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#covid black fungus infection
beautyandcare · 10 months
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Unbelievable! ⋆ What Fungus Elixir Really Does ⋆ You’ll Never Believe It!
Do you wanna know if this product is for you? So, pay attention to all these important information here in this video and all the benefits Fungus Elixir has.
First of all, I need to alert you. Unfortunately, Fungus Elixir has been sold on unreliable websites and platforms that makes de purchase unsafe. To help you, I’ll leave the link to the official website in the description of this video, okay?
Fungus Elixir was created by a lady named Karen Holly. Karen fostered the enhancement in the wake of treating her serious toenail fungus contamination utilizing a Japanese cure. Karen's primary care physicians told her she would have to sever her leg on account of toenail fungus contamination, however Fungus Elixir cleared up her disease for all time in no time.
Karen Holly joined forces with a Newport Ocean side, California-based supplement organization to convey her recipe across the US. The organization makes its enhancement in the US in a FDA-enlisted, GMP-guaranteed office.
Fungus Elixir is a toenail fungus supplement that utilizes 25 superfoods to wipe out toenail and foot fungus forever.
In view of an old Japanese cure, Fungus Elixir professes to take out toenail fungus without aftereffects. Rather than burning through a great many medicines, drugs, and clinical methods, you can take only two cases of Fungus Elixir each day to appreciate comparable advantages, as indicated by the creators of Fungus Elixir.
Fungus Elixir contains a mix of 25 fixings intended to target foot and toenail fungus in various ways. A few fixings incorporate nutrients, minerals, spices, and plants. Different fixings incorporate superfood foods grown from the ground removes, flavors, amino acids, mushroom concentrates, and that's only the tip of the iceberg.
Here Are The Absolute Most Significant Fixings In Fungus Elixir And How They Work:
Mushroom Concentrates: - Fungus Elixir contains a triplet of mushroom separates, including maitake, shiitake, and reishi mushroom removes. These mushroom extricates have "parasitic nuking" properties. They starve out the contamination by absorbing sugar entering your body, flushing it out before it could hurt your wellbeing further. Fungus Elixir additionally contains beta glucans, which are dynamic fixings in different sorts of mushrooms connected to wellbeing and health. In one review refered to by Karen Holly, this equivalent threesome of mushroom removes was displayed to animate resistant wellbeing.
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Graviola Leaf Powder: - The biggest fixing in Fungus Elixir, by weight, is graviola leaf powder. Utilized in customary medication for a really long time, graviola is known for being rich with cell reinforcements, which could assist with supporting resistance and detoxification.
Raspberry Organic product Powder: - Fungus Elixir contains raspberry natural product powder, which is rich with L-ascorbic acid and other normal cell reinforcements. You could eat small bunches of raspberries everyday. Or on the other hand, you could take a solitary serving of Fungus Elixir.
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Turmeric: - Turmeric is a zest promoted over the course of the past ten years for its consequences for wellbeing and health. Turmeric contains a functioning synthetic called curcumin connected to neutralizing agent, calming impacts. Each serving of Fungus Elixir contains 100mg of turmeric rhizome powder.
Different Plants, Spices, and Flavors: - as well as containing enormous elements of the dosages above, Fungus Elixir contains more modest portions of grape seed remove, pine bark, quercetin, lycopene, garlic, feline's hook bark powder, beta glucans, arabinogalactan, olive leaf concentrate, and that's just the beginning.
How to use Fungus Elixir: you have to take 1 capsule 2 times daily preferably with meals.
Many people find that their fungus is cleared in the first month. That said it may take 3 months for all of the internal infection to be eradicated. 
6 bottles or more will give you many health benefits you can’t get anywhere else.
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Fungus Elixir is supported by numerous positive reviews on the web, with numerous clients professing to have destroyed even serious toenail fungus issues promptly after utilizing Fungus Elixir - all with zero incidental effects and negligible expense.
Here are a portion of the reviews, tributes, and encounters shared by the producers of Fungus Elixir on the web:
One client claims Fungus Elixir "resembled help from above" for her toenail fungus issue. Her PCP affirmed "virtually the fungus in [her] body is all gone" subsequent to taking Fungus Elixir.
Another client portrays Fungus Elixir as "genuinely astounding" for its capacity to convey "speedy and successful outcomes." as a matter of fact, that man intends to take Fungus Elixir consistently until the end of his life "just to ensure it won't ever returned."
Here is your chance to get rid of fungus issue.
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👉 Watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1x-GEhpnTQY
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voltstone · 2 months
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…about the clementine comic (again): why is she illiterate?
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I've already written an exhaustive essay about the Clementine comics written by Tillie Walden, and that was before the first book was out. It was more of a discussion of what was already seen from the teaser, Walden being an…interesting choice to write this, but more than that, it was to preemptively stake the claim that no, it isn't canon. Not in the way that's just "ew I hate this I refuse," but more so, "the games (and character) by design and functionality do not allow for single interpretations to adequately continue the story."
These comics can be…a canon. But not the canon.
In the same way as The Walking Dead Game's (TWDG) fanfiction, like my own where I'm writing only my canon interpretation, the others who do the same, and so on.
(This right here is the essay, by the by.)
It has been a couple years since then. I have read both comics, and there is a lot I can say about them. I may one day, but not right now.
Instead, I want to direct attention to how…weirdly anti-apocalyptic it is?? Because it bothers me. A lot. That I'm watching a Clementine as a character get reduced to a kid who doesn't know how to read or write, doesn't know how to dress and care after a wound...
All things necessary for survival—the reading especially within an apocalyptic setting. Which. No. I'm not kidding. I do mean that.
Before I really indulge in my grievances, however, I will start by outlining the world that TWDG has established, and what it actually takes to survive within it.
(And yes, this is another lengthy post.)
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[Surviving the Apocalypse]
Throughout the games, we ultimately see the apocalypse under two overarching eras. The initial stage is calamity. The walkers swiftly overrun what people upheld as a stable, and very secure way of life. And the fact that it only takes one factor to destroy the "we're untouchable" notion, it's terrifying. (Which, on that note, though the undead is an extreme, we did maybe learn this post-COVID. Ergo, stories like these may resonate a little bit better than they had before.)
What's different about The Walking Dead (TWD) as a universe is that…, the true calamity arguably doesn't hit until later, because the dead themselves aren't what really destroys the untouchable mindset as before. In most universes, such as The Last of Us, it's something contagious that you don't want. However, it is also something to overcome and fix. Though the dead in TWDG's cousin is far more brutal, if you isolate them, or find a way to vaccinate…, there could feasibly be a future where the fungus is more akin to rabies or the black plague rather than a devastating change in society.
Because that's how diseases like these work. They will never go away, especially if humanity mishandled their responses to them. Rabies is still out there, because it is a violent disease (am also under the impression that walkers is very synonymous with rabies, but I digress). The Black Plague? That whole thing? Yeah, the plague itself is also still out there. The problem was solved by nature, where a fire torched all of London.
But since then, we have vaccines. We know better (…I hope) in how to appropriately respond. And…that's the best we can do. Pathogens will always dictate life.
Of course, this isn't to undermind what outbreaks as seen in those other stories do to the world. They evidently are a turning point, if not the end, of humanity's way of life. The reason why, however, falls more in-line with a society being greatly unprepared, and a virus, fungus, whatever being the perfect amalgamation that spreads rapidly. It's what we as humans have gone through, will go through, to an absolutely extreme. Complete annihilation. That kind of deal.
Here's the thing about TWD, and I honestly could go on and on with this (and why it's my favorite apocalypse I've seen in fiction):
The bite is not what does it. Everyone is infected.
And the longer you think about it, that in itself will not end. I'm in the camp that it would be maternally passed-down given how blood circulation works within pregnancy, so. You know.
The point here is TWD as an apocalypse is very unique in this one change. It fundamentally breaks how people approached these kinds of stories. The walkers are not particularly fast because they don't have to be. They are a looming presence. As they deteriorate, because they're so slow-moving (as apposed to clickers), they manage to tell their own stories in how they died. You can see if they were bit, or starved, or shot… List goes on.
They are representative of nature reclaiming the world, and on top of that, a dangling threat to anyone who has the gall to think they're above it.
Because they're not. So either make sure your head is shot, or deal with walking around like a mangy pile of rot.
It changed how people approached this because rather than a devastating outbreak, this feels like a sort of damnation. There is a very bleak sense of finality to this universe—to the point where… Yeah. They could live on, try to find a cure, but this is it.
This is the true calamity of this world—not the walkers themselves, but the fact that they are there to stay, there is no going back. At least, for a long, long, long time. You can't just isolate them. If someone dies the wrong way, there could be one in the room right with you. Hence…making sure your head is shot.
And as with in the games, it is such a bleak reality that it forces people to just move on.
Which they do. The way to survive this initial era is, amongst a wide scope of things, to accept the fact and carry forth.
