US Recommends Daily Pill to Prevent AIDS Infections

Federal health officials recommended on Wednesday that hundreds of thousands of Americans at risk for AIDS take a daily pill that has been shown to prevent infection with the virus that causes it.

 If broadly followed, the advice could transform AIDS prevention in the United States - from reliance on condoms, which are effective, but unpopular with many men - to a regimen that relies on an antiretroviral drug.

It would mean a 50-fold increase in the number of prescriptions for the drug, Truvada - to 500,000 a year from fewer than 10,000. The drug costs $13,000 a year, and most insurers already cover it.

The guidelines tell doctors to consider the drug regimen, called PrEP, for pre-exposure prophylaxis, for gay men who have sex without condoms; heterosexuals with high-risk partners, such as drug injectors or bisexuals; patients who regularly have sex with anyone they know is infected; and anyone who shares needles or injects drugs.

Officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have long been frustrated that the number of HIV infections in the United States has barely changed in a decade, stubbornly holding at 50,000 a year, despite 30 years of official advice to rely on condoms to block transmission.

Although there is no guarantee that gay men will adopt PrEP, federal officials say something must be done because condom use is going down. In a recent CDC survey, the number of gay men admitting to recent, unprotected sex rose nearly 20 percent from 2005 to 2011.

Nevertheless, advocates for PrEP were elated at Wednesday's announcement.

"This is wonderful," said Damon L Jacobs, a therapist who has been on the regimen since 2011 and runs a Facebook page promoting it. "When an institution like the CDC makes a statement, it makes a profound difference to the doctors who are ambivalent."

Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the CDC's national center for AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, said the new guidelines should save many lives.

"On average, it takes a decade for a scientific breakthrough to be adopted," he said. "We hope we can shorten that time frame and increase people's survival."

While many antiretroviral drugs could, in theory, be used for PrEP, the only pill approved for that purpose by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is Truvada, made by Gilead Sciences.

 Truvada, a mix of tenofovir and emtricitabine, is considered relatively safe with few side effects. Generic versions are made in India, and the drug has become the backbone of AIDS treatment in poor countries.

Common side effects include headache, stomach pain and weight loss. Rare but serious side effects include liver and kidney damage.

Officially, the CDC is endorsing PrEP only in conjunction with condoms. But health officials say they know that some people will stop using them. Many gay men, including Jacobs, admit to doing just that.

That raises their risk of catching other diseases, like syphilis and gonorrhea. But health officials argue that the benefits outweigh the risks.

"Making the perfect the enemy of the good is something we've got to get over," said Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the country's best-known AIDS doctor. "I strongly support the CDC doing this."

Syphilis and gonorrhea can usually be cured with antibiotics, but HIV lasts for life and is fatal if left untreated. Even those treated properly often develop early heart disease and other problems.

Since 2010, three separate studies using Truvada have shown that, when taken daily, it can vastly reduce the chances of infection. That held true for gay men, heterosexual couples and drug injectors. In the study of gay men, known as iPrEx, men whose blood tests showed they had taken their pill every day were 99 percent protected.

The new guidelines say patients should have an HIV test before starting the regimen to make sure they are not already infected. (Prophylaxis involves doses of two drugs, but anyone with the disease should be on triple therapy.)

Patients should be retested every three months to be sure that they are still HIV-negative, that they are not developing side effects to the drug, and that they have not caught any other sexually transmitted diseases.

While many AIDS specialists endorse PrEP, it has not caught on among doctors as a whole. A survey of 1,175 infectious disease specialists in the United States and Canada published in December showed that 74 percent supported PrEP, but only 9 percent had actually prescribed it.

"There's a lot of inertia among doctors - and a strong statement from the CDC will be pretty valuable for overcoming that," said Dr. Demetre C. Daskalakis, an AIDS specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York who has many patients on the drug.

Also, PrEP has not caught on among gay men, who are by far the largest risk group.

By analyzing pharmacy databases, Gilead has tried to track how many Truvada prescriptions are for PrEP, rather than AIDS treatment. As of last September, the company said, it knew of only 2,319 - of whom 49 percent were women.

