you switch to another program, you will hear
beep-tones. They tell you which program you have chosen; one brief beep-tone for program 1, one brief deeper beep-tone for program 2 and two brief beeps for program 3. The number of different beeps depends on how
many programs you – together with your hearing healthcare professional - have chosen to have in your hearing
aid.
If you – in consultation with your hearing healthcare professional – decide on other combinations of programs later, these can be written on the blank forms found at the
back of these instructions.
Listening program form
Program Chosen programs: Application:
1.
2.
3.
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Keeping Bravissimo BV-9X clean
Your Bravissimo BV-9X is an
in-the-ear instrument, which
means it is worn in your ear canal.
It is very important for its performance that you inspect and
clean the instrument daily. Never wash your Bravissimo BV-9X in water, cleaning solutions
or other liquids. Instead, clean your hearing aid daily with
a dry soft cloth to keep the outside dry and clean of residue, wax, etc. We recommend that every time you take
the hearing aid out of your ear, you inspect the sound
outlet and the relief vent opening to ensure that no dirt
has gathered there.
Below is an example of how the sound outlet and relief
vent openings can be positioned. The positions can be
slightly different on your hearing aid.
1. Sound outlet
2. Vent opening
2.
1.
Cleaning accessories
The following accessories are available for your hearing
aid. Ask your hearing healthcare professional which accessories you need for your hearing aid:
1. Battery magnet to facilitate insertion of the battery
into the battery compartment.
2. Wax removing tool for cleaning the relief vent
opening.
3. Small brush for removal of earwax from the area
around the sound outlet.
4. Soft cloth for drying and cleaning the hearing aid.
Contact your hearing healthcare professional if you need
additional supplies of accessories.
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The sound outlet
If wax has gathered
around the sound outlet,
this should be removed
with the small brush or
cloth. It is important that
the sound outlet is never
blocked.
Important: Do not insert anything into the sound outlet
as this could damage the hearing aid.
Your Bravissimo BV-9X may be equipped with a CeruSTOP
wax guard to prevent earwax from working its way into
the sound canal. (See page 30).
The relief vent
If wax has accumulated in and/
or around the relief vent opening, it must be removed. Use the
wax removing tool.
Clean any wax from the vent by passing the wax removing tool all the way through the vent. It is important for
the performance of the hearing aid that the relief vent is
never blocked. Make it a habit to clean the relief vent
every day! In rare cases so much earwax can accumulate
in the relief vent that the sound of the hearing aid changes. In that case you should see your hearing healthcare
professional.
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The CeruSTOP wax guard
The CeruSTOP wax guard system consists of the following parts:
1. Holder
2. Removal hook
3. Wax guard
CeruSTOP wax guards come in
a carrying case. The wax guard
is mounted on one end of the
holder.
Changing the CeruSTOP wax guard
Wipe away any visible wax from the shell of your hearing aid. The used wax guard is in the stainless steel bushing around the sound outlet. With the holder perpendicular to the face of the bushing, insert the removal hook
into the used wax guard so that the shaft of the holder is
touching the rim of the wax guard, then slowly pull the
wax guard straight out. There is no need to dig or twist
the wax guard from the bushing.
1. Vent
opening
2. Sound
outlet
3. Used wax
guard
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Now turn the holder around
so that the used wax guard
is away from the instrument
and the new one is in position
to be inserted into your hearing aid.
Gently press the new wax
guard straight into the opening of the sound outlet. Do
not force the wax guard into
the sound outlet. The outer
ring of the wax guard should
sit flat on the stainless steel
bushing.
Then pull the holder straight
out. Do not twist the tool. The
new wax guard will automatically dismount from the holder and remain in place.
After inserting the new wax
guard, discard the holder with
the used wax guard attached
to the removal hook. Never reuse a wax guard.
The frequency with which the CeruSTOP wax guard
should be changed varies from one individual to another
depending on, for example, the type and amount of earwax produced.
The use of a CeruSTOP wax guard does not eliminate the
need for daily cleaning procedures.
Warning: If the wax guard fits loosely, discard it and insert another. If the wax guard becomes dislodged from
the hearing aid while in the ear canal, please contact your
physician immediately. Do not try to remove the wax
guard from your ear canal yourself.
If you have any questions regarding your wax guard,
please contact your hearing healthcare professional.
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Caring for your hearing aid
With proper care, your hearing aid will give you years of
reliable service. Here are some things you can do to prolong the life of your hearing aid:
• Switch your hearing aid off when it is not in use. Should
you not use it for several days, take out the battery to
avoid battery leakage.
• Treat your hearing aid as the valuable object it is: with
care. When your hearing aid is not in use, keep it in its
case in a cool, dry location where it cannot be reached
by children or pets.
• When not in use, do not expose your hearing aid to extreme temperatures or high humidity.
• In environments with high humidity, a Widex drying
kit may be used daily to reduce the amount of moisture inside the hearing aid. See the instructions enclosed with the Widex drying kit.
• Do not wear your hearing aid in the shower or swimming, or when using a hair dryer, hair spray, or other
sprays. In addition, use care when applying topical lotions or creams such as sunscreen.
