Plasma Induced Atomic-Scale Soldering Enhanced Efficiency and Stability of Electrocatalysts for Ampere-Level Current Density Water Splitting.

Industrial water electrolysis typically operates at high current densities, the efficiency and stability of catalysts are greatly influenced by mass transport processes and adhesion with substrates. The core scientific issues revolve around reducing transport overpotential losses and enhancing catalyst-substrate binding to ensure long-term performance. Herein, vertical Ni-Co-P is synthesized and employed plasma treatment for dual modification of its surface and interface with the substrate. The (N)Ni-Co-P/Ni3N cathode exhibits an ultra-low overpotential of 421 mV at 4000 mA cm-2, and the non-noble metal system only requires a voltage of 1.85 V to reach 1000 mA cm-2. When integrated into an anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer, it can operate stably for >300 h at 500 mA cm-2. Under natural light, the solar-driven AEM electrolyzer operates at a current density up to 1585 mA cm-2 with a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency (SHT) of 9.08%. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that plasma modification leads to an "atomic-scale soldering" effect, where the Ni3N strong coupling with the Co increases free charge density, simultaneously enhancing stability and conductivity. This research offers a promising avenue for optimizing ampere-level current density water splitting, paving the way for efficient and sustainable industrial hydrogen production.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the Phospholipase Ds in Perennial Ryegrass Highlights LpABFs-LpPLDδ3 Cascade Modulated Osmotic and Heat Stress Responses.

The phospholipase Ds (PLDs) are crucial for cellular signalling and play roles in plant abiotic stress response. In this study, we identified 12 PLD genes from the genome data of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), which is widely used as forage and turfgrass. Among them, LpPLDδ3 was significantly repressed by ABA treatment, and induced by drought stress and heat stress treatments. The ectopic overexpression (OE) of LpPLDδ3 in Arabidopsis enhanced plant tolerance to osmotic and heat stress as demonstrated by an increased survival rate and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and electrolyte leakage (EL). Arabidopsis endogenous ABA RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING FACTORs (ABFs) and heat stress responsive genes were elevated in LpPLDδ3 OE lines under osmotic and heat stress treatments. Additionally, overexpression of LpPLDδ3 in perennial ryegrass protoplasts could increase heat stress tolerance and elevate expression level of heat stress responsive genes. Moreover, LpABF2 and LpABF4 depressed the LpPLDδ3 expression by directly binding to its ABRE core-binding motif of promoter region. In summary, LpPLDδ3 was repressed by LpABF2 and LpABF4 and positively involved in perennial ryegrass osmotic and heat stress responses.

Single-cell transcriptional profiling uncovers the association between EOMES+CD8+ T cells and acquired EGFR-TKI resistance.

Acquired resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is reportedly inevitable in lung cancers harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, emphasizing the need for novel approaches to predict EGFR-TKI resistance for clinical monitoring and patient management. This study identified a significant increase in eomesodermin (EOMES)+CD8+ T cells in the TKI-resistant patients, which was correlated with poor survival. The increase in EOMES+CD8+ T cells was further confirmed in both tissue samples and peripheral blood of patients with TKIs resistance. The integrated analysis of pseudotime and Gene set variation showed that the increase in EOMES+CD8+ T cells may be attributed to TRM T cell conversion and metabolic reprogramming. Overall, this work suggested an association between the increased number of EOMES+CD8+ T cells and acquired TKI drug resistance, supporting the utility of EOMES+CD8+ T cells as a biomarker for TKI treatment response.

D-Mannose prevents bone loss under weightlessness.

BACKGROUND: Astronauts undergo significant microgravity-induced bone loss during space missions, which has become one of the three major medical problems hindering human's long-term space flight. A risk-free and antiresorptive drug is urgently needed to prevent bone loss during space missions. D-mannose is a natural C-2 epimer of D-glucose and is abundant in cranberries. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of D-mannose against bone loss under weightlessness. METHODS: The hind legs of tail-suspended (TS) rats were used to mimic weightlessness on Earth. Rats were administered D-mannose intragastrically. The osteoclastogenic and osteogenic capacity of D-mannose in vitro and in vivo was analyzed by micro-computed tomography, biomechanical assessment, bone histology, serum markers of bone metabolism, cell proliferation assay, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting. RNA-seq transcriptomic analysis was performed to detect the underlying mechanisms of D-mannose in bone protection. RESULTS: The TS rats showed lower bone mineral density (BMD) and poorer bone morphological indices. D-mannose could improve BMD in TS rats. D-mannose inhibited osteoclast proliferation and fusion in vitro, without apparent effects on osteoblasts. RNA-seq transcriptomic analysis showed that D-mannose administration significantly inhibited the cell fusion molecule dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP) and two indispensable transcription factors for osteoclast fusion (c-Fos and nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 [NFATc1]). Finally, TS rats tended to experience dysuria-related urinary tract infections (UTIs), which were suppressed by treatment with D-mannose. CONCLUSION: D-mannose protected against bone loss and UTIs in rats under weightlessness. The bone protective effects of D-mannose were mediated by inhibiting osteoclast cell fusion. Our findings provide a potential strategy to protect against bone loss and UTIs during space missions.

Effect of Rosiglitazone, the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR)-γ Agonist, on Apoptosis, Inflammatory Cytokines and Oxidative Stress in pentylenetetrazole-Induced Seizures in Kindled Mice.