Advocates said there were several reasons there had been little clamor for PrEP. First, while many doctors prescribe statins as prophylaxis against heart attacks, for example, only AIDS specialists think about prescribing AIDS drugs as prophylaxis. But uninfected gay men have no reason to see AIDS specialists, and usually see general practitioners if they see doctors at all.

Also, Truvada is expensive. However, private insurers and state Medicaid programs have, thus far, generally covered such prescriptions, and Gilead has a program covering co-pays and giving Truvada to the uninsured.

"In my experience, it's a simple process to get the meds approved," Daskalakis said.

Another reason is that Gilead does not advertise Truvada for prophylaxis, even though the FDA in 2012 approved Truvada for that use. Nor does Gilead advertise Truvada for treatment, for which the FDA approved Truvada in 2004.

A company spokeswoman said it had no plans to do so, but it does make grants to gay organizations that espouse PrEP.

Not advertising helps Gilead avoid controversy. Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, has called Truvada a "party drug" and argued that PrEP would encourage men to avoid condoms and, thus, increase the infection rate. He called the release of the guidelines "a shameful chapter in the history of the CDC."

That debate has played out on gay websites, where men favoring PrEP are often stigmatized as "Truvada whores." (The term was coined in a 2012 Huffington Post article, whose author has since publicly regretted his stance.)

"People are reacting out of fear," Jacobs said. "Gay men who embraced the condom message and survived the trauma of 30 years ago have PTSD. This is a paradigm shift, and people don't like change."

Recently, a backlash against the backlash has emerged with a few men proudly wearing "Truvada Whore" T-shirts, just as others once proudly wore "Queer" or "HIV Positive" ones.

Adam Zeboski, a test counselor for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, makes and sells "Truvada Whore" T-shirts to raise money for the foundation.

"People are both very supportive and very offended," he said. "By reclaiming the 'Truvada Whore' term, we're taking the power away from those who use it against us."

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Chronic Smoking Can Play Havoc With Your Posture

Researchers have found that chronic cigarette use continues to impact the brain systems regulating postural stability even during abstinence from alcohol.

Postural instability is also common among alcohol dependent (AD) individuals, because of damage to the brain systems that maintain postural stability.

Thomas Paul Schmidt, a research associate in the department of radiology and biomedical imaging at the University of California San Francisco, and San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, said based on both anecdotal and empirical findings, postural instabilities with eyes open or closed appear to be highly prevalent in treatment-seeking AD individuals.

Schmidt and his colleagues recruited AD study participants from substance-abuse outpatient clinics and controls from the local community. To assess postural stability and balance, an ataxia battery was administered to 115 smoking and non-smoking AD individuals and to 74 smoking and non-smoking light/non-drinking controls. Subgroups of AD individuals were assessed at three testing sessions during abstinence from alcohol: one week, five weeks, and 34 weeks of abstinence.

All controls were assessed once, and a subset of the non-smoking controls was re-tested after 40 weeks. Using this data, study authors tested if cigarette smoking affected postural stability in both the control and AD groups, and if smoking influenced changes of postural stability during alcohol abstinence.

Schmidt said one of their key findings was that non-smoking AD individuals improved significantly on a measure of postural stability over the course of eight months of sobriety.

He said smoking AD individuals exhibited no significant improvement across a similar timeinterval. This suggests that the neural and perceptual mechanisms responsible for postural stability are impacted by smoking, and even after chronic alcohol consumption has ceased.

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Tips to Exfoliate Your Skin Properly

There are a lot of great benefits of exfoliating and it’s very important to exfoliate your skin on a regular basis. It removes dead cells and leaves you with softer, younger, healthier skin. But, when you exfoliate your skin you should make sure you don’t overdo it and don’t do it too often. Many women don’t know how to exfoliate their skin and how often to do it, and this is the major reason why many of us end up having severe breakouts. In fact, it’s recommended to exfoliate your skin once or twice a week. Here are a few tips to follow to exfoliate your skin without any damage.