The characters that don't, and are simply too rooted in the past, like Katjaa… Well, they don't make it, do they? There's a reason why we don't see that many unable to let go after the first season, because they don't last. If they do, like with Tenn, it's because they got lucky and had a community to fall back on. Regardless, given what we see with Katjaa, Season One (S1) is this time.
The second era of the apocalypse is seeding. Both in the literal sense, and symbolic.
I'm not talking established communities, no. The closest we get to that is the boarding school, given they do have established practices. But, with how many things need to be done, the schoolkids are still within this second era.
Season Three (S3) is arguably the first season of the four solidly within the second era. Sure, there are still scavengers, but there are also several communities at once—enough so that the conflicts between end up being why they fail, not purely the dead. This leaves Season Two (S2) to be the fitting chaos that ensues between the eras, where much of the world is scavenging, they're reminded of how cruel winter is actually, but there are already solid efforts in building communities; then, Season 4 (S4) as well within the second era, with clear signs that there is the gradual chance of establishment.
The second era requires not only what the first proposes—moving on—, but also a sense of ingenuity. They're left with the scraps of the past world, but that past world also grew out of the earth, so they can cobble those scraps and earth together and make something out of it. We have Prescott on the airstrip; that is the epitome of cobbling things together. There's Richmond, and Howe's Hardware as well, where it's making use of the scraps left behind to establish proper farms. Then Ericson's as a meld of both—the kids have their structure, but they needed to feed off the land. (Not quite at the farm stage like the others were.)
All of what I've discussed thus far, however, is on an overarching scale (and isn't exactly exhaustive either). It can be extrapolated and used in reference to an individual's survival, but there are ways to better articulate an individual's survival than just…get the fuck over it, and build a farm.
And what's interesting is there is a vast difference in requirements depending on how they choose to survive.
With a community. Or. Alone.
The benefits to a community is you yourself don't have to encompass the three traits to survive. (Oh, yeah, this essay will have three primary traits of surviving on an individual scale; obviously there will forever be more nuance, but…shush. I'm typing.) Within a community, you can rely upon others that do encompass the three traits—and it doesn't have to be all in one person. The people within a community can specialize in skills.
And the schoolkids best emulate this.
Tenn and Willy, though they have their own skillsets, are example of those who need to rely on others. Both have the school, though they are closest to Violet and Mitch respectively—those, if asked, would likely be considered the closest thing to caretakers that either boys have.
And right alongside them, Louis, because my man…would like to say he's allergic to work, but really, it's the self-doubt. Now, if not a person who is reliant, he is good for raising spirits. He knows games to play. He brings entertainment.
There's Marlon, who's the well-spoken leader. Ruby, who plays nurse. Aasim, who…writes? Writing's important and stuff in the apocalypse, right?
(Yes. It is. Again, we will get to that, so, hush-up.)
Rosie. Dog. (This is also very important. You can pet her!)
Mitch was likely the muscle, or something along those lines. Omar, the cook.
I would say Brody sits near the "needs to rely" camp, given her anxiety, though, she does actually pull her weight, ergo, support. You can task her with anything. She'll likely be able to do it, such as with fishing and hunting.
Violet was also probably another support, though it is difficult to really tell at the beginning because she's withdrawn from the rest of her people. (I've always felt the Violet we meet at the start isn't who she was before the twins left. Of course, Violet is Violet, but… Depression, and stuff. Probably BPD stuff.) Here's the thing though: come to find, Violet is also another thing.
That being deputy. She can step-up and play leader when need be, but will step down because that isn't quite what she is—hence why the leadership ultimately goes from Marlon to Clementine by the end. This has Violet be the ultimate support. She can do whatever, fill in the leadership role, so on and so forth.
As the community develops, the others will find more nuances in themselves like these. Beyond what I've outlined, and the present nuances already in S4.
The thing with this line-up to understand is there's huge variety here. Not only in the nature of each role, but also their complexity. Because…, turns out, there's a lot to living.
Which. I mean. All of that is no shit, Sherlock. Because yeah.
When I go on about, say, Violet, it's to explain a very specific concept that one word is not going to do. There's a specific reason why I say deputy, and not second-hand; there is a thing where roles will and do change depending on circumstance, and time. (As with Willy (and Tenn) when he grows up, and when Louis becomes more confident.) But this doesn't mean it's more important. When I say "Omar, the cook," or "Ruby, who plays nurse," neither are to designate either as lesser roles.
They're actually crucial. Because no fucking shit. You need to eat. You need to learn how to mend yourself.
It's why those roles are so…simple. Because title alone says everything.
Certain roles, like Violet's (which…may or may not be ironic), are very community-centric. Others, like Omar and Ruby's, are fundamental to just life. And what you see is within communities, those fundamentals go from just skillsets to an art or to a science. When you have people who specialize in each, they are given the time and space to truly understand the ins and outs of what they're doing.
Cut to alone.
Those like Clementine.
Surviving alone is difficult because not only are all of these crucial roles in the community on one set of shoulders, there has to be great sacrifice. Of course, a leader or deputy isn't needed because there's just one. The social aspect of a community is not present.
With that social aspect follows specialization of the core fundamentals.
You need to eat. You need to learn how to mend yourself. And defend...
When you are on your own, without the security of a home, you are not given the time nor the space to truly know those ins and outs. So, when you look at those like Clementine, yes. She's not going to know little tricks, or the sciences, in what she does. The stitching for example:
Clean it. Sew the fucking body part shut. Wrap if you can. There you go, you just did stitching.
Which she does. However, S2, part of why the dog bite (oh, and yes, comic people? yeah, there's supposed to be a deep, concerning scar down her left forearm) scarred the way it did is because 1) …um, she was in a shed, dunking-back apple juice in between sutures in my case, getting jumped by a dead dude, and 2) the stitch-work was very rudimentary. Enough to close the wound and have it heal, sure. Then, S3, the same with Javi; Kate upon inspection does mention that she sees it bleeding through, indicating that again, it's very rudimentary. But, we have Eleanor examine it, and she notes that it is satisfactory, so long as it's looked after.
Had someone like Ruby, or better yet Eleanor (who Dr. Lingard complimented this exact skill) done it, they would have known different stitch techniques that not only closes the wound tight, but also leaves minimal scarring. And the other things, like how to adapt the techniques to different parts of the body, because…no, you really can't just stitch a knee like you would a back.
But again, Clementine didn't have the time to really learn the specifics. She's busy learning how to cook, and hunt, and defend, and scavenge supplies, drive, shoot, car maintenance, feeding a child, taking care of the child, protecting the child, prioritizing necessities…
Essentially, in terms of community vs solo, it's an argument between the specialized, and the jack of all trades.
Stay with me now. I'm not exactly done going over what is needed to survive, because there are more. There's the three traits I mentioned. But as I babble on, once the discussion over the comic begins, I do hope it's clear as to why I am going through these things as meticulously as I am.
Now we get to why Clementine of all girls would be able to live in this kind of environment. She's a kid, but like…young adult given the context. (I'm sure the medieval ages wouldn't argue.) She's like…stupid, or something. She only went to so much school, and we all know that only smart people graduate from school. I never met a dumbfuck at college ever! No!
…got a little side-tracked.
Genuinely though, what is it about Clementine?
I'll start this with a curveball:
What is the dumbest thing that she has ever done within the games?
There's room for debate, but the majority will probably point to S1, where she goes on to trust the voice at the other end of her radio—the voice being the Stranger's.
It's the decision that we, as an audience, thought Clementine was above doing even at that age. It's also what ultimately kills Lee.
Here's the thing, though:
Clementine putting faith into the Stranger wasn't just a child being stupid. For one, she is…eight/nine. So. A child. But, two, it was an exercise of her greatest flaw:
"She's a puzzle."
Something that is brought up, time and time again. To my mind, it's most notably done by Katjaa, whenever they're beside the train, and Duck is of ailing health. Clementine sits on her own log. Doesn't respond much to Lee, not until Chuck (as a breath of fresh air) comes to join the party.
See, she heard a voice from the other end of this radio—one of two (including the hat) mementos she has of her family—, and the one thing that she had in way of sanctuary. The Stranger said the right things, so she kept to herself with that radio, and let her desperation flourish.
Finding her parents was the one thing she wanted. So yes, through a child's gullibility, and a man's manipulation, she believed the wrong person.
We see this sort of flaw propagate time and time again. Granted, it does depend on the player's interpretation of her for S2 and S4, given we play as her, but in S3 where she's (quite literally, for the most part) out of our hands, what does she do? She keeps to herself. What happened to A.J? was a question on our minds, largely because of her reluctance to open up. Clementine lies to Javi about the New Frontier, then she turns around and explains her lie…, reveals her branding…, purely for survival's sake, not because she wholeheartedly trusts him.
