Fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) is a member of the Fe (II)- and oxoglutarate-dependent AlkB dioxygenase family and is linked to both obesity and intellectual disability. The role of FTO in neurodevelopment and neurogenesis, however, remains largely unknown. Here we show that FTO is expressed in adult neural stem cells and neurons and displays dynamic expression during postnatal neurodevelopment. The loss of FTO leads to decreased brain size and body weight. We find that FTO deficiency could reduce the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of adult neural stem cells in vivo, which leads to impaired learning and memory. Given the role of FTO as a demethylase of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), we went on to perform genome-wide m6A profiling and observed dynamic m6A modification during postnatal neurodevelopment. The loss of FTO led to the altered expression of several key components of the brain derived neurotrophic factor pathway that were marked by m6A. These results together suggest FTO plays important roles in neurogenesis, as well as in learning and memory.

An ordered mesoporous WO3 material with a highly crystalline framework was synthesized by using amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide)-b-polystyrene (PEO-b-PS) diblock copolymers as a structure-directing agent through a solvent-evaporation-induced self-assembly method combined with a simple template-carbonization strategy. The obtained mesoporous WO3 materials have a large uniform mesopore size (ca. 10.9 nm) and a high surface area (ca. 121 m(2)  g(-1)). The mesoporous WO3-based H2S gas sensor shows an excellent performance for H2S sensing at low concentration (0.25 ppm) with fast response (2 s) and recovery (38 s). The high mesoporosity and continuous crystalline framework are responsible for the excellent performance in H2S sensing.

Here, we report the synthesis of nitrogen-doped hollow carbon nanospheres (N-HCSs) via a two-step Stöber method. The resultant N-HCSs possess a uniform size of ∼220 nm, a high nitrogen loading content of 14.8 wt% and a high surface area of 767 m(2) g(-1), as well as exhibit a considerable performance for CO2 capture with a capacity of 2.67 mmol g(-1) and a high selectivity in a mixture gas (N2 or O2).

Three-dimensional (3D) graphene oxide/polypyrrole (GO/PPy) composite electrodes have been fabricated via a one-step electrochemical co-deposition in an aqueous solution containing pyrrole monomer, GO and LiClO 4 . The concentration of GO in the solution plays an important role in controlling the morphologies of the as-deposited GO/PPy composites, and a relatively low concentration as 0.1 mg mL −1 is favorable for the formation of 3D interconnected structure. The unique 3D interconnected structure assures fast diffusion of electrolyte ions through the electrode. As a result, the GO/PPy composite electrode with a mass loading of 0.26 mg cm −2 exhibits the highest specific capacitance of 481.1 F g −1 , while the electrode with a larger mass loading of 1.02 mg cm −2 delivers the best area capacitance of 387.6 mF cm −2 , at a current density of 0.2 mA cm −2 . Moreover, the GO/PPy composite electrodes exhibit good rate capability with capacitance retentions over 80% when the current density load increases from 0.2 to 10 mA cm −2 . Both of the aqueous and solid-state supercapacitors based on GO/PPy composite electrodes show excellent capacitive properties with good cycling stability, indicating their suitability for applications in energy storage and management.