“Exceeding expectations every day is what we strive for so it’s incredibly exciting to have our dedication recognized by an industry leader like U.S. News.” -Michele Ellis, executive director, Billerica Crossings

BILLERICA, Mass. (PRWEB)
May 17, 2023

Benchmark Senior Living at Billerica Crossings, an assisted living and Mind & Memory Care community, has ranked among the best assisted living with memory care communities in Massachusetts and the entire U.S. for the second straight year. In U.S. News & World Report’s second annual Best Senior Living ratings published today, the community was selected following a comprehensive resident and family member survey.

Billerica Crossings earned “Best” status by achieving the highest possible rating for both assisted living and memory care. Respondents gave the community high marks in critical areas, such as overall value, management and staff, resident enrichment, dining and food, safety, transportation, maintenance, housekeeping and location.

Forty Benchmark communities throughout the Northeast received a total of 53 U.S. News awards for the second straight year.

“We are honored and humbled that our residents and their families, once again, recognized the hard work, compassion, and dedication of our 6,000-plus associates. It’s their shared purpose of transforming lives through human connection that earned Benchmark these U.S. News & World Report awards and continues to separate Benchmark communities from other senior living companies,” said Tom Grape, founder, chairman and CEO of Benchmark.

Billerica Crossings’ care and experiences spans independent assisted living to specialized memory care assisted living for those who would benefit from a safer, engaging environment, chef-prepared meals, supportive living services, transportation and assistance with daily activities, such as getting dressed and medication management. Residents enjoy connecting over programs and amenities offered in many common spaces including a demonstration kitchen, recreation room with pool table, library, hair salon, private dining room and outdoor courtyards with seasonal dining and walking paths.

Billerica Crossings’ award-winning Mind & Memory Care program offers carefully created living environments and unique opportunities for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia to find joy in each new day. Residents are supported by 24/7 care providers who have been hired for heart and educated in memory loss, communication and empathy. Neighborhoods provide the comforts of home and have unique features that help those with memory impairment stay connected to who and what matters most to them. Thoughtful touches, visual cues and purposeful amenities further promote familiarity and wellness.

“Our team is committed to keeping our residents connected to who and what matters most through outstanding care and experiences,” said Michele Ellis, executive director of Billerica Crossings. “Exceeding expectations every day is what we strive for so it’s incredibly exciting to have our dedication recognized by an industry leader like U.S. News.”

For more than 30 years, U.S. News has served the American public as an unbiased arbiter of quality across a variety of important choices. Whether picking a college, selecting a hospital or moving to a nursing home, consumers go to U.S. News to research and make consequential life decisions.

“For the second consecutive year, U.S. News is providing in-depth information to help potential residents and their loved ones find the best place to help meet their needs,” said Sumita Singh, senior vice president and general manager of Healthcare at U.S. News. “Communities that are highly rated excel in making residents feel safe, well cared for and highly satisfied by the services provided.”

For more information about Benchmark Senior Living at Billerica Crossings, click here or go to its U.S. News profile at https://health.usnews.com/best-senior-living/benchmark-senior-living-at-billerica-crossings-1403.

About Benchmark Senior Living

Benchmark is New England’s largest senior living provider with 65 independent living, assisted living, memory care and continuing care communities and over 5,000 dedicated associates providing compassionate care and outstanding experiences throughout the Northeast. The Waltham, Mass.-based company was founded over 25 years ago by Tom Grape with the purpose of Transforming Lives Through Human Connection. Since then, Benchmark has continued to set the industry standard, having won over a hundred local, regional and national awards for its care, programs and as a top workplace. Benchmark has been named one of the Top Places to Work for 15 straight years in The Boston Globe’s annual employee-based survey and received repeated recognition in FORTUNE’s Best Workplaces for Aging Services list. For more information, visit BenchmarkSeniorLiving.com.

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Instrument Grants

“Our intent for this program is to support scientists, with a focus on undergraduates, to become inventors and innovators in this compelling area of research by building tools and instruments.” – Anne Hultgren, PhD, Beckman Foundation Executive Director

IRVINE, Calif. (PRWEB)
May 17, 2023

The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation today announced selection of three awardees for its instrumentation grant, Mass Spectrometry for Atmospheric Monitoring, which will provide support of up to $1 million per site for development of new instrument prototype designs that offer the most advanced mass spectrometry detection capabilities and sensitivity levels in lightweight, inexpensive, and easily operable systems for mobile monitoring. This investment underscores the Foundation’s mission of supporting research breakthroughs in chemistry and the life sciences, and fostering the invention of methods, instruments, and materials that open new avenues of research and applications in these sciences and related disciplines.

