Measuring gene expression in individual cells is crucial for understanding the gene regulatory network controlling human embryonic development. Here we apply single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis to 124 individual cells from human preimplantation embryos and human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) at different passages. The number of maternally expressed genes detected in our data set is 22,687, including 8,701 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which represents a significant increase from 9,735 maternal genes detected previously by cDNA microarray. We discovered 2,733 novel lncRNAs, many of which are expressed in specific developmental stages. To address the long-standing question whether gene expression signatures of human epiblast (EPI) and in vitro hESCs are the same, we found that EPI cells and primary hESC outgrowth have dramatically different transcriptomes, with 1,498 genes showing differential expression between them. This work provides a comprehensive framework of the transcriptome landscapes of human early embryos and hESCs.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and first-principles density-functional calculations were used to study the interaction of thiophene, H(2)S, and S(2) with Ni(2)P(001), alpha-Mo(2)C(001), and polycrystalline MoC. In general, the reactivity of the surfaces increases following the sequence MoC < Ni(2)P(001) < alpha-Mo(2)C(001). At 300 K, thiophene does not adsorb on MoC. In contrast, Ni(2)P(001) and alpha-Mo(2)C(001) can dissociate the molecule easily. The key to establish a catalytic cycle for desulfurization is in the removal of the decomposition products of thiophene (C(x)H(y) fragments and S) from these surfaces. Our experimental and theoretical studies indicate that the rate-determining step in a hydrodesulfurization (HDS) process is the transformation of adsorbed sulfur into gaseous H(2)S. Ni(2)P is a better catalyst for HDS than Mo(2)C or MoC. The P sites in the phosphide play a complex and important role. First, the formation of Ni-P bonds produces a weak "ligand effect" (minor stabilization of the Ni 3d levels and a small Ni --> P charge transfer) that allows a high activity for the dissociation of thiophene and molecular hydrogen. Second, the number of active Ni sites present in the surface decreases due to an "ensemble effect" of P, which prevents the system from deactivation induced by high coverages of strongly bound S. Third, the P sites are not simple spectators and provide moderate bonding to the products of the decomposition of thiophene and the H adatoms necessary for hydrogenation.

Activating gold: High‐resolution photoemission spectroscopy and DFT calculations were used to study the interaction of SO2 with Au/TiC(001) surfaces. Both revealed molecular adsorption of SO2 on TiC(001) but complete dissociation of the SO bonds on Au/TiC(001) (see picture). Au/TiC(001) cleaves SO bonds more efficiently than Au/TiO2(110) or Au/MgO(100) and decomposes SO2 at temperatures as low as 150 K.

A 64-fold improved efficiency of solar-to-hydrogen conversion (SHC) was achieved via exposing Au nanoparticles (NPs) on the {001} facets of anatase TiO 2 nanosheets. The SHC follows a surface plasmon resonance-mediated electron injection mechanism, where Au NPs can not only harvest visible light and convert them to free energetic electrons, but promote the SHC by increasing the electron-hole pair formation rate driven by the electromagnetic field formed nearby the semiconductor.