Of course, in S3 it's understandable that she doesn't just open up to Javi. That game covers only a handful of days—short of a week by the end—, with the exception of the flashback sequences. (As opposed to S1, across several months, S2, a few weeks to a month, give or take, and S4, which sits about the same.)
Still, however. This is absolutely a part of Clementine's character: she's reserved. Without the player, her first inkling is to keep herself from the topic of conversation.
The thing to understand about this flaw, and how it bleeds into the comics, is that…I think(?) Walden acknowledged this part of her character. But…half of it.
The reason why comic Clementine pulled away from the boarding school is because she…, as she does…, kept to herself after her leg, got into her own head, and thusly ran off. I will say, I do agree that Clementine would be an absolute fucking mess with her leg gone because she has to rely on people again. (Which is devastating because of her specific trauma: à la parentification.)
Now…, run away…? Um…
(…it's also this specific trauma that… Um. Yeah no, she would not leave A.J.)
Whatever. Not the point of this essay.
The other half of this flaw, the half that the comics blatantly miss, speaks to quite an…insightful aspect of Clementine:
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She is a very, very perceptive individual. Because the thing we see in S1 is that she's not just quiet. She's watching. She's observant. Clementine is quiet, not only because she gets into her own head, but because she's taking in the world, and so she notices things that other people don't pick up on.
Throughout S1, there will be moments where Lee can try to sugarcoat things, particularly after Duck's bite, only for Clementine to say it plainly:
"You don't know that."
Those moments speak to a kid who knows the difference between reality and not, and telling Clementine that she won't get snatched or bit is…not reality. It will likely happen, and it does.
Other moments, she'll notice details in the environment. She can point them out. Help Lee, as with getting into the train station. Make a comment, like in Hershel's barn with the "dookie"/shit/manure.
Or, back in the drugstore, where Carley (…not too subtly) outs Lee as a murderer in front of Clementine. …which, of course, Clementine picks up on. (The trigger for this is to pick up the photo of Lee with his family, hence why it can be before or after moving the desk.) To which, upon leaving the drugstore's office, she'll ask about it, and you'll have the option of being open and honest, sugarcoating it, or just flat out lie.
Staying in the drugstore! Lee asks for something to bar the entrance. Walkers are scratching to get a nibble. And? Immediately, she goes to his dad's cane (cuz that man ain't using anymore!).
S2. Same spiel. Because…, oh boy, incompetence is rampant as it turns out, and as I've stepped into adulthood for myself, I've come to appreciate that season as essentially "Clementine learns why the motel family fell apart, adults are grown ass children, she has to babysit them— KENNY, DOWN! STOP IT! STOP BITING THE RUSSIAN!— throughout a winter."
Because. Newsflash. Adults? About as stable of a concept as a table with a missing leg, then another one of mangled-together cutlery. And I will forever adore stories from a kid's perspective slowly realizing this fact.
(…also, parentification's a knocking. It wants in.)
Then, S3, where she gave up being the hero, but still…, somehow…, rattles off exactly what the player needs to do and where to get the tools when stealing a truck because she just can't help herself.
…okay, I think I've done enough. S4 also speaks for itself.
Point being, Clementine is a very perceptive, very resilient, and very adaptive person. It's why she out of all the kids she comes across is the one to survive.
Sarah immediately comes to mind as someone who really struggled with adapting. She can, but the tragedy of it is that it's not in time. Too little, too late. (Circumstances also don't help.)
With Gabe (if he dies), same kind of thing. He always struck me as someone painfully unaware of how good he had it, and how bad everything else was. And he needed to grow up. Fast. But again, that alone isn't what saves him—his uncle, and/or Clementine do(es). If he's saved at all, anyway.
Duck? Same fucking thing. And it was his death, through Chuck, that spurred Lee to start teaching Clementine the basics.
To which she adapts, and she adapts well. Their first outing doesn't go…all that great. Clementine freezes. But, throughout S1, she does shoot her first walker (with Omid, or in Crawford). If Lee cannot fight off the Stranger, she will be the one to kill him. And then, of course, the whole Lee death scene thing.
The second season starts off with Omid dropping because of a neglected gun. (Clementine freezes again.) Change is always on rocky road—despite the season prior, she still had a lot to learn, and she did throughout said season.
Perceptive, and resilient, and adaptive. To be those is the ticket to survival. Those are the three.
So why…does it seem like the comics don't know?
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[VANCOMYCIN]
To anyone unaware, vancomycin is not a random string of letters for Clementine to work her mouth through. In fact, she knows how to read it. Had to, in order to inject this medicine into A.J within S3—whether or not she goes through with it is dependent on player choice.
Vancomycin, to give a better idea of the sheer desperation she was in, is not something to treat the common cold or flu. It's to treat Gram-positive bacterial infections—hence why it wouldn't necessarily work for colds or flu, given most are virus-borne—, and is generally synonymous with more serious infections.
Meaning. A.J was genuinely sick.
(My hunch is bacteria-borne pneumonia.)
I don't know what most of the fandom assumed, but it was not just a little bug. It was…bad. And a legit miracle that he survived (whether it be without the injection, or…with the injection where Clementine poked the syringe through his shirt? Game? Graphics?).
What likely happened was, somewhere down the line, he either just caught something on an off chance (the world hasn't been sanitized), or he got too close to danger and got himself sick that way off of one of the walkers/animals around. (If it was pneumonia, he likely inhaled something.) Regardless, Clementine was at a point where she…just did not have the resources to help him, would not know where to look, wouldn't feasibly be able to scavenge for it, and so she joined the New Frontier (whether or not you had her agree initially) because it was just that bad.
It is a heavy drug. Not only does it give insight as to why Clementine chose to join regardless of your choice for her, it also explains why the group threw her out for even handling it. It's not like aspirin that's easy to come by.
And, of course, there's the pronunciation of it. As with every medical term like this, it looks and sounds convoluted, but as you break it down, it's pretty straightforward.
Keep this in mind as I rattle on further. I find the vancomycin to be a very succinct contrast to what I take issue with in the comics.
Speaking of, the comics.
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Hello there.
…Clementine.
The Clementine Comics, by Tillie Walden, read as a hard reset on the series, from S1 onward. Which yes, is the core issue. There was no effort in even trying to continue off from S4, it was just a way to have Clementine still run around, while avoiding the whole Telltale-RPG implications of a continuation.
So, if you're somehow out of the fandom and you're reading this, hi? Welcome. This is why people are upset about the comic, and for once, no, it's not just because this fanbase is being…unhinged. (In a bad way.)
On top of the plot decisions, however, there are things that just prove Walden was not the artist for this project. The artstyle is an interesting(?) fit for TWDG, but ultimately is an aside. There's the focus on romance. There's the dull characters.
And then there's Clementine herself. Very out of character, and that's coming from someone whose Clementine has…made decisions in her life.
What this essay will focus on, however, is the choices made to have Clementine incompetent.
Medically so.
In the first book, Clementine is taught how to clean and dress her amputated leg. I can get behind learning how to wrap the thing properly, because it is a different part of the body, and it's a different angle—on herself, not someone else.
But she asks…why she needs to clean it. Like she doesn't know. Clementine has to be taught that.
This kind of ignorance then follows her into the second book, because she fell ill (and slipped into a month-long coma??), largely due to her not cleaning the wound. Her leg had an infection. And it spread.
…okay. Um.
That's very interesting considering Clementine:
(S2) Got bit by a dog, felt like she needed to take care of it herself due to circumstances, cleaned it, sutured the wound with fishing wire, and then went to bandage it (before getting attacked). (By the way, the scar is not on comic Clementine. So.)
(S2; optional) Can sit beside Rebecca during her pregnancy to help, but then does have to assist with the walker/lurker problem.
(S2) Tended to Kenny's lost eye because he was beaten by a walkie-talkie by cleaning it.
(S2) Probably had to deal with that whole wound in her shoulder, you know, from the FUCKING RIFLE SHOT, either with Kenny, Jane, those at Wellington, or on her own (feat A.J). (No, they did not patch it up because time, and it went clean through. When Jane and Kenny fought, Clementine just had an open bullet hole.)
(S2/S3) Had to take care of a baby. With Jane or Kenny or in Wellington, and/or on her own.
(S3; alone S2 ending) Broke her finger on a car door to the point where she (presumably) had to amputate and cauterize the finger herself.
(S3) THE WHOLE VANCOMYCIN THING. I WILL GET BACK TO THAT.
(S3) Cleaned and sutured Javi's arm after he got shanked (cuz Gabe… never mind).
(S4) Twas a great start. Car accident—boo boo head.
(S4) Had to patch-up A.J cuz he got shot by a shotgun. And was in recovery for two weeks.
(S4; optional) Louis/Violet gets their finger chopped off. Probably helped deal with that.
(S4) Um. Her leg? You know. The one she lost, and the schoolkids managed to get her stable. Willing to bet Ruby would lose her fucking shit if it wasn't cleaned properly.