The following institutions were selected after a scientific review committee evaluated submissions from the Foundation’s open request for proposals:

Furman University, Team Lead: Dr. Mac Gilliland

University of Washington, Team Lead: Dr. Joel Thornton

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Team Lead: Dr. Timothy Bertram

Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique typically conducted within the lab which can be used to identify the chemical composition of a substance by measuring the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. Mass spectrometers can provide the information needed for the detection of hazardous pollutants; however, most systems are still too large and expensive, and require a trained operator with scientific expertise, to be effectively used for long-term monitoring. Having easily deployable instruments to perform these measurements is essential for collecting these data sets. This challenge represents an opportunity for scientists and engineers to work in interdisciplinary teams for a solution to a real-world problem, reminiscent of Dr. Arnold O. Beckman’s own efforts in combating smog in Los Angeles via environmental monitoring and the study of physical processes in the air.

“Our intent for this program is to support scientists, with a focus on undergraduates, to become inventors and innovators in this compelling area of research by building tools and instruments,” explained Dr. Anne Hultgren, Beckman Foundation’s Executive Director. “Miniaturizing mass spectrometers has been an active area of research for many years. If successful, the prototype monitoring systems developed by our awardee teams could have a lasting impact on informing policy decisions on sources of pollution, improving indoor and outdoor air quality, and furthering democratization of access to clean air around the world.”

Program awards will span a three-year period funded in annual installments tentatively scheduled to begin in June 2023.

About the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation

Located in Irvine, California, the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation supports researchers and nonprofit research institutions in making the next generation of breakthroughs in chemistry and the life sciences. Founded in 1977 by 20th century scientific instrumentation pioneer Dr. Arnold O. Beckman, the Foundation supports institutions and young scientists whose creative, high-risk, and interdisciplinary research will lead to innovations and new tools and methods for scientific discovery. For more information, visit http://www.beckman-foundation.org/.

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Prevent Blindness to hold 12th Annual Focus on Eye Health Summit, July 12-13, 2023, with this year’s theme, “Why the Eye?”

“As we enter our 115th year of public health and patient advocacy, we encourage everyone to join us on July 12-13 to collaborate, innovate, and work collectively in order to achieve better vision health outcomes for generations to come,” Jeff Todd, Prevent Blindness President and CEO.

CHICAGO (PRWEB)
May 17, 2023

Prevent Blindness, the nation’s leading eye health and safety nonprofit organization, will host the 12th annual Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Summit on July 12-13, 2023, as a virtual interactive event. Expert presentations related to this year’s theme, “Why the Eye?” will engage diverse voices in discussions around vision health as it relates to public health, stimulate conversations around the challenges to equitable access to eye care, explore new and unique collaborations across stakeholders, and identify opportunities to integrate vision and eye health into public health policies, practices, and research advancement.

This global event offers simultaneous access to expert presentations, an exhibitor hall, educational materials, videos, and toolkits, and in-platform opportunities for networking and collaboration. Expected attendees include patient advocates, community-based and advocacy organizations, national vision and eye health organizations, researchers, health-care providers, educators, early childhood education professionals, senior- and child-care professionals, government agency staff, corporate partners, health program professionals, legislative staff, and more. All are invited to visit the social media lounge, and follow on Prevent Blindness social media platforms at #eyesummit.

The Summit will kick-off on July 12th, with keynote speaker Neil M. Bressler, M.D., Professor of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and editor-in-chief of JAMA Ophthalmology, with his presentation, “Advances in Eyecare and the Impact on the Patient.”

Additional presentations on day one of the Focus on Eye Health Summit will include:

•     Making an Impact With the Stories We Tell

o    Moderator: Kevin D. Frick, PhD, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School

o    Patrice Marie Hicks, PhD, MPH, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Michigan

o    Sila Bal, MD, MPH, Cornea and Refractive Surgery Fellow, Harvard Ophthalmology

o    Christina Gill, Global Family Coordinator, Know the Glow

•     Reimagining How We Engage Communities from Identification into Care – Children and Adults

o    Moderator: Tami Garcia, President & CEO, Prevent Blindness Wisconsin

o    Verian Wedeking, Program Director, OHSU Casey Eye Institute Community Outreach

o    Mayhoua Moua, Executive Director, Milwaukee Consortium for Hmong Health, Inc.

o    Ellen K. Antwi-Adjei, OD, MPH, Vision Science Graduate Program Trainee, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry

o    Mercedes Hernández, MPH, CHES, Director of Child and Family Health, East Coast Migrant Head Start Project

Additionally, Jim McGrann, Prevent Blindness Board of Directors Chair, will formally present the 2023 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health to Dean A. VanNasdale, OD, PhD, Associate Professor at The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Optometry. One of the highest honors Prevent Blindness bestows, the Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health recognizes an individual, team, or organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of public health related to vision and eye health at the community, state, national, and/or international level.

