JP6791480B2 - X-ray irradiation system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an X-ray irradiation system using a portable X-ray generator.

Traditionally, radiation has been used in a wide range of fields such as industry, medicine, and agriculture. For example, in the industrial field, non-destructive inspection using X-rays is performed, and in the medical field, radiotherapy using X-rays and radiodiagnosis using tomographic images using X-ray CT are performed. Radiation controlled areas are provided in nuclear facilities, radiological medical facilities, etc., and radiation generators (radiation sources) are installed in such radiation controlled areas. The usage status of the radiation generator is managed by the administrator.

By the way, in recent years, a practical portable X-ray source using a cold cathode electron source of a carbon nanostructure has been proposed (see Non-Patent Document 1). A portable X-ray generator with a built-in portable X-ray source is expected to be used outside the radiation controlled area by taking advantage of its compact and portable characteristics. For example, in the industrial field, it can be applied to piping diagnosis, article diagnosis, and the like. In the medical field, it may be applied to radiotherapy or radiodiagnosis outside hospital facilities (patient's home or outdoors, etc.).

"Development of compact and lightweight pulse X-ray source for non-destructive inspection", [online], June 3, 2014, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, [Search on April 8, 2016], Internet <URL: http://www.aist.go.jp/aist_j/press_release/pr2014/pr20140603/pr20140603.html>

By the way, when carrying out a pipe diagnosis of a plant facility, it is necessary to install a portable X-ray generator in the vicinity of the pipe to be diagnosed in the plant facility. For example, it is assumed that a portable X-ray generator will be installed at a predetermined location on the article inspection line. For home medical care, a portable X-ray generator will be used at the patient's home.

The above-mentioned portable X-ray generator is required to have an extremely small effect on the surroundings even if X-irradiation is performed without shielding, while ensuring safety and managing the irradiation history by generating X-rays. Should be done in some way.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to enable an X-ray irradiation operation by an appointed irradiator, and to perform X-ray irradiation in conjunction with personal authentication. The purpose is to provide an irradiation system.

The X-ray irradiation system of the present invention includes a portable X-ray generator having a built-in X-ray source and an operating device for operating the X-ray irradiation of the X-ray generator, and the operating device is an individual. An X-ray generator for an X-ray generator after a biometric information acquisition unit that captures biometric information , a personal authentication unit that performs personal authentication based on the biometric information, and personal authentication using the biometric information of an X-ray irradiator by the personal authentication unit. The irradiation switch includes an irradiation switch that enables an irradiation operation, and the irradiation switch receives, as the personal authentication, a first personal authentication that personally authenticates using the biometric information of an administrator, and a biometric information of an X-ray irradiator. There are two types of personal authentication, a second personal authentication that is used to perform personal authentication, and at least during the first operation when the X-ray generator is installed, the X-ray irradiation operation becomes possible after the first and second personal authentication. It is characterized by that.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an X-ray irradiation system capable of performing an X-ray irradiation operation on an appointed irradiator and irradiating X-rays in conjunction with personal authentication.

It is a system block diagram of the X-ray irradiation system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of the operation device in this embodiment. It is a data structure diagram of the registered biological information storage part in this embodiment. It is a schematic functional block diagram of the portable X-ray generator in this embodiment. It is a block diagram of an X-ray image receiving apparatus and a signal processing system. It is a figure which shows the installation example of the portable X-ray generator, the operation device, and the X-ray image receiving device. It is a block diagram of the management center apparatus provided with a biometric authentication function.

