Academic Calendar

Keys and Symbols Reference

S. Witt

Biological principles important for the non-major in today’s world. Ecological, evolutionary and molecular topics. Three lectures (Credit not allowed for both 110 and 123/124L). Meets New Mexico Lower-Division General Education Common Core Curriculum Area III: Science (NMCCN 1114).

{Fall or Spring}

S. Witt

An optional laboratory which may be taken concurrently with or subsequent to 110. One 3-hour lab per week including plant and animal diversity, techniques and investigation of current issues. Meets New Mexico Lower-Division General Education Common Core Curriculum Area III: Science (NMCCN 1114).

Pre- or corequisite: 110.

{Fall, Spring}

Howe, Kennedy, Shaner

Principles of cell biology, genetics and organismic biology.  (Credit not allowed for both 123 and 110. Not accepted toward a Biology major).  Meets New Mexico Lower-Division General Education Common Core Curriculum Area III: Science.

{Fall, Spring}

S. Witt

One credit optional laboratory to accompany 123. Meets New Mexico Lower-Division General Education Common Core Curriculum Area III: Science.

Pre- or corequisite: 123.

Adema, Cunningham, Hofkin, Howe, Natvig, Stricker, Vesbach

The scientific method, the role of water in cell biology, carbon and molecular diversity, macromolecules, introduction to metabolism, tour of cell structures and functions, membrane structure and function, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, cell communication and the cell cycle. Three lectures, 1 discussion section.  (Credit not allowed for both BIOL 201L and 219.)

Students who completed AP Chemistry in high school should see the instructor of record or a Biology Department advisor.

Prerequisite: (CHEM 121 or CHEM 131) and CHEM 123L.

{Fall, Spring}

Bergthorsson, Cripps, Hofkin, Howe, Katju

Mitosis, meiosis, Mendelian genetics, chromosomes and inheritance, molecular basis of inheritance, genes to proteins, genetic models (viruses and bacteria), eukaryotic genomes, genetic basis of development and overview of genomes. Three lectures, 1 discussion section.  (Credit not allowed for both BIOL 202L and 221).

Prerequisite: 201L and ((CHEM 121 and CHEM 123L) or CHEM 131)).

Pre- or corequisite: (CHEM 122 and 124L) or CHEM 132.

{Fall, Spring}

Anderson, Collins, Hurteau, Miller, Newsome, Poe, Sinsabaugh, Smith, Taylor, Turner, Whitney

Darwinian principles, origin of the earth, the fossil record and diversification of ancient life, evolution of populations, origin of species, phylogenetics, introduction to ecology and the biosphere, behavioral ecology, population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology and conservation biology. 

Prerequisite: 202L and (CHEM 122 or CHEM 132).

Pre- or corequisite: 203L and (MATH 162 or MATH 180).

{Fall, Spring}

Council-Garcia

Material includes a survey of the diversity of life.

Corequisite: 203.

{Fall, Spring}

Hanson, Kennedy, Litvak, Marshall, Pockman, Salinas, Toolson, Wolf

Introduction to plant systems including: structure, growth, transport, nutrition, reproduction, development, and control systems. Introduction to animal systems including nutrition, circulation, reproduction, development; and immune, control and nervous systems.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and ((CHEM 122 and CHEM 124L) or CHEM 132)).

Pre- or corequisite: 204L and (MATH 162 or MATH 180).

{Fall, Spring}

Council-Garcia

Laboratory for 204.

Pre- or corequisite: 204.

{Fall, Spring}

The first course in a series of three which provides credit for students who are in the Biotechnology Program at CNM and working towards a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Biotechnology at UNM.

Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

The second course in a series of three which provides credit for students who are in the Biotechnology Program at CNM and working towards a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Biotechnology at UNM.

Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

Prerequisite: 223.

The third course in a series of three which provides credit for students who are in the Biotechnology Program at CNM and working towards a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Biotechnology at UNM.

Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

Shaner, Swan

An integrated study of human structure and function to include histology, skeletal, muscular and nervous systems. Three lectures.

Prerequisite: ((123 and 124L) or 201L) and (CHEM 111 or CHEM 121).

{Fall, Spring}

Shaner, Swan

A continuation of 237 to include cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, excretory, reproductive and endocrine systems. Three lectures.

Prerequisite: 237. 

{Fall, Spring}

Couch

Introduction to microbiology with emphasis on principles of infection and immunity. Not accepted toward a Biology major or minor. (Credit not allowed for both 239 and 351–352L.)