The fourth annual Prevent Blindness Rising Visionary Award will also be presented to Christina Ambrosino, medical student at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The Rising Visionary Award is presented annually to a student, intern, or resident in optometry, ophthalmology, primary health care, nursing, or other health-related field in the United States, who submits the best essay based on a question related to the 2023 Focus on Eye Health Summit theme.

The second day of the Focus on Eye Health Summit will be dedicated to mental health and vision. The Summit will begin with keynote speaker, Julian Eaton, BSc, MSc, MBBS, MRCPsych, Mental Health Director, CBM Global, Assistant Professor, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, with his presentation, “Innovative Mental Health Approaches.” The session will address the importance of, and share actionable steps for, integrating mental health into the vision and eye health community.

Presentations following the keynote address on July 13th will include:

•     Forum on the Public Health Connection Between Mental Wellness and Vision

o    Moderator: Steven M. Silverstein, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Ophthalmology, University of Rochester Medical Center

o    Patient Perspective: Carol Johnson, Prevent Blindness ASPECT Patient Engagement Program Graduate

o    Public Health Case Around Mental Health and Vision: Varshini Varadaraj, MD, MPH, Research Associate, Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center

o    Overview of Prevent Blindness Issue Brief – Vision Loss and Mental Health: Key Takeaways from an Interprofessional Task Force: Julie Grutzmacher, MSW, MPH, Director of Patient Advocacy & Population Health Initiatives

•     Provider Roundtable Discussion

o    Melissa Taussig, MA, LCPC, Private Practice, Prevent Blindness ASPECT Patient Engagement Program Graduate

o    K. Thiran Jayasundera, MD, MS, FACS, FRCSC, FRANZCO, Paul R. Lichter Professor of Ophthalmic Genetics, Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan

o    Rochelle Neutra, FNP, MSN, Prevent Blindness ASPECT Patient Engagement Program Graduate

o    Kelly Scherer, OD, Director of Clinical Services, The Chicago Lighthouse

o    Patient Perspective: Larry Woodard, Prevent Blindness ASPECT Patient Engagement Program Graduate

•     Policy Opportunities and Obstacles Around Vision and Mental Wellness

o    Moderator: Jennifer Dexter, Vice President of Policy, National Health Council

o    Sara D. Brown, MPA, Director of Government Affairs, Prevent Blindness

o    Angela Kimball, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy, Inseparable

To date, Platinum Sponsors of the 2023 Focus on Eye Health Summit are the Alliance for Aging Research, Horizon Therapeutics, and PhRMA. Gold sponsors include Apellis Pharmaceuticals, BrightFocus Foundation, the Center for Vision & Population Health at Prevent Blindness, and the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness.

Silver Summit sponsors include Alexion, American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, American Society of Retinal Specialists, The EyeSight Foundation of Alabama, Foundation Fighting Blindness, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Lions Clubs International Foundation, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, National Industries for the Blind, National Keratoconus Foundation, Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation, and VisionServe Alliance.

“Every year, the Focus on Eye Health Summit convenes exceptional individuals who generously share their expertise, passion, and dedication to improve vision and eye health for all,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “As we enter our 115th year of public health and patient advocacy, we encourage everyone to join us on July 12-13 to collaborate, innovate, and work collectively in order to achieve better vision health outcomes for generations to come.”

To register for the 2023 Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Summit, visit PreventBlindness.org/eyesummit. For information about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Nita Sinha, Director of Public Health, at EyeSummit@PreventBlindness.org.

About Prevent Blindness

Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, Prevent Blindness is committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America. For more information, visit us at PreventBlindness.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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“With new perspectives and expertise joining our advisory team, we can take our clinical expertise and support to the next level and continue to enrich and elevate special education to meet the needs of the districts we work with,” said Dr. Jaime Sowers, Advisory Team Director at BlazerWorks.

ATLANTA (PRWEB)
May 17, 2023

BlazerWorks, one of the country’s first special education advisory service providers, announced an expansion of its strategic Clinical Special Education Advisory team today. Members of the advisory team will help guide the company’s vision and mission-critical work to evolve, enrich, and elevate the country’s special education experience through clinical expertise and special education advisory services. The Clinical Special Education Advisory team’s expansion includes additional speech-language and school psychology experts to support districts facing severe staffing shortages in special education.