The X-ray irradiation system according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the case where the X-ray irradiation system is applied to the piping diagnosis of the plant facility will be described. However, it is also applicable to article diagnosis at facilities such as factories, airports, or train stations, and radiation therapy or radiodiagnosis at home or outdoors.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an X-ray irradiation system according to the present embodiment. The X-ray irradiation system of the present embodiment includes a portable X-ray generator 10 having a built-in X-ray source, and an individual for giving an operation function and an operation permission for operating the X-ray irradiation of the portable X-ray generator 10. It includes an operating device 20 having an authentication function. In the case of piping diagnosis of a plant facility, an X-ray image receiving device 30 is arranged so as to face the portable X-ray generator 10 with a piping inspection site to be a subject interposed therebetween. The X-ray projection image of the subject detected by the X-ray image receiving device 30 may be sent to the user terminal 40 and displayed. Further, the X-ray projection image is sent from the user terminal 40 or directly to the data storage device 50 and stored together with the piping information. As will be described later, the operating device 20 may be connected to the management center device 70 via a communication medium (LAN and / WAN) 60. The management center device 70 includes a database that manages registration information regarding the portable X-ray generator 10 and / or the operation device 20. The user terminal 40 and the data storage device 50 may be connected to the communication medium 60.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the operating device 20. The operation device 20 includes a biometric information acquisition unit 21 that captures personal biometric information, and an irradiation switch 22 that is controlled so that an X-ray irradiation operation on the portable X-ray generator 10 can be performed after personal authentication using the biometric information. And have. The biological information acquisition unit 21 includes a camera 21a for capturing a face image of the authentication target person and a fingerprint photographing unit 21b for capturing the fingerprint image of the authentication target person. The method of the camera 21a is not limited as long as the face image can be captured, but in this example, an infrared camera is applied. The biometric information for personal authentication may be either a face image or a fingerprint image, or one or both may be selected depending on the authentication level. Other biometric information, such as vein information, can also be used for personal authentication.

In this embodiment, the operating device 20 includes a personal authentication means. The biometric authentication unit 23 functions as a main unit of the biometric authentication means. The biometric authentication unit 23 compares the biometric information taken in from the biometric information acquisition unit 21 with the registered biometric information stored in the registered biometric information storage unit 24 to perform personal authentication. In this example, personal authentication is performed by comparing the biometric information taken in from the biometric information acquisition unit 21 with the registered biometric information stored in the registered biometric information storage unit 24 , but the registered biometric information is stored in the operating device 20. It does not have to be. For example, the registered biometric information stored in an external device such as the management center device 70 may be acquired online.

The registered biometric information storage unit 24 registers biometric information for personal authentication regarding an individual appointed to use the portable X-ray generator 10 (and / or operating device 20). In this example, as shown in FIG. 3, the registered biometric information of the manager appointed in advance as the X-ray handling manager (safety manager) and the X-ray appointed in advance as the X-ray irradiator (registered irradiator). The registered biological information of the irradiator is stored. An X-ray handling manager (safety manager) and an X-ray irradiator (registered irradiator) are given a personal identification number (ID), and the personal identification number (ID) and registered biometric information are associated with each other. There is. The registered biometric information is a face image and / or a fingerprint image, but may be feature data extracted from the image data depending on the authentication method. A plurality of X-ray handling managers and X-ray irradiators may be registered for one portable X-ray generator 10 or operating device 20.

The biometric authentication unit 23 compares the registered biometric information of the administrator registered in advance as an X-ray handling administrator with the biometric information fetched from the biometric information acquisition unit 21 to perform personal authentication of the administrator, and then X. The personal authentication of the X-ray irradiator is performed by comparing the registered biometric information of the X-ray irradiator registered in advance as the X-ray irradiator with the biometric information taken in from the biometric information acquisition unit 21. At least at the first operation when the portable X-ray generator 10 is installed at the X-ray irradiation site, the first personal authentication that personally authenticates using the biometric information of the administrator and the individual using the biometric information of the X-ray irradiator are used. It requires two types of personal authentication, a second personal authentication to authenticate. It is configured so that the X-ray irradiation operation by the irradiation switch 22 becomes possible after the first and second personal authentication. The first personal authentication, which is the personal authentication of the administrator, is required at least at the first operation when the portable X-ray generator 10 is installed at the X-ray irradiation site. It may be requested each time X-ray irradiation is performed, but it may be requested each time the inspection target, inspection location, and irradiation date are updated.

In the operation device 20, the irradiation permission unit 25 displays various operation guidances on the display 26. The display 26 has a touch-type sensor and functions as an input unit. When an irradiation permission application (authentication request) is input from the touch-type display 26 that constitutes the input unit, the biometric authentication unit 23 is requested to perform personal authentication as described above, and if the first and second personal authentications are successful. , Enables X-ray irradiation operation by the irradiation switch 22. If the operating device 20 is not provided with personal authentication means, the irradiation permission unit 25 connects online to the external device via the external communication unit 27 and transmits the captured biometric information and the authentication request.