And that's just what we do see, in regards to Clementine personally.
Do I…have to go on and explain why it's fucking stupid that she doesn't know the basic information she had to learn in the comics? No?
Okay. Good.
I will get back to it, because I think this choice is indicative of a larger issue. We'll get to that weird…bias the comics have with Clementine being negligent and ignorant to all things medical.
Because now, we're here.
Not only is Clementine ignorant medically, she struggles to read her way through a dictionary. There's scenes of her sounding out words like she's in preschool.
For what reason?! Because in a world where people don't have higher education, they just don't read and write?! What?!
Okay, so, no, I didn't outline precisely why reading and writing (more so reading) is crucial of a skillset to have within an apocalyptic setting. I will do so now.
Because it's the crux of this essay. Hence why I've given it its own section. (…that's what this is, by the way.)
Why is it, exactly, "so" important Volt? Society's gone!! You don't need to read!
Listen up, ✨ dipshit ✨ This is an apocalypse. Not a nomadic setting.
Okay, that was a little mean. If you're asking this, you're not a dipshit.
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Anyway, I am being genuine here. To the point where even implying that nomads by nature are illiterate is also…wrong. Because that's not necessarily true either, but assuming so falls into such an ignorant bias that people in 1st world countries have. (The same that the comics have.)
And this bias is the reason why I really, really want to have this discussion because the comics really rubbed me the wrong way with this, and, I'm kinda sick and tired of reading other people implying the same thing.
So let's start here:
What distinguishes us from the rest of the animal kingdom? Why is it we consider ourselves more intelligent?
The answer boils down to one thing:
Our mouths.
We can talk. And in doing so, we can communicate to each other very complex and nuanced concepts that require articulation beyond body language and emotion.
It's why we're able to distinguish things like envy versus just being irritated by someone. Because frankly? They physically feel the same because they are the same emotion. The context is what differentiates envy vs irritability. The why.
"I feel [this] because I want what they have." vs "I feel [this] because they're being stupid right now."
The [this] is the same. The body only has so many ways it can tell you what you're feeling, so it ends up boiling down to very basic emotions, where they can be felt at different extremes, or in unison. So. You know. Think Inside Out. What makes envy special is…you have to take context into consideration. Yes, it is also irritability, but it goes beyond that. And it requires language to communicate such a thing.
When you look at animals, that's why they're "unintelligent." They respond to what they feel the way they do because they don't have a way to articulate it. So they just react. Rather blindly in our eyes. Same thing with babies. They haven't gone through language acquisition just yet—they're in the same boat. It's also why a lot of dog breeds are said to "have the same intelligence as a 3 year old." It's related to language. They feel the same emotions, or whatever equivalent (can't claim I know how their bodies process emotions). However, they physically cannot exercise language verbally. Ergo, they're more or less stunted in the acquisition.
And then you have that we are wired to speak. Our mouths by design are made to verbalize complex sounds. A lot of our brain power is in being able to talk, or at least comprehend patterns in speech if the individual is mute. I for one was a child who rarely spoke for my first ~4/5 years, but I knew what people were saying. (Funnily enough, I was a lot like A.J.)
Beyond emotions, it's also to communicate things rather than [follow me, are you following, I'm looking at you, follow me,] it's "okay, I'm going over here, meet me by this tree." There's immediate clarification. There's a passage of thought between two brains. We don't have to interpret body language as much, we have to comprehend words.
To the rest of the animal kingdom, that makes us already mind-readers. Given that people are honest, and can articulate well, we literally are.
…it's also this emphasis on verbal language that has people be real fucking shit a reading body language, but whatever.
The point here is language is so fucking important. And there's a reason why we started writing things down. Some of the first records of written language, hundreds upon hundreds of years ago, were to keep track of agriculture. We also forget things, so we wrote those down. Heard of the Iliad? The Odyssey? Those were orally passed down for generations, but Homer decided to scribe them so they weren't forgotten. (From what I remember, he wrote those during the Hellenistic era of the mythos. …I want to say the stories come from the Mycenaean times?)
And above all.
Long distance communication. Or. Leaving behind knowledge.
So there would be couriers. There would be scholars who learned from scrolls of scribes decades before them.
(In modern times…, labels on products so that you know what it is, how to use it… Just a thought.)
Language is what makes us different. And by proxy, writing helps us retain that.
It is never something people are just going to abandon when the world goes to shit. If anything, it's going to be the one thing people will grapple onto by the skin of their teeth.
Out of the two, yes, language would come first. There are many cultures that lived (even thrived) without having a true writing system, and did just fine because the culture had such an emphasis on oral tradition, or other ways in cementing their culture to the test of time. A lot of the Native American cultures come to mind. Nowadays, however, there's been an effort to have them written so they aren't lost because…colonialism. I don't really need to explain that, but I do think the history is important to understand (the linguist in me is also morbidly fascinated). In summary, however, the way in which these cultures were torn apart rattled people, and people saw their way of life was evaporating with every person lost. They couldn't leave anything physical behind.
I do bring this contrast to light, however, because there is a detail to understand about an apocalyptic setting, and its relationship with written word: it's reflective of what society fell. If the society before was like a lot of the Native cultures, where their culture was recorded through oral traditions and other practices, then sure, I would expect the people left behind to be "illiterate". …at least, in terms of writing. They're literate in those oral traditions and practices.
But, that's not TWDG. What we have is a society that is reliant on writing. So much of our world is articulated through an alphabet printed onto a surface.
In any case, back to the apocalyptic setting.
Another thing is, yes, we do see language come before writing. In survival, it does land people in situations where it's "I don't have time, I've been starving, I'm going to grab all the food in this place before the books." Of course. Then you have that books are heavy. You're not going to realistically carry a library around. You're going to choose other things that would help immediately.
Like a knife. Or a gun.
Those do better bashing heads in than a book (but a tome wouldn't do that bad).
Here's the thing though. To step back to how reliant our society is on writing, I don't think people realize just how much they read. (Hint: you're reading right now. You had to read in order to navigate this page.) So here's the follow images of things that, in an apocalypse, are pivotal for survival, and requires of you reading comprehension:
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Signs. Food labels. First Aid labels. Maps. Manuals. Guidebooks.
You need to know where you're at. You need to understand what it is you're eating, how to cook it, and quality (ex: expiration). You need to understand first aid, what you're working with and how to apply it. You need to know where you're going. If you have equipment (like, say, a car) that you're not privy to, but need it, you need to learn basic maintenance. If you're not familiar with how to do certain activities (how to make jerky, how and where to put your urine/fecal matter), you can learn in a guidebook.
Literacy is about self-sufficiency. And each of these represent different aspects of how to live off of the scraps of a failed society.
Signs are pretty straightforward. They're articulated landmarks, and given how streets are, they're good to follow for navigation. If they're signs for complexes, they're a good way to know where you should scavenge should you be looking for a specific thing. Ex: hardware supplies; you're trying to build a camp. Either it's get lucky, or go over to someone's garage, or go over to a hardware store.
Food and First Aid labels are different things—the way they're organized is very different—, however, they serve the same purpose: those are there to inform consumers how to eat/utilize. Even though each have a very specific language, they are designed so that people not specialized in food or medicine can use them. This also applies to a lot of agriculture. Things like seed packets. Or anything that can be planted. If it has a consumer-base, there's a label on it. If it doesn't have instructions, it will most likely inform what it is.
Maps is where we start to get into more "optional" territory. Do you necessarily need a map to survive? No. It would be a life-saver to know where you are, even away from where the society was established. It would also tell you where the next town vs city is (which, to someone like Clementine who may be inclined to avoid cities, she would know which roads to take).
Manuals and guidebooks, again, are the same. They also fall into the kind of thing where weight now has to be considered.
But. Here's the thing: how many people know how to go camping? How many people were ever in boy/girl scouts? And how many more people didn't have to learn any of that because society promised security and the fact that…we don't need to focus on survival?
Okay sure, go on and on and on about how people who knew those skills already and prepped for the apocalypse would be the ones to survive. Because, uh, don't know about you, that's not necessarily how that works (luck is always a thing, and people surprise you), but also, within TWDG, I can only come up with so many people who would fall into that camp: Lilly, Mark, maybe Larry (military experience), Christa (got the vibe), Pete. Um… …Carver? He talked about, like, sheep and stuff. In reference to people, sure, but like… Uh. Hm. Well shit.
You know all the people who didn't have the experience before the apocalypse? Everyone. Fucking. Else. Including Clementine.
This is the reason why manuals and guidebooks are invaluable. They speak to a luxury because you do have the space and capacity to carry them around, so that you can gather what knowledge they have. And people just don't know this shit. Community helps, because you may meet someone who does, or has read up on it, so you don't have to. But when you're alone? …kinda a really, really good thing to have.