Prerequisite: (123 and 124L) and CHEM 111L or (CHEM 121 and CHEM 123L) or 201 and CHEM 111L or (CHEM 121 and CHEM 123L).

{Fall, Spring}

Laboratory work using cadavers. Anatomy stressed with appropriate physiological work. Topics integrated with 237.

Pre- or corequisite: 237. Three hours lab.

{Fall, Spring}

Continuation of BIOL 247L. Topics integrated with 238.

Pre- or corequisite: 238. Three hours lab.

{Fall, Spring}

C. Witt

Basic principles, and contemporary issues of evolution. Three lectures.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Rudgers

A comprehensive survey of the ecology of individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems. Three lectures, 3 hours lab or field exercise.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Laboratory for BIOL 310.

Prerequisite: 203 and 204.

Corequisite: 310.

Sinsabaugh, Vesbach

Anatomy, physiology and ecology of microorganisms. Principles of bacterial techniques, host-parasite relationships and infection and immunity. Three lectures. (Credit not allowed for both **351–**352L and 239L.)

Prerequisite: 204 and 204L.

Pre- or corequisite: **352L.

{Fall, Spring}

Methods and techniques used in microbiology.  1 hr. lab.

Pre- or corequisite: **351.

{Fall, Spring}

Hanson, Marshall, Shaner, Taylor

Overview of plant anatomy, physiology, classification, evolution and ecology. Covers both higher and lower plants. Two lectures, 4 hours lab.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Fall}

Thornhill

An examination of how natural selection has shaped the sexual psychologies of men and women and how evolutionary theory can guide the study of sexual psychology and behavior.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Hofkin, Loker, Stricker

Survey of the major invertebrate groups with emphasis on evolutionary and ecological relationships, and the correlation of structure with function. Three lectures, 4 hours lab.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Fall}

Snell, Turner

Importance of biological diversity from ecological, aesthetic, economic and political viewpoints. Extinction as a past, present and future process, and the roles of genetics, levels of biological organization, reserves and laws in the protection and recovery of endangered organisms.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Kennedy, Poe, Snell, Turner

Ecology, behavior, sociology, adaptations, and evolution of the vertebrates. Three lectures, 3 hours lab.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Fall, Spring}

Original theoretical and/or experimental work under supervision. Work for the thesis is carried on throughout the senior year. A maximum of 4 hours credited towards a biology major; credits over 4 contribute to upper level Arts and Sciences requirements.

{Summer, Fall, Spring}

Continually changing selection of sections that satisfy upper-division Cell/Molecular breadth requirement. (CM)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

Restriction: junior or senior standing and permission of instructor.

Maximum of 4 hours credited towards the biology major and 2 hours towards the biology minor; credits over 2 contribute to upper level Arts and Sciences requirements.

Restriction: senior standing and permission of instructor.

{Summer, Fall, Spring}

Continually changing selection of sections that satisfy upper-division Physiology breadth requirement. (PH)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

Restriction: junior or senior standing and permission of instructor.

Collins, Litvak, Waide

Understand structure and function of diverse ecological systems of North America; use of on-line Long-term Ecological Research databases. (EE)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L.

{Spring}

Continually changing selection of sections that satisfy upper-division Organismal Biology breadth requirement. (OR)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

Restriction: junior or senior standing and permission of instructor.

Eichhorst

UNM students train as interns with the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program to mentor K-12 students and teachers in monthly data collection at field sites along the Rio Grande floodplain. Study includes ecosystem dynamics and environmental education components. Weekly on- and off-campus meetings. (K-12 interaction limited in summer session.) (EE)

Prerequisite: 110 or 204.

{Summer, Fall, Spring}

Continually changing selection of sections that satisfy upper-division Ecology/Evolution breadth requirement. (EE)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

Restriction: junior or senior standing and permission of instructor.

This course focuses on methods, both experimental and computational, to study the structure of genomes and to analyze gene expression and protein function on a genome-wide scale. Computational topics include graph approaches in sequence assembly; discriminant analysis in gene finding; dynamic programming in sequence comparison; and clustering techniques in the analysis of gene expression data. Three lectures. (CM)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

Cripps, Stricker

Comparative biology of animal development emphasizing regulatory mechanisms. (CM)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Stricker

Microscopic structure of vertebrate tissues, emphasizing correlation of structure and function. Three hours lecture, 3 hours lab. (PH)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L. 

{Fall}

Continually changing selection of section that satisfy upper-division Interdisciplinary breadth requirement. (ID)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

Restriction: junior or senior standing and permission of instructor.