• Buy the right exfoliating product

There are tons of exfoliating products available on the market these days and it’s extremely difficult to choose the best one. You need to buy one exfoliating product specially made for your body and another for your face. A drugstore is probably the best place to look for exfoliating products, but you can also buy them from your dermatologist.

• Apply exfoliator to wet skin

Before applying your exfoliating product, get your skin wet. This will allow all the ingredients to suds up for a while and will help make your face and body super soft. I like to exfoliate my skin in the shower since it’s easier to wash off when I’m done.

• Apply your exfoliating product in circular motions

Start applying your exfoliator in small circular motions to ensure that you do not miss any spot. This way, it will feel like a mini massage, which incredibly beneficial for your face and body. Begin with your face and work your way down your body, taking care to get every nook and cranny, including the backs of the knees and the insides of the elbows. On larger body parts you can widen your circles and use smaller ones on areas such as the soles of your feet and your face.

• Pay attention to the areas you exfoliate

When exfoliating, make sure you are very gentle on sensitive areas of the skin, such as the bikini area, neck and face. These areas have thinner skin, so it’s essential to use gentle motions. Apply more pressure on your knees, elbows and feet where the skin is naturally thicker.

• Use a loofah

In case you have a tough skin, try using a loofah with your exfoliator for the best results. Although a loofah looks similar to a sponge, it has a rough texture that doesn’t soften when it’s wet. You can buy a loofah at most drugstores. Look for them where bubble bath and body soap are sold.

• Wash off

When you are done, rinse the exfoliator off. Don’t leave it on your skin too long, or you will end up having dry, itchy skin and no lotion will help you to cope with such problem. I recommend you to exfoliate your skin in the shower or bath. Quickly wash it off with lukewarm water and a blast of cold water to close your pores.

• Apply your lotion

After your exfoliating treatment, apply a great dousing of your lotion to your skin. Apply a facial cream to your neck, face and hands and use a body cream on your arms, torso and legs. Make sure you apply your lotion right after washing the exfoliator off. This way, you will seal in the moisture and keep your skin hydrated, soft, radiant and healthy.

Do you exfoliate your skin regularly? How often do you do it? Personally I exfoliate my skin once a week and I use a one to one mixture of olive oil and sugar to do it. It’s my favorite way of exfoliating.

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Tips To Ward Off Acne This Summer

The onset of summer often means a nightmare for people with oily skin. Choose the right skin care products to protect your face from zits, says an experts.

Few acne defense tips:

• Wash your face only twice a day: When you overwash your face, your skin signals your oil glands to overproduce oil, making it even more greasy. So, limit the excessive skin cleansing so that your skin can naturally balance itself.
• Don't use soap: Soaps can damage skin by making it drier, rougher and more permeable to bacteria.
• Look for face washes with salicylic acid in it: Salicylic acid is naturally derived from willow bark. It helps to get rid of blackheads and whiteheads. It also reduces oil production. The percentage should be at least one percent of it to have enough efficacy.
• Use moisturiser twice a day. No matter how oily your skin is, your skin still needs moisture to keep it healthy. Look for gentle gels that are free from fragrance, colour and paraben to let your skin breathe.
• Wear sunblock: The sun has UVA and UVB rays which initially may seem to be drying up those pimples. But they ultimately worsen your acne in the long run. Also, the sun can worsen the acne marks.

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Home Remedies For Weight Loss

Every single day, you will see countless products promising magical weight loss without any effort on your part whatsoever. But such is the paranoia of being obese, millions fall for those shams. There’s only one way to lose weight – exercise and eat right. However, there are certain foods/herbs/ home remedies for weight loss you could try.

·         Flaxseed (alsi)

Called alsi in Hindi, the seed comes out with an outer coating which makes you feel fuller than normal and hence curbs your tendency to eat. It’s also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids which is good for your heart. Simply crush flaxseeds and add to foods like soups, cereals, oats, chappati and since they’re naturally bland, they won’t change the taste of your dish. Read about the health benefits of flaxseeds.