The irradiation permission unit 25 activates the irradiation switch 22 on condition that the first and second personal authentications are successful at least at the first operation when the portable X-ray generator 10 is installed at the X-ray irradiation site. As described above, the first personal authentication, which is the personal authentication of the administrator, does not have to be required each time the X-ray irradiation is performed. When the irradiation switch 22 is pressed, the irradiation permission unit 25 gives an irradiation instruction to the irradiation instruction circuit 28. When the irradiation instruction circuit 28 receives an irradiation instruction from the irradiation permission unit 25, the irradiation instruction circuit 28 sends an irradiation request signal to the portable X-ray generator 10. This enables the registered (appointed) irradiator to perform the X-ray irradiation operation, and the X-ray irradiation can be executed in conjunction with the personal authentication.

The irradiation permission unit 25 stores the irradiation history information of the X-ray irradiation in the irradiation history storage unit 29 each time the X-ray irradiation is executed. The irradiation history information is not particularly limited as long as it is information related to the irradiation history. When the irradiation history information to be stored is specified by law or regulation, at least the history information specified by law or the like may be stored. When the report destination of the irradiation history information is determined, the irradiation history information stored in the irradiation history storage unit 29 may be transmitted online to the external device to be the report destination via the external communication unit 27, or may be externally transmitted. You may store it in memory and submit it.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic functional block of the portable X-ray generator 10. The portable X-ray generator 10 has a box-shaped case 11 having a portable size and has an outer shape. A carrying handle 12 is attached to the case 11. The case 11 is provided with an X-ray generation unit 13, a control unit 14, and an external interface 15. The X-ray generator 13 can use a highly efficient carbon structure type X-ray generator as an X-ray source, which does not require preheating and is easy to reduce in size and weight. The control unit 14 has a function of controlling the X-ray irradiation of the X-ray generation unit 13. The control unit 14 receives an irradiation request signal input via the external interface 15 and drives and controls the X-ray generation unit 13 to irradiate X-rays for a predetermined time. As described above, the portable X-ray generator 10 is configured to receive the irradiation request signal given from the operating device 20 and execute the X-ray irradiation.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the X-ray image receiving device 30 and the signal processing system. As an example, the X-ray image receiving device 30 is composed of an imaging plate coated with a luminescent phosphor capable of accumulating and recording an X-ray image on one side of an organic film. When irradiated with X-rays, energy is stored in the phosphor, and the phosphor emits light according to the amount of radiation absorbed. After the X-ray irradiation, the plate is scanned with a laser beam to read the X-ray projected image. Further, instead of the imaging plate, an FPD (Flat Panel Detector) can be used. In FPD, when a panel in which semiconductor elements of about 100 microns are arranged is irradiated with X-rays, the elements convert them into electric signals to generate an image, and the reading time is remarkably improved. In addition, it can be speeded up because there is no need to erase it. The X-ray projection image is also called an X-ray transmission image. The X-ray projection image output from the X-ray image receiving device 30 is input to the signal processing circuit 31 to perform processing such as noise removal, and then transmitted to the user terminal 40 and / or the data storage device 50 via the communication unit 32. The communication unit 32 of the X-ray image receiving device 30 and the user terminal 40 or the data storage device 50 are connected by wireless communication or a signal line.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.
An irradiator for safety management is appointed to clarify the applicable criteria for X-ray diagnosis using the portable X-ray generator 10. The appointed irradiator is registered in the operating device 20. In addition to the appointed irradiator, an X-ray handling manager who manages the portable X-ray generator 10 is registered in advance as an administrator. For example, the registration mode is activated by operating the touch-type display 26 which is the input unit of the operation device 20. In the registration mode, the operation guidance for registering the irradiator and the administrator is displayed on the display 26, and the input of the personal information of the appointed irradiator and the administrator is accepted. Next, the biometric information of the irradiator and the manager is fetched from the biometric information acquisition unit 21 and stored in the registered biometric information storage unit 24 in association with the personal information. The order of registration is not particularly limited. After first registering the personal information of the administrator, the irradiator may be registered each time the irradiator is sequentially appointed. The personal information and the registered biometric information stored in the registered biometric information storage unit 24 may be transmitted from the external communication unit 27 to an external device (for example, the management center device 70).