Molecular biology of the gene. (CM)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Cellular processes with emphasis on membranes; includes reading original landmark papers in cell biology. (CM)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L and (CHEM 212 or (CHEM **301 and CHEM 303L)).

{Fall}

Toolson, Wolf

The function of organ systems in animals, emphasizing neuromuscular, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and renal physiology. (PH)

Prerequisite: *371L or 386L. 

Restriction: permission of instructor.

{Spring, alternate years}

Poe

Principles of phylogenetic inference using morphological and molecular data. Applications of phylogeny to ecology, systematics and molecular evolution. Three hours lecture, 2 hours lab. (EE)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L. 

{Spring}

Mutation, natural selection, genetic drift; how evolutionary forces shape population structure. Mechanisms of speciation. Macroevolution of biochemical processes essential to higher organisms, such as signal transduction pathways, developmental genes and complex organs. (EE)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Toolson

Principles of toxicology; pharmacology and biotransformation of xenobiotics. Mechanism of action, medical uses, and evolutionary ecology of biological toxins. (PH)

Prerequisite: 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Adema, Cripps, Hanson, Natvig, Vesbach

Principles of DNA and RNA purification, enzymatic manipulation of nucleic acids, molecular cloning, gel electrophoresis, hybridization procedures and nucleotide sequencing. Two hours lecture, 5 hours lab. (CM)

Restriction: permission of instructor.

{Fall}

Hofkin, Miller

Structure, properties, and molecular biology of viruses; virus-host interactions, multiplication, pathology, epidemiology, effects of chemical and physical agents, classification. (CM)

Prerequisite: 204 and 204L and **351 and **352L.

{Spring}

Sinsabaugh, Vesbach

Role of microorganisms in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Emphasis on biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling. Three lectures. (EE)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Fall}

A survey of behavior patterns in animals, with emphasis on adaptive significance. (EE)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Cunningham, Hofkin, Miller

Immunoglobulin structure, antigen-antibody reactions, immunity and hypersensitivity; experimental approach will be emphasized. Three lectures. (PH)

Prerequisite: 204

or

Pre- or corequisite: BIOC 445.

{Fall, Spring}

Physiological and biochemical activities of bacteria and fungi with emphasis on cell energetics. Three lectures. (PH)

Prerequisite: **351 and **352L.

{Spring}

Cook

Marine and terrestrial tropical environments, primarily in the Caribbean; topics stressed may include organisms, communities, structure, function, distribution, geology, history, politics, ecology and others. Two lectures, 2 hours lab, one-week field trip to the Caribbean and field trip fee is required. Open to majors and/or non-majors. (EE)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Lowrey

Identification, classification, nomenclature, and geography of vascular seed plants in New Mexico. Survey of adaptations and evolutionary trends in plants of the Southwest. Field trips. Three lectures, 3 hours lab. (OR)

Prerequisite: 360L.

{Fall}

Pockman

Interaction of plants with their environment, covering plant water relations, carbon gain and utilization and soil mineral nutrition. Common research methodologies will be demonstrated in class. (ID)

Prerequisite: 310 and 360L.

{Spring, alternate years}

Collins

Plant community structure and dynamics in North American deserts and grasslands. Field trip to Sevilleta LTER required. (EE)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

Restriction: permission of instructor.

{Spring}

Hanson

Plant function examined from molecular to whole organism levels. Core areas include: nutrition and water balance, photosynthesis and metabolism, and growth and development. Three hours lecture, 3 hours lab. (PH)

Prerequisite: 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Litvak

An advanced ecology course that gives students a broad overview of biological responses to global change at multiple levels of organization, and the scientific approaches used to study these responses.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

Adema, Hofkin, Loker

The protozoa and worms important in human and veterinary medicine. Emphasis on life histories, epidemiology and ecology of parasites with laboratory practice in identification and experimentation. Three lectures, 3 hours lab. (OR)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Natvig

Systematics, reproduction and ecology of fungi. Biology of economically and medically important fungi, and the roles of introduced fungi in shaping human history and natural environments.

Prerequisite: 204 and 204L.

K. Miller

Classification, phylogeny, natural history and literature of insects. Three lectures, 3 hours lab. (OR)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

C. Witt, Wolf

Classification phylogeny, natural history and literature of birds. Field trips required. Three lectures, 3 hours lab.  (OR)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Fall, alternate years}

Turner

Classification, phylogeny, natural history and literature of fishes. All-day field trips and one or more overnight field trips required. Three lectures, 3 hours lab. (OR)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L. 