“Our goal at BlazerWorks is to give school administrators their time back so they can focus on what really matters – providing students with the quality education that they deserve,” said Dr. Jaime Sowers, Advisory Team Director at BlazerWorks. “With new perspectives and expertise joining our advisory team, we can take our clinical expertise and support to the next level and continue to enrich and elevate special education to meet the needs of the districts we work with.”

The five new additions to the Special Education Advisory team include:

• 
  Larin Wilson, M.A., CCC-SLP, Speech Therapy Advisor: Larin is a highly qualified speech-language pathologist specializing in special education and supporting students with mild to moderate disabilities and those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. As a BlazerWorks Speech Therapy Advisor, she loves connecting with districts and therapists to collaborate, give guidance, and help problem-solve with individual solutions. In particular, she thrives on equipping districts, therapists, and partners with the knowledge and tools they need to work together successfully and create the best learning environment possible.
• Mary Kozyra, M.S., CCC-SLP, Speech Therapy Advisor: Mary is an experienced speech-language pathologist focusing on pediatric speech sound disorders, language disorders, and literacy. As a Speech Therapy Advisor at BlazerWorks, Mary is passionate about providing support and resources to speech therapists and education professionals to help them succeed in their current assignments and career.
• Catherine Yates, M.Ed., CCC-SLP, Speech Therapy Advisor: Catherine is a highly skilled speech-language pathologist specializing in feeding and myofunctional disorders and supports students with childhood apraxia of speech. As a Speech Therapy Advisor, she enjoys assisting school districts in improving their processes, organizational structure, and workflow. She also empowers education professionals to implement the MTSS process effectively to support student success.
• Katelyn Kelsey, M.A.E., M.Ed., BCISE, Special Education Advisor: Katelyn is a passionate special educator interested in education law and policy. Throughout her career, she has been motivated to remove barriers to education and advocate for students to access culturally relevant and accessible education. As a Special Education Advisor, Katelyn enjoys advising districts and educators to ensure students receive developmentally appropriate instruction and access to highly qualified and effective teachers.
• Serena Sowin, M.A., LSSP, NCSP, BCBA, School Psychology Advisor: Serena is a highly skilled school psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst passionate about providing positive behavior supports and using data to make informed decisions. As a BlazerWorks School Psychology Advisor, Serena thrives on helping educators implement evidence-based interventions, completing comprehensive IEP and behavioral assessments, and providing conflict management support within multidisciplinary teams.

“In all of my experience working as a speech therapist, I have never had the opportunity to aid other special education educators in a way that the advisory team allows me to,” said Catherine Yates, M.Ed., CCC-SLP, Speech Therapy Advisor. “I am confident that this next step in leadership will allow us to provide the tools and expertise districts need to refine special education training and support.”

The shortage of special education professionals is a critical issue nationwide and can lead to larger class sizes, less individualized instruction, and increased burnout. Additionally, students with disabilities may not receive the necessary support and accommodations to succeed in school. The Clinical Special Education Advisory Team works with districts to ensure all students have access to high-quality education.

With these added professionals to the Clinical Special Education Advisory team, BlazerWorks can continue to be a comprehensive special education advisory services provider. They work with districts and school-based professionals as a single point of contact to fully integrate clinical expertise into learning environments, enrich therapists and teachers, enhance school staff and staffing programs, and elevate the educational experience. The service, provided at no additional cost to school districts, consists of a dedicated team of Special Education Teachers, School Psychologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and other related service providers.

BlazerWorks Clinical Special Education Advisory team offers expertise, insights, and perspectives for schools and education professionals. Services include:

• Assessment & Instruction
• Learning & Enrichment
• Resources & Tools
• Advising & Mentorship
• IEP Process Support
• Providing Solutions

To learn more about the Special Education Clinical Advisory team, visit https://www.blazerworks.com/about/clinical-advisors/.

To learn more about BlazerWorks, visit https://www.blazerworks.com/.

About BlazerWorks

BlazerWorks is a Special Education Advisory Service Provider with over three decades of experience in the education industry. BlazerWorks’ mission is to elevate special education in the United States by providing advisory services and support to districts and school-based professionals. BlazerWorks works hand-in-hand with school districts to fully integrate clinical expertise into learning environments, enrich therapists and teachers, streamline school staffing programs, and elevate the educational experience. To learn more, visit https://www.blazerworks.com/.