And none of that is going into how important books are in just passing the time. People get bored. Books are nice if you got a bum leg.
Regardless, my point should be quite clear. Sure, reading and writing will not be important in the same immediate regard, and neither will be as prolifically done as it was before. Within an apocalypse, it's not about texting, or emails, or news reports, or essays… None of that. Ergo, they're designated as an investment that weighs heavy (quite literally). It takes time to read. It takes strength and space to lug them around. You may not have any.
However. With all of what I raised, it goes back why it is, actually, so fucking important to be literate to some capacity. And to build upon that literacy. Because these people are not just living in caves. They're not in a place where humans have never gone before—quite the opposite.
Which makes it an apocalypse.
In order to navigate within the carcass of a fallen society, you need to be able to comprehend the very scraps that you're taking from said society. It left behind food, and medicine, and tools, and machinery, and knowledge. To just put that all to waste because you can't read?! Really?!
And what about a life-and-death situation where it entirely depends upon your skills in being able to read and comprehend information given to you?
I'm going to go back to the vancomycin now.
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It's not something the game harps upon, but it is significant enough to Clementine's arc in S3. This medicine, regardless of injection, is why she could not see A.J, and why she had such a resentment for the New Frontier. They said they could help. In her eyes, they instead left him to die.
It is also a significant point of interest as far as this essay is concerned. Because this scene alone encapsulates all of what I'm rattling on about:
The medicine itself is a scrap of her past society. They're not making these anymore, and while I can…question how good that medicine would be by this point in time after the apocalypse (shots do have an expiration date; they also need to be stored appropriately, like in refrigerators or freezers), the vancomycin represents a limited, valuable resource.
Clementine's comprehension of what this medicine is, and why she needs it, speaks to something far from an ignorance medically. She is competent. She even knows to ensure there aren't air bubbles trapped in the syringe (hence why she lets some of the drug out before injecting; air bubbles can lead to…really nasty ways to die).
How she actually knows which drug to use, well… Either someone wrote it down for her, or she wrote it down herself. Maybe Dr. Lingard told her, or she found a resource somewhere and realized that's what she needed. It speaks to literacy, despite the challenge medical terms often have—even for medical professionals themselves.
This…is what it takes to live in an apocalypse. You have to be perceptive, and resilient, and adaptive.
Part of that adaptation is being perceptive of your environment. This environment asks you to read it—because it says everything, wears its heart on its sleeve. Ergo, you have to adapt by learning how to read.
Maybe not novels, or scriptures, but specific things. Like signs, or labels. Maps.
But this comic, it falls into a bias that a lot of people have.
And that bias bothers me. A lot.
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[Why Does This Hurt Me So?]
There are three reason why this just does not work for me.
First of which, Clementine's characterization. The continuity of it. I really don't have to go on about this, since if I do, I'd just regurgitate all of what I've established before. For the sake of this section, it's just that Clementine is medically competent, just not in a specialized sense, and she knows how to read to get by. (She even starts to teach A.J how to both read and write.)
Now we'll get to the larger points of discussion.
Secondly...
How the fuck did Tillie Walden get this project?
Say what you want about the artstyle, or the characterizations, or the narrative. None of that is really what this essay is on, but are all viable criticisms down this same line of thought. You have the artstyle being very whimsical…, but…since when has TWDG been about whimsy? Or the characterizations? Which…, by now, we know about that—again, I don't need to regurgitate. Then, the narrative too? Why does it read like a romance by the time the second book comes around, rather than a story of survival?
Actually, that last one may be relevant to this after all.
Walden does not write apocalyptic works. Of course, there is no correct way in writing an apocalypse, but I'd argue this is one of the wrong ways. Not only do these comics misinterpret the bulk of Clementine's character, and precisely why she's been able to survive as long as she has—to the point where her playing the games at all is put into question—, these comics also have a strange notion on basic intelligence, and does the thing where people without school are just…stupid, almost, if not plainly illiterate.
It goes against what I've outlined as a mark of an apocalyptic setting—the survival both within nature, and within the rotting shell of the society it once was.
And, it feeds into this bias that I keep bringing up.
That bias is the third reason, and it's not a comment on Walden herself, because she's far from the only person I've seen/heard make the same assumption(s).
The bias I refer to is what I'd like to call the Modern Intelligence Fallacy. I'm confident that I and this essay are far from the first to comment on this…thing people do.
Essentially, it's whenever people judge the past and/or present group of people for being "dumber" than the current society they're based on, solely because "we're modern; we have technology, and medicine, and schools. And we know how to read and write too." It's when people undermine other cultures and/or time periods because they themselves are ignorant to what intelligence actually means.
Going back to Native Americans, and any cultures alike that didn't have a written structure. I've heard people make comments and assumptions, rather ignorant ones. But the fact is, no. The lack of a writing system is not indicative of intelligence, it's indicative of what the culture valued, and how they wanted to express that.
Part of why writing is such a core element in many European cultures, for example, is because…colonization. Look at English, and why it's such a patchwork language. They had to find ways to communicate long distance, because have of them were separated be countries between. Ergo, they wrote. Nowadays, there's telephone, or video. Then, there are other contexts which beckoned for writing, but I digress.
With a lot of these Native cultures, they valued community. That's why so many of their traditions fall within that, and that's how they communicated and passed down their history. Essentially, they just found other ways to do what the other cultures around the world were doing, and it worked for them, so what of it?
The attitudes behind this fallacy doesn't care, however. This bias does put value on the presence of language in written word in regards to intelligence, and an overall sense of superiority.
Yes, I've gone through and maintained that I do not believe, for a second, that Clementine is illiterate, and I've been defending that tooth and nail. I also do put value in language—I'm a writer, and I love linguistics. Of course I do.
And that's the awkward bent in this essay.
So, I must say, the thing to understand is…it's not really about the language itself. It's the attitudes behind the bias.
You here to argue that Clementine isn't as competent reader/writer like a girl her age would be now? (…present issues with the school system aside,) yeah. Probably.
But then why…does the comic have her be negligent with medicine? To the point where it comes across as, "Yeah, Clementine! Clean your wound! Everybody should know that! And that's just the basics!
"Silly kid in an apocalypse! She needed a grown adult to carefully explain it to her!! Oh boy, we would be so lost without our society now!"
This is why I've also taken note on the medical throughout all this. Because the medical practices aren't really related to literacy. You can be told, like Clementine was in the games, and go from there.
In the comics, however, the moments where she's told about how to take care of her leg, and the moments where she is learning how to read… They read the same. Because they are the same. They're commenting on this weird idea that humans would be stupid without our current advances, which is ridiculous because in order to have said advances…, we needed to be learning this shit before in order to create them.
These moments come from this Modern Intelligence Fallacy, and it bothers me because, let's face it, we're just as smart as we've always been.We have more knowledge. Whether it's we pass them down through specific traditions, or we've written them down to share beyond time and distance. But in terms of intelligence… No.
Do you know how many stupidass people there are out there?
There's tons of them. If anything, there's more of them now because they can rely on their communities to do the heavy lifting. And they saddle themselves right beside the people who need to rely on others, and not by choice.
I'm talking as though I'm not one of them. I don't know. I might be.
I did accidentally melt two plates in microwaves on two separate occasions so. If you want to take my words with a grain of salt, fine.
With that, though, hopefully my point(s) came across well enough.
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[Conclusion]
And now I am left here. With…this.
I'm not as resigned as I was of TWDG since the comics came out, because quite frankly, there's so much to these comics where…it just feels like I'm not watching Clementine. Whether it be I'm on a couch silently judging someone else play the games, but nodding along to play nice, or just…this isn't the character at all… Yeah, I'm still stewing on it. But, I have my fanfiction, and I have the games. It is easy to ignore the comics.
The reason why I've decided to write this is 1) I find it interesting, 2) the bias people have is SUCH a pet peeve of mine, and 3) I am BAFFLED by Skybound. I honestly don't know what qualified Tillie Walden to write this, to the point where I'm frankly impressed.
It's one thing to hire someone who's unfamiliar with the franchise in hopes of an objective and new perspective, or an artstyle to try something new and unique...
And entirely another to hire someone who either isn't interested in writing, or doesn't know how to write, the genre. There are so many ways to go about writing in an apocalypse, but at its core, it will always be "no matter what, humans are going to human." This is how you can have stories of hope in an apocalypse. Or have them be bleak. And so on. With TWD, it's always been a meld of both.
Because it's human are going to human, this…bias towards any scenario where people are not traditionally educated gets in the way. Because "traditional education" is not traditional, actually. It's societal. What is traditional is people learning an array of skills to survive, much of which is medicinal, and with writing… That's dependent on the environment. Way back when, in times where the world didn't rely on literacy, absolutely not many people would be literate. But in eras where so much hinges on at least being able to navigate?
Or or, in times where you are relying on a recent past that did write and read as much as it did for survival? Um. Yeah. You do need to be able to at least read, if not write as well, for communication's sake. Which I didn't go much into, but oh well.
