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Assembling high-quality microbial genomes using only cost-effective Nanopore long-read systems such as Flongle is important to accelerate research on the microbial genome and the most critical point for this is the polishing process. In this study, we performed an evaluation based on BUSCO and Prokka gene prediction in terms of microbial genome assembly for eight state-of-the-art Nanopore polishing tools and combinations available. In the evaluation of individual tools, Homopolish, PEPPER, and Medaka demonstrated better results than others. In combination polishing, the second round Homopolish, and the PEPPER × medaka combination also showed better results than others. However, individual tools and combinations have specific limitations on usage and results. Depending on the target organism and the purpose of the downstream research, it is confirmed that there remain some difficulties in perfectly replacing the hybrid polishing carried out by the addition of a short-read. Nevertheless, through continuous improvement of the protein pores, related base-calling algorithms, and polishing tools based on improved error models, a high-quality microbial genome can be achieved using only Nanopore reads without the production of additional short-read data. The polishing strategy proposed in this study is expected to provide useful information for assembling the microbial genome using only Nanopore reads depending on the target microorganism and the purpose of the research.

Nitric oxide (NO) gas is an endogenously produced radical gas involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes in the human body and shows potential for biomedical applications. Numerous studies have attempted to develop an NO-releasing platform in the past few decades. To take advantage of exogenous NO gas delivery, controlling the total concentration and release profile are the most important factors. To develop a controlled NO-releasing system, we used the poly- l -lysine (PLL) and poly- l -glutamic acid (PGA) because of their high biocompatibility in biomedical applications. We constructed (PLL/PGA)n multilayer thin films using the layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. We then synthesized the N-diazeniumdiolate, a proton-responsive NO donor, into the polypeptide multilayer film in a high-pressure reaction under NO gas. We investigated the film growth profile by quartz crystal microbalance and thickness measurements and determined the film surface morphology by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. By comparing films with different thicknesses, we confirmed NO donor formation by UV–vis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. We also determined the release profiles of each film using a real-time NO analysis machine (NOA280i).

Exogeneous nitric oxide (NO) delivery is a promising therapeutic method because NO is a significant cell signaling molecule to control physiological functions. A major challenge for NO delivery is to control release due to the fast diffusion properties of gaseous molecules with low molecular weight. It is important in biomedical applications to mitigate initial burst emissions because higher concentrations of reactive NO cause cytotoxicity and tissue damage. In this study, a nanoparticle system is developed to control spontaneous gas release on the basis of surface-modified silica nanoparticles (Si NPs) by branched polyethylene imine (BPEI). BPEI is not only a scaffold of N-diazeniumdiolates—a type of NO donor—and but also a stabilizer of donors by molecular interactions with nearby amine groups. With the sustained-release manner, BPEI-coated NO-releasing Si NPs (BPEI-NO NPs) have multifunctional properties, including bactericidal efficacies as well as good cell viability for human cells. An improved ocul...

Nitric oxide (NO) gas delivery has attracted extensive interest due to its endogenous therapeutic functions and potential biomedical applications for the treatment of various diseases. The important thing about NO delivery is the emission control due to the fast diffusion rate of gas molecules. To develop NO delivery platforms using macromolecules and to comprehend the chemical NO donor generation and release mechanisms, we studied branched polyethyleneimine/alginate (BPEI/ALG) nanoblended coatings fabricated by giving structural heterogeneity to the structure through a self-assembly process for the controlled release of gas molecules. NO release could be remarkably expected via the well-organized coating structures and explained by quantification of the NO donors. Taking advantage of these polymeric coatings, this process could be applied to the treatment of various diseases based on the biocompatibility of materials and the fine control of NO release rate and its amount.

Changes in spring phenology at mid- and high latitudes have shown an association with fluctuations of winter surface temperature, with the warmer winters being generally followed by early onsets of the growing season. The study of the interannual variability of timing and length of the growing season is gaining importance because plant phenology is a sensitive indicator of climate change and has broad impacts on terrestrial ecosystems through changes in productivity and in the annual carbon and water cycles. The dependence between onset of the spring season (measured through dates of first leafing, blooming, pollen season start, and ice break in lakes) in Europe and the phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation, a large-scale displacement of air mass between the subarctic and the subtropical regions of the North Atlantic, has been studied in detail. The effects of this oscillation include climatic anomalies in the months preceding the onset of the Northern Hemisphere growing season, with important impacts on spring phenology.

Microerosion processes due to the impact of raindrops on the soil (rainsplash) represent an important mechanism of detachment and removal of soil parcels. The annual and interannual patterns of rainsplash erosion are controlled by the variability of rainfall, vegetation cover, and land-use practice. This paper presents a study of the interannual variability of rainfall erosivity (which is an indicator of the erosive power of rainfall) due to winter precipitation in the southwestern United States and its connection to the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). A remarkable degree of dependence was found between the values of winter erosivity and the Southern Oscillation index (SOI) in the months proceeding and during each winter. In general, it was observed that the erosive power of rainfall is stronger during El Nino years and weaker during the La Nina phase in the U.S. southwest, as is the rainfall itself. It was also observed that the erosivity and SOI are nonlinearly related. This dependence of ...