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Oshi Health

“We are scaling access to care that millions of people have desperately needed and building a specialized clinical workforce and empowered culture that thrives on virtual care delivery. The opportunity to change lives is what drew us to healthcare in the first place,” said Sam Holliday, Oshi’s CEO.

NEW YORK (PRWEB)
May 17, 2023

Oshi Health, the virtual specialty care company transforming gastrointestinal (GI) health outcomes and economics, has been selected by Modern Healthcare as one of the 2023 Best Places to Work in Healthcare.

“We are scaling access to care that millions of people have desperately needed, and building a specialized clinical workforce and empowered culture that thrives through virtual care delivery. This opportunity to change lives is what drew all of us to healthcare in the first place,” said Sam Holliday, Oshi Health CEO. “We are honored to be included in Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work and are grateful for our team’s relentless dedication to our shared mission to alleviate the daily burden of digestive conditions. Every day, we are motivated by the gratitude and feedback of our members.”

The Modern Healthcare Best Places to Work in Healthcare list identifies and recognizes outstanding employers in healthcare nationwide through extensive employee surveys. The program was created to recognize companies that continuously strive to improve their work environment and increase employee engagement, satisfaction and retention through innovative changes in the workplace.

“An uncertain economy, staffing shortages and increasing demands for flexibility and remote work opportunities are forcing every business in the industry to focus on attracting and retaining talent in unprecedented ways,” said Dan Peres, president of Modern Healthcare. “The 2023 Best Places to Work winners proved the value of understanding what employees want — and need — today. The healthcare industry is going through a period of extraordinary change. Having the right people in place is more critical than ever, and the winning workplaces understand that taking care of employees is central to business success.”

Oshi Health’s virtual multidisciplinary digestive care model makes integrated care – including often-neglected dietary and psychosocial interventions – available 24×7 as a covered benefit. This groundbreaking approach to care is transforming digestive health, conditions that affect 25% of the population and drive significant avoidable costs.

Recent clinical trial results demonstrated 98% member satisfaction while achieving savings of $6,724 per patient in GI-related costs, and $10,292 per patient in all-cause healthcare costs after 6 months in the program. Patients also reported 1.3 fewer missed workdays per month and demonstrated lower healthcare utilization including a 64% reduction in GI-related emergency department visits.

Oshi Health’s GI-specialized clinicians work with members through iterative, highly supportive care to help them come to understand their symptom triggers and achieve sustainable symptom control and relief.

Oshi Health extends traditional gastroenterology practices in a hybrid collaborative care model that makes evidence-based care accessible in collaboration with their local gastroenterologist.

The complete list of this year’s winners, in alphabetical order, is available at ModernHealthcare.com/bestplaceslist. Modern Healthcare will publish a special supplement featuring a ranked list of all the winners along with the October 2, 2023, issue of MH magazine.

​​About Modern Healthcare

Modern Healthcare is the most trusted business news and information brand in the healthcare industry. Modern Healthcare empowers healthcare leaders and influencers to make timely and informed business decisions. To learn more or subscribe, go to http://www.modernhealthcare.com/subscriptions

About Oshi Health

Oshi Health is a completely redesigned digestive health care experience that transforms access to care, the patient experience, clinical outcomes and healthcare economics. In a high-touch virtual care delivery model, Oshi Health provides diagnosis and integrated care for digestive conditions and empowers people to achieve lasting control of their symptoms. Launched in 2020, Oshi Health works with innovative employers, health insurance partners, health systems and community GI practices to scale access to multidisciplinary care, reduce healthcare costs, and improve the lives of millions of Americans with chronic gastrointestinal diseases. For more information, visit http://www.oshihealth.com.

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Even though these transformative strategies save effort, time and budget, some, like drug pooling, still aren’t commonly used throughout the industry today.

TORONTO (PRWEB)
May 17, 2023

Over the past two decades, the clinical supply chain discipline, within the pharmaceutical industry, has sought a variety of strategies to ensure the right medicine gets to the right patient at the right time most effectively and efficiently. Even though these transformative strategies save effort, time and budget, some, like drug pooling, still aren’t commonly used throughout the industry today.

Join the featured speaker as she uncovers the barriers to widespread adoption and why drug pooling is an exceptionally effective and efficient strategy for drug clinical supply chain management.

Join Cat Hall, VP Data and Quality, endpoint Clinical, for the live webinar on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at 11am EDT (4pm BST/UK).

For more information, or to register for this event, visit Drug Pooling: An Untapped Clinical Supply Chain Strategy.

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year, thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers.

To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.com

For information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/

Contact:

Vera Kovacevic

Tel: +1 (416) 977-6555 x371

Email: vkovacevic@xtalks.com

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