Next, the portable X-ray generator 10, the operating device 20, and the X-ray receiving device 30 are carried to the piping installation location where the inspection target is located in the plant facility and set. FIG. 6 shows an example of setting at the pipe installation location. The X-ray irradiation surface of the portable X-ray generator 10 is directed toward the inspection target portion of the pipe to be the subject, and the X-ray image receiving device 30 is arranged so as to face the inspection target portion of the pipe. The operating device 20 is installed at a distance such that the irradiator is not affected by the X-rays when the portable X-ray generator 10 irradiates the X-rays. The portable X-ray generator 10 and the operating device 20 are connected via a signal cable or short-range wireless communication.

Next, the touch-type display 26, which is the input unit of the operating device 20, is operated to activate the irradiation permission mode. In the irradiation permission mode, the operation guidance for authenticating the irradiator and the administrator is displayed on the display 26. The first applicant who applies for permission as an X-ray handling manager is made to input personal information (name, identification number) according to the operation guidance, and is made to take in biometric information from the biometric information importing unit 21. The irradiation permission unit 25 passes the input personal information of the first applicant to the biometric authentication unit 23 and requests personal authentication. The biometric authentication unit 23 reads out the corresponding registered biometric information from the registered biometric information storage unit 24 by using the identification number of the first applicant. Then, the read registered biometric information is collated with the captured biometric information, and if they match, the personal authentication of the first applicant is completed. Next, the second applicant who applies for irradiation as the irradiator this time is made to input personal information (name, identification number) according to the operation guidance, and is made to take in the biological information from the biological information importing unit 21. The irradiation permission unit 25 passes the input personal information of the second applicant to the biometric authentication unit 23 and requests personal authentication. The biometric authentication unit 23 reads out the corresponding registered biometric information from the registered biometric information storage unit 24 by using the identification number of the second applicant. Next, the read registered biometric information is collated with the imported biometric information, and if they match, the personal authentication of the second applicant is completed. When the biometric authentication unit 23 succeeds in personal authentication of the first applicant and the second applicant, the biometric authentication unit 23 passes the personal authentication result to the irradiation permission unit 25. The irradiation permission unit 25 enables the X-ray irradiation operation on the irradiation switch 22 on condition that the personal authentication of the first applicant and the second applicant is successful. When the irradiator presses the irradiation switch 22 in this state, an irradiation request signal is sent from the irradiation instruction circuit 28 and input to the portable X-ray generator 10. As described above, the personal authentication of the administrator may not be required every time. In this case, the personal authentication result of the previous administrator is stored and confirmed when there is a personal authentication request of the X-ray irradiator. Personal authentication of the administrator is required every time the inspection target, inspection location, and irradiation date are updated, for example.

In the portable X-ray generator 10, when the control unit 14 receives the irradiation request signal via the external interface 15, the X-ray generator 13 receives the irradiation request signal and drives and controls the X-ray generator 13. As a result, X-ray irradiation is executed in conjunction with personal authentication in the operating device 20. Then, the X-ray image receiving device 30 acquires an X-ray projected image. The X-ray projection image is transmitted to the user terminal 40 and / or the data storage device 50 via the communication unit 32 after being subjected to processing such as noise removal by the signal processing circuit 31.