• Never try to open or repair the hearing aid yourself.
• Do not wear your hearing aid during x-ray, MR scans,
CT scans, short-wave diathermy, or similar radiation
treatments and never place your hearing aid in a microwave oven. These are some of the types of radiation
that can damage your hearing aid. Radiation from, for
example, room surveillance equipment, burglar alarms,
and cellular telephones, is weaker and will not damage
your hearing aid but at times may cause interference
noise.
• Widex hearing aids are not certified for use in mines or
other areas with explosive gases.
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Good advice
• You may notice increased accumulation of earwax
with hearing aid use. Contact your ENT doctor/physician if you suspect that a plug of earwax has accumulated in your ear. Earwax may not only reduce your
own hearing but also the effect of the hearing aid considerably. It is a good idea to ask your physician to
clean your ears a couple of times a year.
• Please be sure to keep your hearing aid and its accessories out of the reach of children, who might place
them in their mouths. Also keep batteries out of children’s reach and discard used batteries carefully. Do
not change batteries in front of children and do not let
them see where you keep your supply.
• Never put a battery in your mouth for any reason as
you may risk swallowing it. In case of ingestion, contact your physician immediately. In case of ingestion,
contact your physician immediately and the 24 Hour
National Button Battery Ingestion Hotline at: (202)
625-3333.
• The hearing aid is made of modern non-allergenic materials. Still, in rare cases skin irritation can occur. If you
notice skin irritation in or around your ear or ear canal,
contact your hearing healthcare professional.
• Please be aware that the use of any type of hearing
aid/earmold may involve a slightly increased risk of infection in the ear canal. An infection can arise as a result of inadequate ventilation of the ear. Therefore, we
recommend that you take out your hearing aid/earmold at night to allow the ear canal to be ventilated.
Make sure that you clean and inspect your hearing aid/
earmold as required. If an infection occurs, you should
disinfect your hearing aid/earmold and seek medical
advice. Contact your hearing healthcare professional
for further advice on methods of disinfection. Do not
use alcohol, chlorine or similar substances to clean
your hearing aid/earmold.
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In case of malfunction
The following pages include some quick advice to follow
if you experience problems. Before contacting your hearing healthcare professional, please follow the advice below:
If the hearing aid is dead, it could be because:
• The instrument is not turned on. Make sure the battery is
placed correctly and the battery compartment cover is
closed correctly.
• The battery does not work/is dead. Insert a new battery.
Make sure the battery is placed correctly and that the
battery compartment cover is closed correctly.
• The sound outlet is blocked. Earwax is often the cause of
a blocked sound outlet. If the hearing aid is equipped
with a CeruSTOP wax guard, change the wax guard. If
the hearing aid is not equipped with a wax guard,
clean the sound outlet of the hearing aid with the
small brush. See page 28. Do not insert anything into
the sound outlet as this could damage the hearing aid.
If you cannot clean the sound outlet completely, you
should contact your hearing healthcare professional.
• The battery contacts are dirty. Contact your hearing
healthcare professional to have the battery contacts
cleaned.
• The microphone opening is blocked. Wax or dirt can
block the microphone opening. Do not insert anything
into the microphone opening. Contact your hearing
healthcare professional.
If the hearing aid volume is not powerful enough, it
could be because:
• The sound outlet is blocked. Earwax is often the cause of
a blocked sound outlet. If the hearing aid is equipped
with a CeruSTOP wax guard, change the wax guard. If
the hearing aid is not equipped with a wax guard,
clean the sound outlet of the hearing aid with the
small brush. See page 28. Do not insert anything into
the sound outlet as this could damage the hearing aid.
If you cannot clean the sound outlet completely, you
should contact your hearing healthcare professional.
• Your ear canal is blocked by earwax. Contact your ENT
doctor/physician to have your ear cleaned.
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If the hearing aid whistles continuously, it could be
because:
• The hearing aid is not correctly placed in your ear canal.
Take the hearing aid out and reinsert it. It is important
that the hearing aid is placed correctly in your ear canal.
• Your ear canal is blocked by earwax. Contact your ENT
doctor/physician to have your ear cleaned.
• The hearing aid shell fit is too loose. Contact your hearing
healthcare professional.
If the hearing aid is uncomfortable to wear, it could be
because:
• The hearing aid is not placed correctly in your ear canal.
Consult your hearing healthcare professional on how
to place the hearing aid correctly in your ear canal.
• The hearing aid shell has a poor physical fit. Contact your
hearing healthcare professional.
• Your outer ear or ear canal is sore. It is important for first-
time users to only wear the hearing aid for short periods of time at the beginning. The skin in the ear canal
is very thin and may swell a little because of the pressure from the hearing aid. Take 2-3 weeks to gradually
get used to the hearing aid. If the soreness continues,
contact your hearing healthcare professional.
If the hearing aid performs intermittently, it could be
because:
• The battery contacts are dirty. Contact your hearing
healthcare professional to have the battery contacts
cleaned.
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Listening program form
Program Chosen programs: Application:
1.
2.
3.
Listening program form
Program Chosen programs: Application:
1.
2.
3.
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Printed by HTO / 2005-08
9 514 0056 041 #01
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