·         Green Tea

Green tea has gained immense popularity as tool to facilitate weight loss and millions are switching from coffee to green tea because of its high antioxidant capacity. Research also suggests that it boosts metabolism, burns fat which makes it a perfect drink for people who want to lose weight. Also, it’s not supposed to be drunk with milk or sugar which reduces the calorie intake. Read about the health benefits of green tea.

·         Cinnamon

The herb that makes things ‘Christmasy’, helps activate insulin receptiors and enzyme systems involved in carbohydrate metabolism. This helps regulate your blood sugar levels, increase metabolism and reduce bad cholesterol from the body. You can simply sprinkle some on your breakfast cereals, coffee or tea for that added flavour!  Read about the health benefits of cinnamon or dalchini!

·         Black Pepper

Hot things usually help you lose weight and black pepper is no different. The piperine in it acts as a digestive while it also helps prevent the formation of fat. Also, spicy food items tend to people more active which will help with weight loss. The best thing is that pepper can be added to almost anything you’re eating from salads to meats. Read about the health benefits of black pepper.

·         Black Pepper

Hot things usually help you lose weight and black pepper is no different. The piperine in it acts as a digestive while it also helps prevent the formation of fat. Also, spicy food items tend to people more active which will help with weight loss. The best thing is that pepper can be added to almost anything you’re eating from salads to meats. Read about the health benefits of black pepper.

·         Turmeric

Recently studies have shown the immense health benefits of turmeric and scientists are even researching methods to see if it can be used to fight cancer so no wonder it helps in weight loss as well. Studies have shown that it helps metabolise fat and also reduces the risk of developing diabetes.  The great thing about turmeric is that it’s already part of our eating habits and can be added to veggies, rice, curries, dals, etc. Read turmerics or haldi - health benefits of galore.

·         Ginger

Another herb which can help because of its digestive properties is ginger which is thermogenic. Thisbasically means that it helps raise the body’s temperature by burning fat which makes it perfect for people looking to lose weight. Researchers also found that it has a satiating effect which means you tend to eat less and this further helps the cause. Ginger can be eaten either by powdering and mixing with rice dishes or veggies or by mixing a tablespoon of it with water. Read about the health benefits of ginger.

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Simple Home Remedies for High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a common health problem seen in many people. It is also known as hypertension, a chronic medical condition that occurs when there is an elevated pressure of the blood in the arteries. Usually the blood pressure is measured by the systolic and diastolic movements. High blood pressure is reported if the reading is at or above 140/90 mmHg persistently.

There are many causes that may result in this health problem, some of them are stress, genetic factors, excessive intake of salt, obesity, high alcohol intake, lack of physical activity, pain killers, birth control pills, adrenal diseases, and kidney diseases etc.

Hypertension may lead to many chronic health conditions including heart failure, peripheral arterial disease, stroke, and chronic kidney failures. Though there are many medicines that are prescribed to control hypertension. But there are many simple home remedies that can help you prevent and control high blood pressure.

Here are some of the natural remedies for hypertension that are available in your kitchen

Banana:Banana is the best natural remedy for blood pressure. Eat one or two bananas daily to keep your high blood pressure in control. The high potassium present in the banana will help you control the blood pressure level. It aids you to be free of cholesterol, with its low sodium levels. Apart from banana, you can also try eating spinach, dried apricots, orange juice, raisins, currants, baked sweet potatoes, winter squash, zucchini, and cantaloupe.

Garlic:Garlic processes the great properties that help you get blood pressure in control. Either raw or cooked form garlic helps you in reducing cholesterol level. Whenever you have your blood pressure level high then try eating 1 – 2 slightly crushed cloves of garlic regularly. As crushed garlic cloves generate hydrogen sulfide, which helps in promoting good flow of blood, decreases the pressure on the heart and gets rid of gas. You can also take 5 to 6 drops of garlic juice mixed with 4 teaspoons of water two times a day for better results.