And this right here is what TWD is set in. This universe isn't a hard reset. You're effectively just going back a couple hundred years. All the infrastructures and scraps left behind are still there, just not maintained.
So… Yeah. I don't get it. The most I can fault Walden for is being negligent, but this is just…Skybound, not caring enough about this story to the point where they'll hire anybody for some reason.
I also don't get the bias people have about intelligence, and stuff, but I really…, really don't want to go on a spiel again. It incites violence within me. I've already gone and done a mini spiral over the comics themselves, and they were kinda but not even the point.
Ah well. I'll just crawl back to my hovel now. The links to some of the linguistic concepts I raised are below, if you want to do any additional research. The specific articles are more generalized to give a broad picture, but can be used as a jumping off point should they pique an interest.
I'm just gonna continue to write about my alcoholic Clementine.
Hope you enjoyed.
:)
Linguistic Articles:
History of Writing Systems (1), (2) ; Language Acquisition (1)
Native American Language History (1), (2), (3)
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Rhizopus & Mucor
Both belong under the umbrella term, mucorales. These are bread moulds naturally on fruit and bread that we breathe in and out without much issue particularly if immunocompetent, but in some immunocompromised it causes rapidly fatal and progressive disease: mucormycosis. Due to the weakened immune system.
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Spores released either land on skin or into blood via open wounds, then deposit tehre, invading local vessels, thrombosing them and cutting off supply. this rapidly leads to ischaemia and necrosis. Dead tissue.
Now for a Case Report. This one in Frontiers of Medicine. A 35 yo man with diabetes presents with a facial rash, that rapidly progresses to an eschar and ulcer. To note, there are graphic images in the link of his face.
This was initially associated with nasal discharge and epistaxis. Diagnosis was initially a peridontal infection which did not resolve with standard antibiotics for this, similarly he was next diagnosed with uncomplicated, stock standard cellulitis (usually staph or strep pyogenes caused). Both treatments failed.
eventually he was diagnosed with mucormycosis, but by then he had extensive damage to his face, the subcut tissues, muscles and facial bones. He also had significant weight loss, fevers, splenomegaly and thrombosis.
To muddy the waters, he was concurrently diagnosed with a T cell lymphoma but the authors also picked up Rhizopus.
What is Rhizopus? (also related to mucor, another mucorales) It's a fungi, more specifically an opportunistic pathogen commonly associated with diabetics (esp poorly controlled) and the immunocompromised (in particular solid organ transplants, see further case report in resources below, HIV, malnutrition, haematological malignancies - eg leukaemias).
Also associated with steroid use, form of immunosuppression so has been seen in severe COVID patients requiring dexamethasone (Rare though).
As a mould it likes the acidotic states in DKA and iron, so any iron overload states as well.
Why poorly controlled diabetics - it becomes an immunocormposed state in and of itself. The sugars suppress local inflammatory responses like neutrophil chemotaxis or phagocytosis etc. You can however, get chronic forms too. So don't rule it out if it's not wildly acute. These occur over weeks, slowly. Considering it's a mould, it's particularly "prolific" in hot weather and warm/hot climates.
Classically it is an infection that affects the face, parasinuses, nose and even the brain. You'll often hear the term rhinocerebral with it.
Consider it if you see discolouration around the face and definitely if you see a necrotic eschar. Actually, any black spots, fevers, rash, call ID urgently. Unsurprisingly, it is also called the black fungus.
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Is also possible to have it affect the skin (particularly in IVDU and in burns), lungs and GI (more rare). IN lung involvement symptoms are typical for the organ - SOB, fevers, chest pain, haemoptysis. in GI: nausea/vomiting/GIB.
Thrombosis can occur as a complication as it invades the blood vessels.
In brain involvement from disseminated disease, expect confusion and altered state if not reduced GCS.
It's also been recently featured in the fungi podcast by the Curbsiders. Which is worth a listen.
It's filamentous and has hyphae.
You'll also hear the term mucormycosis = which just refers to the disease process that is rapidly fatal. Mortality is 30-70% of rhinocerebral cases, 90% in disseminated and 100% in AIDs --numbers from StatPearls. Survival improves with antifungals and surgery to 70%.
Early diagnosis and intervention is essential, as illustrated in the case report above. but is rare, so not infrequently missed.
It's also missed, as early symptoms are very non specific depending on how it affects the host. You can simply get lethargy, headache and eye pain. Blurry vision too, or simply epistaxis and rhinorrhoea.
Image from Wiki
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Now that you know the clinical presentation and the increased risk groups to think of this diagnosis in,
How do you confirm your suspicions?
investigations:
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It's associated with neutropaenic states and one hypothesis is acidosis in diabetics with poorly managed sugars (so really unwell). No serology (as compared to other bugs), would come up in fungal cultures and on tissue biopsy. key words on biopsy: Ribbon like hyphae branching at 90 degree angles.
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Also from wiki, that suggests it looks like Moose antlers.
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Pathologists will also note or look for necrosis and haemorrhage.
Blood cultures rarely pick up it, so consider it if they're unwell and culture negative.
On imaging - gold standard in rhino cerebral is MRI but CT is most accessible and fast. Looking for signs of blood vessel invasion and reverse halo or less specific halo sign.
Reverse halo per radiopaedia: ground glass within a consolidated crescent shape.
From radiopaedia:
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Okay, this sounds both difficult to pick up and investigate. No magical PCR or serology.
Pro tip from stat pearls: just maintain a high index of suspicion in anyone with increased risk or risk factors. Biopsy tissue quickly particularly if necrosis is apparent. Early detection method is unsurprisngly CT --> we all seem to have a low threshold for this, but looking for hyperdensity (mucosal thickening) and erosion of the facial bones.
Also essential is the age old adage that most clinicians follow --> empirical therapy for the most common organisms, close monitoring/observations. then failing that, broaden the differentials and keep investigating or altering treatment quickly.
Treatment:
The strong stuff. Liposomal Amphotericin B for 4-6 weeks (the long duration) as it is highly invasive/progressive. Alternatives; itraconazole.
You may also hear of hyperbaric O2 therapy, which aids the neutrophils to kill the fungi. Also in stat pearls
Surgical debridement after antifungal therapy with washout depending on extent of damage.
Sources used for post:
Case reports, wiki and radiopaedia as above And largely Statpearls --> there is much more further detail and more to read on differentials and complications.
I'll try to use free resources as much as possible.
Another Case Reports of interest include: NEJM - lengthy one reminding all to consider this diagnosis in an unexplained rash in an immunocompromised host.
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softskyburial · 1 year
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I think my roommate has COVID. I didnt push him to get vaccinated so that I could have an early warning system if he was infected instead of letting him go around with mild or no symptoms and contaminating everything. White American men have the worst hygiene. Black, Latino, Chicano, European guy roommates haven’t always been the best housekeepers but at least their personal hygiene was excellent. White American bros have been the absolute worst disease, fungus, mold and other nasty vectors I have ever seen.
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miraridoctor · 1 month
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Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, is a rare but serious fungal infection that has recently emerged as a post-COVID complication in some patients. Proper mucormycosis treatment is crucial given its high mortality rates and the limited timeline... #Mirari #MirariDoctor #MirariColdPlasma #ColdPlasma
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harmeet-saggi · 4 months
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allaboutskinwellbeing · 4 months
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Dr. Abhishek Kumar Sinha, Dermatologist in Patna- Unmasking the Most Serious Fungal Infection-
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Title: Unmasking the Most Serious Fungal Infection: Insights from Dr. Abhishek Kumar Sinha, Dermatologist in Patna
Fungal infections come in various forms, and while most are relatively mild and treatable, some can pose serious health risks. Dr. Abhishek Kumar Sinha, a respected dermatologist in Patna, aims to create awareness among the general population about the most serious fungal infection.
One of the most alarming fungal infections is invasive aspergillosis, caused by the Aspergillus species. This infection primarily affects individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those undergoing chemotherapy or organ transplant recipients. Invasive aspergillosis can be life-threatening, as it invades the lungs and can spread to other organs, leading to severe respiratory distress and systemic complications.
Another serious fungal infection is mucormycosis, often referred to as the "black fungus." It can occur in individuals with uncontrolled diabetes, compromised immune systems, or those who have recently recovered from COVID-19. Mucormycosis rapidly spreads through the bloodstream, causing tissue necrosis and damage to vital organs.
Cryptococcal meningitis is also a severe fungal infection, mainly affecting individuals with advanced HIV/AIDS. It invades the central nervous system and can lead to life-threatening neurological complications.
While these infections are indeed serious, it's crucial to remember that prompt diagnosis and appropriate medical intervention can significantly improve the chances of recovery. If you or a loved one experience symptoms such as persistent fever, severe headache, breathing difficulties, or changes in mental status, seek immediate medical attention.