{Fall}

Poe, Snell

Classification, phylogeny, natural history and literature of reptiles and amphibians. All-day field trips and one or more overnight field trips required. Two lectures, 6 hours lab. (OR)

Prerequisite: 386L.

Cook

Classification, phylogeny, natural history and literature of mammals. All-day field trips and one or more overnight field trips required. Three lectures, 3 hours lab. (OR)

Prerequisite: 386L.

{Fall, alternate years}

Hofkin, Loker

The full spectrum of infectious entities including prions, viruses and parasitic prokaryotes and eukaryotes will be discussed with respect to their transmissibility, interactions with immune systems and their influences on evolutionary processes and biodiversity issues. (CM)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring, alternate years}

Katju

(Also offered as ANTH 491 / 591)

This course investigates how genetic variation is patterned within and between and how these patterns change over time. Topics include neutral theory, population structure, phylogenetics, coalescent theory, molecular clock, and laboratory methods. (EE)

Toolson

Application of mathematics to models of biological systems, from genes to communities. Emphasis placed on broadly-applicable concepts and qualitative solution techniques. Laboratory exercises introduce students to MATLAB programming. (ID)

Prerequisite: (MATH 162 and MATH 163) or (MATH 180 and MATH 181).

Smith

Geographical distributions of organisms: patterns and their ecological and historical causes. (EE)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

{Spring, alternate years}

Dahm

Biological, physical and chemical interactions in fresh water ecosystems. Three lectures. (ID)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L and ((CHEM 122 and CHEM 124L) or (PHYC 152 or PHYC 161)).

{Spring}

Dahm

Techniques for studying the biology, chemistry and physics of aquatic ecosystems.

Pre- or corequisite: *495.

{Spring}

Cripps

A detailed and critical study of how different genes are regulated during the life of an organism, principally at the level of transcription. (CM)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

This course will train students in learning and using state of the art techniques to manipulate the DNA sequence of cells. Students will develop targeting vectors and isolate mutant lines for analysis.

Prerequisite: **351 and **352L.

Maximum of 2 hours credited towards a biology major. Credit not allowed toward a biology minor.

Restriction: junior or senior standing and permission of instructor.

{Summer, Fall, Spring}

Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

Maximum of 4 hours credited towards the biology major.

Restriction: permission of instructor.

{Summer, Fall, Spring}

Milne

Students take a leadership role in suggesting, hosting and interacting with visiting scientists from UNM, SFI, LANL and other institutions.

Restriction: permission of instructor.

Continually changing selection of sections that satisfy upper-division Physiology breadth requirement.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

Restriction: permission of instructor.

Collins, Litvak, Waide

Understand structure and function of diverse ecological systems of North America; use of on-line Long-term Ecological Research databases.

{Spring}

Eichhorst

UNM students train as interns with the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program to mentor K-12 students and teachers in monthly data collection at field sites along the Rio Grande floodplain. Study includes ecosystem dynamics and environmental education components. Weekly on- and off-campus meetings. (K-12 interaction limited in summer session).

{Summer, Fall, Spring}

Continually changing selection of sections that satisfy upper-division Ecology/Evolution breadth requirement.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

Restriction: permission of instructor.

This course focuses on methods, both experimental and computational, to study the structure of genomes and to analyze gene expression and protein function on a genome-wide scale. Computational topics include graph approaches in sequence assembly; discriminant analysis in gene finding; dynamic programming in sequence comparison; and clustering techniques in the analysis of gene expression data. Three lectures.

Smith

A large-scale statistical approach to study the abundance, distribution and diversity of organisms.

{Spring, alternate years}

Collins, Dahm

Study of biological communities emphasizing the interactions between living and non-living parts and the flow of materials and energy between these parts. Three lectures.

{Fall}

Collins, Litvak, Pockman, Sinsabaugh, Smith, Wearing, Wolf

Major themes in current ecological research, with in-depth exploration of the theoretical and empirical literature of individual, population, community, ecosystem and landscape ecology. Recommended for all Biology Department graduate students in any field of ecology, evolution and behavior. Three lectures, 1.5 hours lab/discussion.

{Fall}

Katju, Whitney, C. Witt

An in-depth coverage of the primary literature and ideas in the major areas of evolutionary biology: adaptationism, social evolution, phylogeny, molecular evolution, speciation. Recommended for all Biology Department graduate students in any field of ecology, evolution and behavior. Three lectures, 1.5 hours lab/discussion.

{Spring}

Continually changing selection of section that satisfy upper-division Interdisciplinary breadth requirement. (ID)

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L. 

Restriction: permission of instructor.