Celery:Celery contains high levels of 3-N-butylphthalide, which is a ‘phytochemical’ that helps you to control high blood pressure level. Eat celery regularly to see improvement in your blood pressure level. It also helps you in stress hormones reduction that constricts the blood vessels, which may lead to high BP. If you like celery then you can munch on to lower your BP or you can consume one stalk of it along with one glass of water every day.

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Health Benefits Of Green Tea

Green tea and its health benefits have been greatly extolled by the world. Here are a few.

Green tea can be regarded as a storehouse of benefits for the skin. It contains a great deal of antioxidants which are effective against free radicals. These free radicals, which are formed when the skin is exposed to the UV rays of the sun, are accountable for premature aging.

Green tea has also been found extremely effective in safeguarding the skin against sunburn and tanning when applied locally.

The antioxidants found in green tea are also responsible in combating skin cancer by blocking the cancer causing harmful enzyme, junk.

This wondrous natural component is also responsible for the cell renewal process. The aged keratinocytes cells are biologically energized by the polyphenol compounds in green team, which in turn, synthesize the DNA and prevent premature aging of the cells.

On occasions of skin inflammation, green tea acts as a great soother. It has also been found out that green tea shows notable improvements among cases of psoriasis and rosacea, accompanied by inflammation.

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Defining Moments In A Relationship

Your first talk till dawn.

Astronomers say it takes just over eight minutes for light from the sun to reach the earth. And that's about how long it feels you've been talking, though it's been over eight hours. "My God, look at the time!" you both say, cursing the violet sky. But it's a good sign if all you want to do is talk for a few million more trips into space and back.

The first kiss.

We know: Duh. But how could we not mention that Big Red moment? It's like no other feeling in the world.

When he introduces you as "my girlfriend".

It's so utterly high school that the title still straightens your spine. But how can it not? You're now officially pinned, picked, branded, wanted.

The first morning after.

Some guys you wouldn't share a beet salad with, let alone a whole night. "You want coffee?" he asks the next morning, tossing the duvet your way as he pads to the kitchen. Please, he's saying by the ease of his actions, stay.

The first time you fight and make up.

Let's be honest: If you never fight, someone's not speaking up. Consider it like an oil change: a healthy way to clean out gunk so you can get back to the joy ride.

That first trip together.

What better way to gauge how you'll fare on your journey through life than to see how you survive hours of snaking security lines? It's also when you establish who'll get the window seat for the duration of your relationship—so act fast, woman.

The first time you grocery shop together.

You know how his lips taste after a workout and a cold beer. You know to give him five minutes alone when he shakes his head in a "work sucked" kind of way. But to watch this man slip a family-size Fruit Loops into the basket with a dopey grin on his face—that's when you realize you still have worlds to learn about each other.

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Tips To Looking 10 Years Younger

Did you know that once you hit 40 years of age, whether you're a man or a women, your body starts aging FASTER than normal? Studies have shown that without the proper nutrients and exercise, your body will age about 6 months EXTRA for every year that passes. Think about that! If you are 40, that means by the time you hit 44 you will LOOK and FEEL 46. And by the time you reach 60, you will LOOK and FEEL 70 YEARS OLD! We see this every day... just look around you.

Did you know that 90% of people over the age of 35 lose enough muscle every year to burn off an additional 4 pounds of body fat? That means you not only lose the only thing on your body that creates shape, tone, and strength—you also gain more fat every year, even if your calories stay the same.

Did you know that all of this is reversible at any age? That there are specific ways to move, eat, and think that tell your brain to STOP this rapid aging process... and even SLOW IT DOWN to the point where you're aging less than a year for every year? That means you can look younger at 40 than you do at 35... or if you're like Becky and me, younger at 50+ than we did at 40!

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Top 10 Foods To Healthy Weight Gain

Losing weight is tough, but gaining weight could be tougher. Proper diet, focussed goals and exercise are some things that can help even the skinniest among us put on some weight. Experts suggest that you should consume 1 g of protein for every pound of your total bodyweight, i.e. if you weigh 120 pounds (54.4 kgs) then you should consume 120 g of protein.