In conclusion, the most serious fungal infections often target individuals with weakened immune systems. Awareness of these infections and early medical intervention are essential for better outcomes. Consult with a healthcare professional like Dr. Abhishek Kumar Sinha for accurate diagnosis and treatment if you suspect a severe fungal infection.
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pscottm · 8 months
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Why Deadly 'Black Fungus' Is Ravaging COVID Patients in India - Scientific American
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Retina Speciality Hospital in Cataract Types and Treatment
Introduction
When it comes to general surgery, choosing the right hospital is crucial for ensuring a successful and safe procedure. In Indore, a city known for its medical excellence, several hospitals offer general surgery services. However, finding the best hospital that meets your specific needs can be a daunting task. In this blog, we will explore the factors to consider when choosing a hospital for general surgery in Indore and shed light on why Retina Speciality Hospital stands out as a top choice.
1. The Importance of Specialization
General surgery encompasses a wide range of procedures, from hernia repairs to gallbladder removals. To ensure you receive the best care, it's essential to choose a hospital that specializes in the type of surgery you require. Retina Speciality Hospital in Indore is renowned for its expertise in eye-related surgeries, including retina treatments, cataract surgeries, and more. 
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2. Types of Cataract Surgeries
If you're seeking cataract surgery, it's crucial to understand the different types available. Retina Speciality Hospital offers a variety of cataract surgery options, including traditional phacoemulsification and advanced femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery. Their team of skilled surgeons will guide you in choosing the most suitable procedure based on your eye health and individual needs.
3. The My Hospital Indore Experience
When patients search for the best hospital in Indore, they often seek a facility that prioritizes patient comfort and satisfaction. Retina Speciality Hospital prides itself on providing a 'my hospital' experience. From the moment you step in, you'll be greeted by a warm and caring staff that places your well-being at the forefront.
4. NABH Accreditation: A Mark of Quality
National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) accreditation is a significant indicator of a hospital's commitment to quality healthcare. Retina Speciality Hospital is proud to be NABH accredited, ensuring that they adhere to the highest standards of patient care and safety.
5. Cutting-Edge Diagnostic Tools
When it comes to eye-related surgeries, accurate diagnostics are paramount. Retina Speciality Hospital offers state-of-the-art diagnostic services, including Fundus Fluorescein Angiography (FFA) eye tests. This procedure helps in diagnosing and monitoring various eye conditions, including diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.
6. A Multidisciplinary Approach
Choosing a super-speciality hospital in Indore for general surgery ensures that you have access to a multidisciplinary team of experts. Retina Speciality Hospital brings together a group of skilled eye specialists in Indore who collaborate to provide comprehensive care for your eye health.
7. Extensive Indore Hospital List Comparison
Before making your decision, it's wise to compare your options. Conducting an extensive Indore hospital list comparison can help you make an informed choice. Retina Speciality Hospital consistently ranks among the top hospitals in Indore for eye surgeries and general surgery, making it a compelling choice for patients seeking quality healthcare.
8. Eye Angiogram and Black Fungus Eye Treatment
In addition to cataract surgeries, Retina Speciality Hospital offers specialized treatments such as eye angiograms. This diagnostic procedure is essential for identifying and managing various eye conditions. Furthermore, the hospital has been at the forefront of treating black fungus eye infections, a critical concern during the COVID-19 pandemic.
9. Prioritizing Eye Health
Preserving optimal eye health is fundamental for overall wellness. Along with providing exceptional surgical services, Retina Speciality Hospital offers valuable eye health tips to help you preserve your vision and prevent common eye conditions.
Conclusion
When it comes to general surgery, especially eye-related procedures, Retina Speciality Hospital in Indore emerges as a top choice. Their specialization in retina treatments, a variety of cataract surgery options, NABH accreditation, and commitment to patient comfort make them a standout among Indore hospitals. With cutting-edge diagnostic tools like FFA eye tests and a multidisciplinary approach, they offer comprehensive care for your eye health.
In your quest for the best hospital in Indore for general surgery, make an informed decision by considering all these factors. Retina Speciality Hospital's dedication to quality healthcare, coupled with their expertise and advanced treatments, makes them a reliable destination for those seeking exceptional medical services in Indore. Your vision and well-being are in safe hands at Retina Speciality Hospital.
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shubhi01 · 1 year
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Mucormycosis (Black Fungus) And COVID 19.
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Catastrophic second wave of COVID 19 has left millions of people infected and dead. India is experiencing the world’s worst outbreak with not only rising COVID cases but also an alarming upsurge in a rare and potentially life-threatening fungal infection, Mucormycosis.
What is Mucormycosis?
According to CDC, Mucormycosis (black fungus) is a serious and rare fungal infection caused by a group of molds called mucormycetes. These fungi live in the environment, particularly in soil and in decaying organic matter, such as fruits, vegetables, leaves, compost piles, or rotten wood.People can contract mucormycosis by coming in contact with the fungal spores in the environment. For example, by inhalation of spores, by swallowing spores. Additionally, mucormycosisis likely to develop on the skin when fungus enters the skin via scrape, cut, burn, or any other type of skin trauma or injury.
How is mucormycosis related to COVID 19?
This rare fungal infection usually affects people who suffer from long-term health issues and/or take medications that lower immunity. Mucormyosis can be life-threatening in diabetics and immunocompromised individuals, such as recipients of organ or stem transplants, long-term usage of steroids, post-surgery, and cancer.
When diabetes is poorly controlled, and blood sugar is high the tissues become relatively acidic, it creates a suitable condition for Mucorales fungi to grow. This has been identified as a risk factor for mucormycosis in India.  People with diabetes and obesity are expected to develop more severe Covid-19 infections. This means they’re more likely to receive corticosteroids, which are frequently used to treat Covid-19. But corticosteroids together with diabetes increase the risk of mucormycosis. Meanwhile, coronavirus can damage airway tissue and blood vessels, which could also increase susceptibility to fungal infection.
Moreover, damaged lungs and suppressed immune system as seen in the case of COVID-positive patients make sinuses and nose the most common site of mucormycosis manifestation. From there it can spread to the eyes, leading to blindness, or the brain, causing headaches, seizures, stroke, and even death in certain cases. A recent study showed 94% of people infected with mucormycosis had diabetes and poorly controlled diabetes in 67% people.
Furthermore, long-term ventilation reduces immunity and there are speculations of the fungus being transmitted by the humidifier water being given along with oxygen.
Is it contagious?
No, it’s not. It does not spread from one person to another.
Image: Twitter/@drharshvardhan
What are the symptoms?
You must visit your doctor if you experience the following symptoms;
Cough
Shortness of breath
fever
headache
nasal congestion, discharge.
sinus pain
blackened skin tissue
blisters
redness and swelling
ulcers
one side facial pain
loosening of teeth
blackish discoloration over the bridge of the nose
How is mucormycosis treated?
This includes antifungal medication, controlling blood sugar, urgent removal of dead tissue.
The outcome is poor in many patients affected with mucormyosis. Nearly half of the patients affected will die and many will sustain permanent damage to their health.
Can we prevent mucormycosis?
Yes, mucormycosis can be prevented. Vaccination can help, it will protect from infection, which in turn will protect immunity. A strong immunity system can keep mucrmycosis at bay. Awareness must be created regarding fungal infections,  diagnose them early, along with a focus on controlling diabetes and using corticosteroids wisely.
Dr. Rahul Sawant is one of the Best Cardiologist in Pune. He is Interventional Cardiologist, MBBS, MD (Med) Pune, MRCP London, CCT Cardiology Cambridge UK. He is Director of Hridaymitra Cardia Clinic, Pune. Hridaymitra Cardia Clinic of excellence in Pune for heart care and you will discover well trained, and topmost best cardiologist in Pune.
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mimic-octopus98 · 1 year
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Black Fungus; Definition, Symptoms and Causes
Black Fungus or Mucormycosis is a disease that is caused by a Fungus called Mucormycetes. This fungus is commonly found in our environment. Although the incidence of this disease is not new, it is a challenge that the Fungus attack is common to COVID-19 Patients. And it is a serious fungal infection that can affect our eyesight and even the brain. Symptoms According to the United States Center…
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strapskinkstories · 2 years
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Oct 1 2022 – I hate fungal infections & Stats for September released & KEEP YOUR PLACES CLEAN! (Exported from Wordpress on Oct 11 2022)
There’s nothing FUN about fungus or fungal infections. Of all conditions I’d have to say skin conditions are in my top 3 hated conditions because they take a long time to cure / can be very run around the bush to cure. Beginning of this month I got hammered by COVID19 Omicron, then I got some unspecified bacterial infection in my throat that started out as strep, then the Amoxicillin gave me a fungal infection in my nether regions that has made doing anything sexy impossible. I’ve been trying to keep writing but I’ve also been tired of the itchiness and pain so I’m kind of out of it right now. Should have things back to normal in the next two weeks or less.