On the other hand, in the operation device 20, the irradiation history information is stored in the irradiation history storage unit 29. Specifically, the irradiation permission unit 25 performs "personal information about the administrator" and "personal information about the irradiator who is permitted to apply for X-ray irradiation this time" in a series of processing processes from personal authentication to X-ray irradiation. , "Date and time of this X-ray irradiation", "Identification information of the portable X-ray generator 10 and / or the operating device 20 that executed the X-ray irradiation", and at least one of these information is the irradiation history information. Is stored in the irradiation history storage unit 29. The irradiation history information includes "name of the company that manages the subject (in this case, piping)", "name of the facility that was the subject of the X-ray projection inspection", and "the inspection target of the X-ray projection inspection". At least one of "information that can identify the existing piping site or piping system" and "position information on which X-ray irradiation is performed" may be included. The operation device 20 can take out the irradiation history information stored in the irradiation history storage unit 29 as needed. For example, when there is an obligation to report the irradiation history to a predetermined jurisdiction, the dedicated software installed in the operating device 20 can be used to connect online to an external device (for example, the management center device 70) designated by the jurisdiction. The irradiation history information stored in the irradiation history storage unit 29 may be automatically collected. Alternatively, an external memory may be connected to the operating device 20 to read and store the irradiation history information from the irradiation history storage unit 29 in the external memory. X-ray irradiation information and irradiator data may be stored in a database in an external device (for example, the management center device 70) designated by the competent authority. For example, a database regarding the irradiation history may be constructed from the operator name (and / or facility name), irradiation information (date and time, place, radiation source, number of times, and other information) and irradiation person information. The X-ray projection image of the subject and the irradiation history information may be associated with each other through the communication medium 60 and stored in an external device (for example, the management center device 70) or the like.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the personal authentication of the irradiator who irradiates the X-ray of the portable X-ray generator 10 and the X-ray irradiation of the portable X-ray generator 10 are linked, and therefore the appointed person is appointed. It is possible to prevent X-ray irradiation by an unemployed worker. Further, according to the present embodiment, the first personal authentication that personally authenticates the personal authentication executed prior to the X-ray irradiation using the portable X-ray generator 10 by using the biometric information of the administrator and the first personal authentication. Since the second stage of personal authentication, which uses the biometric information of the X-ray irradiator to authenticate the individual, is performed, even the appointed X-ray irradiator cannot perform X-ray irradiation without the permission of the administrator. The posture can be guaranteed and safe operation can be ensured. Further, according to the present embodiment, when X-ray irradiation is executed by the portable X-ray generator 10, the irradiation history information is stored in the irradiation history storage unit 29 of the operating device 20, so that the irradiation history can be managed. Is possible. Arbitrary information can be included in the irradiation history information according to the management / operation method related to the irradiation history. For example, it is possible to manage the company name, facility name, X-ray irradiation record, manager, and irradiator. Become.

In the above description, the operation device 20 includes the biometric authentication unit 23 and the registered biometric information storage unit 24, but the external device (for example, the management center device 70) connected to the operation device 20 is provided with the biometric authentication function. You may. FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a management center device 70 having a biometric authentication function. The management center device 70 includes a safety manager information database 71 that stores safety manager information, a registered irradiator information database 72 that stores registered irradiator information, and safety managers and registered irradiators registered in the databases 71 and 72. It is provided with a registered biometric information database 73 that stores biometric information for which registration has been applied for. The safety manager registered in the safety manager information database 71 is an administrator who has applied for registration in advance as an X-ray handling manager when using the portable X-ray generator 10. The registered irradiator registered in the registered irradiator information database 72 is an irradiator who has been appointed and applied for registration in advance as an X-ray irradiator when using the portable X-ray generator 10 (and / or operating device 20). Is.

The management center device 70 receives a biometric authentication request from the operating device 20 via the communication unit 74, and executes personal authentication based on the authentication target person information and the biometric information sent together with the biometric authentication request. Specifically, the corresponding registered biometric information is extracted from the safety manager information database 71 or the registered irradiator information database 72 based on the authentication target person information, and personal authentication is performed by comparing with the received biometric information. The personal authentication result is transmitted to the operating device 20 which is the source of the biometric authentication request. Further, the history management unit 76 of the management center device 70 receives an irradiation history registration request from the operation device 20 via the communication unit 74, and saves the irradiation history information sent together with the registration request in the irradiation history information database 77. .. The irradiation history information database 77 stores X-ray irradiation information and irradiator data in a database format. For example, the history management unit 76 converts the business name, facility name, irradiation information (date and time, place, radiation source, number of times, and other information) and irradiator information into a database format related to the irradiation history and stores it.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be modified in various ways. In each of the above embodiments, the system configuration, members, size, shape, and the like shown in the accompanying drawings are not limited to this, and can be appropriately changed within the range in which the effects of the present invention are exhibited. In addition, it can be appropriately modified and implemented as long as it does not deviate from the scope of the object of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiment, face authentication and / or fingerprint authentication are performed as a personal authentication method, but vein authentication can also be adopted. In this case, the operating device 20 is provided with a vein reading device that reads the vein information, and holds the vein information of the administrator and the irradiator who have been previously applied as registered biological information. Further, for example, in the above embodiment, the personal authentication is set to two stages, but it may be set to one stage.