Eating junk food like burgers and pizza may help you get more calories, but you may not be able to digest everything if you don’t supplement them with fruits and vegetables rich in fibre. Nutrition expert’s says, ‘Increase your appetite by eating more to gain weight. But do it step-by-step and not by stuffing yourself too much at one go. Add one extra chapatti or more rice than you normally consume, or you could even start with fruits by eating an extra one every day.’ Weight training too is a good option for those looking to gain weight, as it can help you gain more muscle. Besides that, including the following foods in your diet is also a good idea.

• Milk

Milk is a great source of protein and carbohydrates, along with many other nutrients making it great for weight gain. A 100 ml serving contains around 3.4g of protein and if you drink 2 glasses every day, you would have consumed 14g of protein.

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Tips For Better Tongue

Dentist's say's the tongue’s condition speaks volumes about one’s hygiene consciousness and also reveals one’s health status.

Experts, says if brushing the teeth is important, cleaning the tongue is equally essential. Brushing the tongue once in a while is not enough to maintain good tongue hygiene.

Here are a few tips from experts, including Sonali Bassi, oral care expert at parentune.com, that will help you to keep you tongue clean:

1.  Clean the tongue on a regular basis to prevent bacteria from growing. You can use toothbrushes designed for cleaning the tongue or the ones which have an attachment on the reverse side of it. Don’t use the front part (the one you use for brushing teeth) to clean the tongue.
2. Another way is to scrape your tongue with a thoroughly washed tongue-cleaner or scraper. While scraping, don’t apply too much pressure. Scrape it in a downward motion at least two to three times. If the pressure is too much you may hurt your tongue. Brushing teeth also should be done in a particular way.
3. You can use toothpaste to coat your tongue before scraping. Toothpaste neutralizes bacteria on tongue and helps to remove them easily.
4. Rinse your mouth with water thoroughly after scraping.

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Tips For Choosing The Ideal Mate

For the hopelessly single, finding the ideal mate seems like a daunting, impossible task. However, the truth about finding an ideal mate is actually very simple – it's simply that many people just don't know where to look or how to begin. If you're keen to get out of singledom and into a loving relationship, this article's geared at helping you work out how to get started on your search.

Figure out your own mind first. The first step to finding your ideal mate is a paper and a pen. No, you're not going to write a personal ad. What you are going to do is list your traits and the traits you desire in a mate. Included in this list should be: your personality traits and those of a desired mate, your physical traits, and the desired physical traits your mate will have, as well as interests and hobbies, religion and beliefs (both yours and if your mate must be the same religion or hold a similar belief system or lack thereof), desire for children and your willingness to accept another's children, your communication style, etc. You may want to draw on the help of your friends for the personality portion, as well as your past relationships. If you take a look over this, it'll be easier for you to recognize what personality types you got along with the best.

Turn the list into a profile of what kind of mate you're looking for. This is a skeleton of a person. It should not be a list of demands, but rather a basic outline of the soul you're looking for. The list needs to be realistic and prioritized.

• By looking at the profile, you will see what aspects are important to you that you may not have realized before. For example, suppose you like being outdoors, and exercising, then look for a hiking group - perhaps at a religious group, community group, or a local outdoors club like the Sierra Club.
• Although you don't have to have everything in common with someone, it's a good start to find someone who has some things in common.

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Ten Foods That Prevent Breast Cancer

The World Health Organisation has predicted that by 2020 the number of breast cancer cases will jump to an alarming figure and one in every eight women would run the risk of developing the disease in her lifetime.

The Indian Council of Medical Research too, concluded that over the last two decades there has been a steep rise in the statistics pertaining to women being diagnosed with breast cancer. So grave is the scenario that in India, breast cancer has been declared the most common form of cancer, almost surpassing cervical cancer as the deadliest of all cancers. Early detection and regular medical-checkups are compulsory, but at the same time it is important that our diet and the food we eat prepare us to fight malignant cancer cells at the onset.

The doctors discuss age groups most vulnerable to the disease and also inform us about the foods that should be avoided in daily diet to keep cancer cell growth in check.

Read full  article on ViraLRays.

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