Publications by authors named "R Rondon"

Antibody discovery technologies, essential for research and therapeutic applications, have evolved significantly since the development of hybridoma technology. Various in vitro (display) and in vivo (animal immunization and B cell-sequencing) workflows have led to the discovery of antibodies against diverse antigens. Despite this success, standard display and B-cell sequencing-based technologies are limited to targets that can be produced in a soluble form.

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  • Antarctica's isolation does not shield it from human impacts, particularly through pollutants like micro-nanoplastics that affect its unique filter-feeding invertebrates.
  • * These invertebrates are vital for carbon flux in coastal ecosystems, but their susceptibility to contaminants poses risks to the entire food web.
  • * Assessing the effects of manufactured nanoparticles on these organisms is crucial, and using specific metazoans as indicators can help monitor environmental health.
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In recent years micro- and nanoplastics and metal-oxide nanomaterials have been found in several environmental compartments. The Antarctic soft clam Laternula elliptica is an endemic Antarctic species having a wide distribution in the Southern Ocean. Being a filter-feeder, it could act as suitable bioindicator of pollution from nanoparticles also considering its sensitivity to various sources of stress.

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Nanoplastics and engineering nanomaterials (ENMs) are contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), increasingly being detected in the marine environment and recognized as a potential threat for marine biota at the global level including in polar areas. Few studies have assessed the impact of these anthropogenic nanoparticles in the microbiome of marine invertebrates, however combined exposure resembling natural scenarios has been overlooked. The present study aimed to evaluate the single and combined effects of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NP) as proxy for nanoplastics and nanoscale titanium dioxide (nano-TiO) on the prokaryotic communities associated with the gill tissue of the Antarctic soft-shell clam Laternula elliptica, a keystone species of marine benthos Wild-caught specimens were exposed to two environmentally relevant concentrations of carboxylated PS NP (PS-COOH NP, ∼62 nm size) and nano-TiO (Aeroxide P25, ∼25 nm) as 5 and 50 μg/L either single and combined for 96h in a semi-static condition.

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  • The study examined marine litter on the beaches of Punta Arenas, Chile, during the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying 239 plastic items out of a total of 638 litter pieces.
  • The Clean Coast Index (CCI) revealed beach cleanliness varied significantly, ranging from Clean (2-5) to Extremely Dirty (over 20), particularly near the port area.
  • The findings highlighted that PVC was the predominant type of plastic litter, and the study also discussed the sources of waste and compared the CCI with other international locations.
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