I’ve published stats for September,
The statistics for all sites were well within normal limits, slightly slowed viewership because of a lack of publishing, I typically publish weekly or even twice a week and we’re currently down to twice in the last month. Hoping to soon get back on track to a twice weekly or weekly publishing schedule. I’m expecting as the winter months come in after people do the weird “locktober” thing and “nut nut November” comes along viewership will surge in through “destroy dick December” before “Jacking off January” comes in along with “flirty February” and “Mucky march” before “April showers (of spooge)” comes in and sets in motion Spring 2023. I’ve noticed the sites tend to slow down during the summer months and really have a surge during the winter months. Everyone is out and about and doing things. During the COVID lockdowns people were stuck at home with little option other than to hit the porn button, but now people are traveling again which means the seasonality of porn is back into swing. That said despite the seasonal weakness all sites remain within strong growth trajectories. Right now the main problem is lack of publishing and that is because my health has been sketchy this last month. Hoping that things get sorted out fast with this fungal situation in my pelvis as it’s currently the only thing holding me back from getting to things.
Totally not a kinky item & sort of an advertisement (If you’re not interested in home maintenance / filter maintenance skip this part, end of post HERE, if you are interested read on below)
Have you taken a look at your sink in the kitchen lately? Have you taken a good look at your bathroom? I found mould under the sponge holders in the kitchen, a quick wash in a bowl with 1 part bleach 3 parts water sorted that out straight away, though those sponge holders are definitely nearing the end of their lifespan. You should replace your sponge holders at least once every 3 years or if they become visibly damaged or soiled by fungus that cannot be completely eradicated with bleach. Eradication doesn’t always mean completely visible removal, there might still be some stains left after you eradicate, if there are stains they should be replaced at soonest convenience but it’s not a rush. If you have black mould that cannot be eradicated you should throw the items away as soon as possible. The same goes for any bathroom accessories. I don’t know why I’m putting a pretty common house cleaning tip here but I feel it calls to attention FUNGUS and the fact I’ve just dealt with a fungal infection and people tend to get athletes foot and fungal infections easily, its something y’all should pay some attention to. Do take good care of your home because if things get dirty in the least bit in the wrong area it can spell out a disaster for you and others living in the house. Have a whole house air humidifier attached to your furnace? Grab a new filter pad / evaporator pad NOW before the 2022 heating season kicks in. Haven’t changed your air filter? shame on you! That thing should be changed every three months! Alright, maybe not so much shaming because things can be expensive. If you’re in the United States you can save money on fridge, air, and humidifier filters by going to (SPECIAL $10 OFF LINK! –>) DiscountFilters warehouse online. if you’re elsewhere, best place to start looking is Amazon and then branch out from there. Whatever you do, don’t call your furnace company or a repair company, they’ll charge you out the ass for something you can get for under $30 and do yourself in about a half hour of time.
Stay well and safe everyone, and don’t forget to get your bivalent COVID19 booster & flu shot when you’re eligible! 
ORIGINAL POST: https://strappyskinks.com/2022/10/01/oct-1-2022-i-hate-fungal-infections-stats-for-september-released-keep-your-places-clean/ (More coming soon, sorry, not much kinky going on right now will be explained in the next update)
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mediblog21 · 2 years
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Don't link Mucormycosis / Black Fungus and Industrial Oxygen
We have logically two strong points to strengthen our argument. Speculations are going around that the rise in black fungus / mucormycosis in post-COVID-19 patients could be related to oxygen. Let it be the oxygen used traditionally in hospitals or industrial oxygen; we believe neither could be the cause.
1. Pure oxygen is toxic - black fungus cannot grow in industrial oxygen or oxygen cylinders
Neither fungi nor bacteria can live in 100% oxygen, and even a human being cannot breathe pure oxygen for more than one or two hours. Likewise, there is no way a tiny fungus, mucor, or black fungus can live in dirty oxygen pipes or oxygen cylinders, or industrial oxygen. Mucor will not grow in oxygen cylinders. Let it be medical oxygen or industrial oxygen.
2. Sporangia cannot grow in water
One more theory revolving around oxygen is that fungus spreads due to unhygienic water used in oxygen flow meters. The fungus can grow in water in the form of mycelia only, and Mycelia is like a plant without flowering. When fungus grows in water or any liquid, it cannot germinate and form sporangia. The fungus cannot release its seeds without sporangia, and Sporangia can grow only on solid substances. So even if the water used in flow meters is unhygienic and has mucor growing in it, it cannot cause mucormycosis infection.
Black fungus industrial oxygen - We breathe mucor daily, and we do not need unhygienic oxygen cylinders or dirty water inflow meters to get exposed to it. It attacks us only when our immunity is down. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is bringing down our immunity and is increasing the risk. The black fungus has been seen in patients who have hardly taken any medication and got self-healed. This gives us even more reason to start the medication ASAP and avoid health deterioration.
Mucormycosis or black fungus occurs only when immunity is low
Similar myths involve steroids used for COVID-19 treatment. Steroids can lower immunity only when taken for a long time.  For COVID-19, the steroids are given for a short time and will not impact immunity. So, steroids that are offered for COVID-19 cannot be the reason.
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cmvarma · 2 years
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Best Area Dental | Top 10 Dental Clinics In Hyderabad
Housewife and senior Janaki G.S. has been anxiously waiting for lockdown restrictions to be eased. Her dentures broke more than two weeks ago and since the dentist closed, there has been no way to fix it. "I spent two dental hospital near me harrowing weeks eating soft foods like idli and ragi mudde, except for fluids. The first thing I did on Monday was go to the dentist," she said.
The hospital resumed elective procedures and medical exams on Monday after more than two months as COVID-19 cases fell and restrictions eased. Dentists, ophthalmologists, orthopaedic surgeons and other specialists report too many patients and long appointment times.
Dr Rajashekhar, president of the Karnataka State Eye Society, said there were long queues for patients waiting to be treated for cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and other problems. With a third wave of COVID-19 expected in two months, best dental places near me patients want their eyes checked and elective surgery within the next eight weeks. “Because eye infection is one of the symptoms of black fungus, in addition to that, some patients have developed eye problems after COVID-19, and many patients who have recovered from COVID-19 are being tested. Have been participating online for several months students in the course to have their eyes checked," he said.
It is difficult to make an appointment with the dentist. Many dentists consult and manage patients online, but all physical procedures have to wait during the lockdown.
"There is a large number of patients who need root canals, extractions and other procedures but have to wait until Monday. Now we are scheduling appointments based on the severity of each case," said Dr Sudarshan Sajjan, secretary of the Indian Dental Association, Bangalore. He also reported several cases of black fungus diagnosed in dental clinics. "I diagnosed two cases from my patients on Monday. Back fungus affects the jaw and gums, and many people think it's a dental problem," he said.
However, walk-in patients in outpatient departments (OPDs) in government and private hospitals have only increased slightly, but that is expected to change by the end of the week.
B.R. Mohan, Resident Medical Officer, K.C. Bangalore General Hospital said the number of OPD patients at the hospital has increased by more than 10% in the past two days alone.
Prasanna, president of Dr. H.S. Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), said ordinary patients have begun seeking follow-up appointments with their doctors. It will take nearly a week to get back to normal. “The government has not released all the beds that were taken over during the peak of the second wave of COVID-19. As far as I know, they have been referring patients to general beds for two weeks, and they have been referring anyone to ICU beds for at least two days. except Mysore, where cases are still high. We will write to the health minister to free up our beds so we can serve other patients. If cases increase again, the government can take back the beds,” he said. - best dental clinic near me
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aradhana-01 · 2 years
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People who have taken both doses have a good chance of COVID-19 infection and are much less prone to black fungus.
We all know Mucormycosis is a serious infection and needs to be treated immediately with prescription antifungal medicine. In most cases amphotericin B, posaconazole, or isavuconazole is used. These medicines are given through a vein (amphotericin B, posaconazole, isavuconazole) or by mouth (posaconazole, isavuconazole). The other line of treatment which includes fluconazole, voriconazole, and echinocandins, does not work against fungi that cause mucormycosis. Often, mucormycosis requires surgery to cut away the infected tissue.
Sixty per cent to 70 per cent of the patients who come with black fungus had not taken the vaccine, 25-30 per cent had taken one dose, and less than five per cent had taken both doses. Thus, people who have taken both doses have a good chance of COVID-19 infection and are much less prone to black fungus.Talk to our Specialists to learn more.
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miraridoctor · 3 months
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The recent uptick in cases of the rare but deadly fungal infection, mucormycosis, in COVID-19 patients has shone a spotlight on the need for better prevention and treatment options. Mucormycosis, also known as black fungus, can lead to serious illnes... #Mirari #MirariDoctor #MirariColdPlasma #ColdPlasma
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