Mg(OH) 2 nanocrystallines with rod-, tube-, needle-, or lamella-like morphologies have been synthesized by a hydrothermal reaction using different magnesium precursors and solvents as the reactants. The products appeared to have narrow size distributions with a monodisperse nature. Subsequent thermal decomposition at 450 °C gave nanosized MgO, which preserved well the morphological features of the Mg(OH) 2 samples. The specific surface areas of the MgO samples were determined by the BET technique, which gave a feature of high surface area generally larger than 100 m 2 /g. The channels formed in the thermal dehydroxylation process may account for this feature of the MgO nanocrystallines. CM000607E

Recent studies have boosted our understanding of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in numerous biological processes, but few have examined their roles in somatic cell reprogramming. Through expression profiling and functional screening, we have identified that the large intergenic noncoding RNA p21 (lincRNA-p21) impairs reprogramming. Notably, lincRNA-p21 is induced by p53 but does not promote apoptosis or cell senescence in reprogramming. Instead, lincRNA-p21 associates with the H3K9 methyltransferase SETDB1 and the maintenance DNA methyltransferase DNMT1, which is facilitated by the RNA-binding protein HNRNPK. Consequently, lincRNA-p21 prevents reprogramming by sustaining H3K9me3 and/or CpG methylation at pluripotency gene promoters. Our results provide insight into the role of lncRNAs in reprogramming and establish a novel link between p53 and heterochromatin regulation.

A novel Ni3N/graphene nanocomposite has been synthesized as pseudo supercapacitor electrode material with high capacitance and energy density, due to its unique two-step oxidation/reduction reaction mechanism.

Compared with indirect assessments, such as mouth opening and other parameters, mandibular condylar mobility, as assessed directly using sonography, was correlated with difficult laryngoscopy and demonstrated an independent and notably predictive property.

3–8 nm sized high quality graphene quantum dots with zigzag edges and multi-heteroatom doping were synthesized through a green process of electrochemically cutting pristine few-layer graphene flakes.