(Also offered as CS, STAT 520; ANTH, ECE 620)

Varying interdisciplinary topics taught by collaborative scientists from UNM, SFI, and LANL.

Course designed to develop the methods content and assessment of effective interdisciplinary biological courses; Students will develop and teach an undergraduate interdisciplinary topics course. Topics vary.

Restriction: permission of instructor.

Dahm

Integration of physical and chemical components of drainage basins and groundwater systems with biological metabolism, growth and reproduction along functional gradients of stream, wetland, reservoir, lake and groundwater ecosystems.

{Spring}

Poe

Principles of phylogenetic inference using morphological and molecular data. Applications of phylogeny to ecology, systematics and molecular evolution. Three hours lecture, 2 hours lab.

Restriction: permission of instructor.

{Spring}

Mutation, natural selection, genetic drift; how evolutionary forces shape population structure. Mechanisms of speciation. Macroevolution of biochemical processes essential to higher organisms, such as signal transduction pathways, developmental genes and complex organs.

Toolson

Principles of toxicology; pharmacology and biotransformation of xenobiotics. Mechanism of action, medical uses, and evolutionary ecology of biological toxins.

Prerequisite: 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Cripps, Hanson, Natvig, Vesbach

Principles of DNA and RNA purification, enzymatic manipulation of nucleic acids, molecular cloning, gel electrophoresis, hybridization procedures and nucleotide sequencing. Two hours lecture, 5 hours lab.

Restriction: permission of instructor.

{Fall}

Stricker

Theory and practical methods of modern light microscopy (e.g., photomicroscopy, DIC optics, immunofluorescence microscopy, video microscopy, image processing, confocal microscopy, microinjection). One lecture, 1 lab.

{Spring}

Cunningham, Hofkin, Miller

Immunoglobulin structure, anitigen-antibody reactions, immunity and hypersensitivity; experimental approach will be emphasized. Three lectures.

{Fall, Spring}

Crossey, Dahm

(Also offered as EPS 558)

The role of microbes in mineral precipitation, dissolution and diagenesis; interactions between microbes and geochemistry/mineralogy.

Cook

Marine and terrestrial tropical environments, primarily in the Caribbean; topics stressed may include organisms, communities, structure, function, distribution, geology, history, politics, ecology and others. Two lectures, 2 hours lab, one-week field trip to the Caribbean and field trip fee is required. Open to majors and/or non-majors.

{Alternate years}

Pockman

Interaction of plants with their environment, covering plant water relations, carbon gain and utilization and soil mineral nutrition. Common research methodologies will be demonstrated in class. (ID)

Prerequisite: 310 and 360L.

{Spring, alternate years}

Collins

Plant community structure and dynamics in North American deserts and grasslands. Field trip to Sevilleta LTER required.

{Spring}

Hanson

Plant function examined from molecular to whole organism levels. Core areas include: nutrition and water balance, photosynthesis and metabolism, and growth and development. Three hours lecture, 3 hours lab.

Prerequisite: 204 and 204L.

{Spring}

Litvak

An advanced ecology course that gives students a broad overview of biological responses to global change at multiple levels of organization, and the scientific approaches used to study these responses.

Prerequisite: 203 and 203L and 204 and 204L.

Hofkin, Loker

The protozoa and worms important in human and veterinary medicine. Emphasis on life histories, epidemiology and ecology of parasites with laboratory practice in identification and experimentation. Three lectures, 3 hours lab.

Natvig

Systematics, reproduction and ecology of fungi. Biology of economically and medically important fungi, and the roles of introduced fungi in shaping human history and natural environments.

Prerequisite: 204 and 204L.

K. Miller

Classification, phylogeny, natural history and literature of insects. Three lectures, 3 hours lab.

{Spring}

Katju

(Also offered as ANTH 591 / 491)

This course investigates how genetic variation is patterned within and between and how these patterns change over time. Topics include neutral theory, population structure, phylogenetics, coalescent theory, molecular clock, and laboratory methods.

Toolson

Application of mathematics to models of biological systems, from genes to communities. Emphasis placed on broadly-applicable concepts and qualitative solution techniques. Laboratory exercises introduce students to MATLAB programming.

Prerequisite: (MATH 162 and MATH 163) or (MATH 180 and MATH 181).

Cripps

A detailed and critical study of how different genes are regulated during the life of an organism, principally at the level of transcription.

This course will train students in learning and using state of the art techniques to manipulate the DNA sequence of cells. Students will develop targeting vectors and isolate mutant lines for analysis.

Prerequisite: **351 and **352L.

Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

Approval of Committee on Studies required.

Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

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