Publications by authors named "R M Alba"

The ethnoracial future of the United States has been framed as a demographic binary: Whites vs. people of color. The argument here is that this binary distorts by failing to take into adequate account the rapidly growing group of Americans who have been raised in mixed minority and White families, the great majority of the total mixed population.

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  • The study focuses on pediatric patients with serious neurological conditions managed in the Pediatric Palliative Care Integral Unit, particularly those experiencing movement disorders where regular treatments fail.
  • A retrospective review of clinical records from September 2012 to February 2021 identified the outcomes of intrathecal baclofen therapy (IBT) in 8 patients with various neurological issues, highlighting a significant improvement in muscle tone stabilization.
  • The findings indicate that IBT not only benefits patients with non-progressive ailments like cerebral palsy but also those with progressive conditions, as all patients experienced a clinical stability period termed the "honeymoon" phase, which averaged 14.4 months.
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Many bacteria perform extracellular electron transfer (EET), whereby electrons are transferred from the cell to an extracellular terminal electron acceptor. This electron acceptor can be an electrode and electrons can be delivered indirectly via a redox-active mediator molecule. Here, we present a protocol to study mediated EET in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, a probiotic lactic acid bacterium widely used in the food industry, using a bioelectrochemical system.

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  • Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients can improve their health outcomes through personalized education on lifestyle and nutrition, potentially aided by chatbots.
  • In 2022, a study assessed the effectiveness of multiple AI chatbots, including different versions of ChatGPT and Bard AI, in answering lifestyle and nutrition questions based on established guidelines.
  • While ChatGPT 3.5 provided mostly accurate responses, later versions showed inconsistencies, and while chatbots can engage patients effectively and offer quick answers, some inaccuracies still persist.
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Methanotrophic bacteria play a vital role in the biogeochemical carbon cycle due to their unique ability to use CH as a carbon and energy source. Evidence suggests that some methanotrophs, including , can also use CO as a carbon source, making these bacteria promising candidates for developing biotechnologies targeting greenhouse gas capture and mitigation. However, a deeper understanding of the dual CH and CO metabolism is needed to guide methanotroph strain improvements and realize their industrial utility.

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