Further, in the above embodiment, the biometric authentication unit 23 is illustrated as the personal authentication unit, but the personal authentication unit may be any one that performs personal authentication. For example, a card reader is provided in place of the biometric information acquisition unit 21, and a registered card information storage unit is provided in place of the registered biometric information storage unit 24. The irradiation switch 22 may be enabled when it is stored as "with irradiator authority". Further, instead of the biometric information acquisition unit 21 and the registered biometric information storage unit 24, the user ID / password acquisition unit and the user ID / password storage unit are provided, and the user ID / password acquired by the user ID / password acquisition unit is the user. The irradiation switch 22 may be enabled when the information is stored in the ID / password storage unit and the user is said to have "irradiator authority". It should be noted that these personal authentications require a plurality of personal authentications such as imposing the authentication of not only the X-ray irradiator but also the administrator before the irradiation switch 22 is activated, as in the above-described embodiment. May be good. In the same manner as described above, the external device may have these personal authentication functions.

The present embodiment may be a method other than the above-described method, and may be an X-ray irradiation method equivalent to the process described above performed by the X-ray irradiation system. Further, each process according to the present embodiment is not limited to the order shown in the figure. For example, some or all of each process may be processed in a different order, parallel, distributed or omitted. For example, a part of the processing of each device may be executed by those higher-level devices.

10 Portable X-ray generator 20 Operating device 21 Biometric information acquisition unit 21a Camera 21b Fingerprint imaging unit 22 Irradiation switch 23 Biometric authentication unit 24 Registered biometric information storage unit 25 Irradiation permission unit 26 Display 27 External communication unit 28 Irradiation instruction circuit 29 Irradiation History storage unit 30 X-ray image receiver 40 User terminal 50 Data storage device 70 Management center device

Claims (7)

It is equipped with a portable X-ray generator with a built-in X-ray source and an operating device for operating the X-ray irradiation of the X-ray generator.
The operating device includes a biometric information acquisition unit that captures personal biometric information, a personal authentication unit that performs personal authentication based on the biometric information, and after personal authentication using the biometric information of an X-ray irradiator by the personal authentication unit. It is equipped with an irradiation switch that enables X-ray irradiation operation on the X-ray generator.
The irradiation switch has two types of personal authentication, a first personal authentication that personally authenticates using the biometric information of the administrator and a second personal authentication that personally authenticates using the biometric information of the X-ray irradiator. The X-ray irradiation system is characterized in that the X-ray irradiation operation is possible after the first and second personal authentications at least during the first operation in which the X-ray generator is installed . The operating device, X-rays irradiation system according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a biometric authentication means for personal authentication using biometric information captured from the biological information acquisition section. The biometric authentication means compares the registered biometric information of the administrator registered in advance as an X-ray handling administrator with the biometric information taken in from the biometric information acquisition unit, performs personal authentication of the administrator, and performs X-ray irradiation. The second aspect of claim 2 , wherein the personal authentication of the X-ray irradiator is performed by comparing the registered biometric information of the X-ray irradiator registered in advance as a person with the biometric information taken in from the biometric information acquisition unit. X-ray irradiation system. The operating device, the biometric information captured from the biometric information capture unit transmits to the external apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the personal authentication result returned from the external device or another external device X-ray irradiation system. The operating device, X-rays irradiation system according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises an irradiation history storage unit that holds history information of the X-ray irradiation with respect to the X-ray generator. The operating device, X-ray irradiation system according to any of claims 1 to 5 for the history information of the X-ray irradiation with respect to the X-ray generator, and transmits to the previously designated external device .. The biological information, X-rays irradiation system according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that either face image information or fingerprint information.

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