A growing body of evidence has shown that seizure can trigger inflammatory cascades through increasing the expression of several inflammatory cytokines. It has been proved that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonists have immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects beyond the putative hypoglycemic effects. Thus, we investigated the inhibitory effect of rosiglitazone on the development of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced kindling via affecting the inflammatory pathway. Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into vehicle group (0.1% DMSO), PTZ-group and rosiglitazone-PTZ-group. Kindling was induced by the administration of PTZ (40 mg/kg, i.p) every other day and mice were observed for 20 min after each PTZ injection. Twenty-four hours after the last dose, animals were euthanized and hippocampus was isolated. The level of Malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), and Catalase (CAT) activity were quantified in hippocampus by biochemical methods. The protein levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α, caspase-3, iNOS, PPAR-γ, Bcl-2, or Bax factors were measured with western blotting. Also, the quantitative real-time PCR were used to evaluate the mRNA expression of those factors. Pretreatment with rosiglitazone significantly prevented the progression of kindling in comparison with control group. The rosiglitazone significantly decreased the MDA level and increased the CAT, and SOD levels in the rosiglitazone treated mice compared to those in the PTZ group (P < 0.01). Using real-time PCR and Western blotting assay, similar results were obtained. The expression levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α, Bax or PPAR-γ were significantly changed in the brain. The results of this study suggest that effect of rosiglitazone may be crucial in its ability to protect against the neuronal damage caused by PTZ induced seizure.

Single-atom infrared emission in doped silicon nanocrystals.

Silicon luminescence, due to silicon being abundant, non-toxic and harmless, is a topic of pivotal importance in optoelectronics and biological imaging. However, a major challenge in developing high-efficiency silicon light sources is the relatively weak allowable transitions. This study focuses on single atom-doped silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) and theoretically investigates the emission behavior of single atoms within a tetrahedral coordination field. Doping a single atom in Si NCs can result in a ∼102 times improvement at least in the squared transition dipole moment (TDM2), and induce a spectral shift towards near- and mid-infrared wavelengths. These findings offer a strong foundation for designing Si NCs for on-chip optical communication and single photon emitters.

Ambient-Pressure Recoverable Polynitrogen Solids Assembled by Pentazolate Rings with High Energy Density.

Crystal structure predictions and first-principles calculations were used to predict three polynitrogen solids (aP8-N, aP12-N, and oP24-N) that possess competitive enthalpies as compared to the synthesized open-chain N8 phase at pressures in the range of 0-60 GPa. aP8-N, aP12-N, and oP24-N contain edge-shared, N2-linked, and N-bridged pentazolate rings and form molecular N8, molecular N12, and quasi-one-dimensional N∞ ribbons, respectively. The calculations of formation enthalpies show that the three polynitrogen solids can be synthesized by compressing cyclo-N5 salts in hydrogen-saturated environments. Molecular simulations suggest that the three polynitrogen solids have the ability of quench recoverability under ambient conditions once being synthesized at high pressure. With estimated energy densities in the range of 5.6-6.5 kJ/g, these three polynitrogen phases show notable promise for applications as high-energy-density materials.

Effectiveness and cytotoxicity of two desensitizing agents: a dentin permeability measurement and dentin barrier testing in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: When evaluating the efficacy and safety of various desensitizing products in vitro, their mechanism of action and clinical utility should be considered during test model selection. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of two desensitizers, an in-office use material and an at-home use material, on dentin specimen permeability, and their dentin barrier cytotoxicity with appropriate test models. METHODS: Two materials, GLUMA desensitizer (GLU) containing glutaraldehyde and remineralizing and desensitizing gel (RD) containing sodium fluoride and fumed silica, were selected. Human dentin specimens were divided into three groups (n = 6): in groups 1 and 2, GLU was applied, and in group 3, RD was applied and immersed in artificial saliva (AS) for 24 h. Dentin specimen permeability before and after each treatment/post-treatment was measured using a hydraulic device under a pressure of 20 cm H2O. The perfusion fluid was deionized water, except in group 2 where 2% bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used. The representative specimens before and after treatment from each group were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. To measure cytotoxicity, test materials were applied to the occlusal surfaces of human dentin disks under which three-dimensional cell scaffolds were placed. After 24-h contact within the test device, cell viability was measured via 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. RESULTS: GLU significantly reduced the dentin permeability and occluded the dentinal tubules when 2% BSA was used as perfusion fluid. RD significantly reduced dentin permeability and occluded the tubules, but permeability rebounded after AS immersion. GLU significantly decreased cell viability, but RD was non-cytotoxic. CONCLUSIONS: In vitro GLU application induced effective dentinal tubule occlusion only following the introduction of simulated dentinal fluid. RD provided effective tubule occlusion, but its full remineralization potential was not realized after a short period of immersion in AS. GLU may harm the pulp, whereas RD is sufficiently biocompatible.

A Learning Framework for Personalized Random Utility Maximization (RUM) Modeling of User Behavior.

Understanding user behavior is crucial for the success of many emerging applications that aim to provide personalized services for target users, such as many patient-centered health apps and transportation apps. Models based on the random utility maximization (RUM) theory are widely used in learning and understanding behavioral preferences on the population level but find difficult to estimate individuals' preferences, particularly when individuals' data are limited and fragmented. To address this problem, our framework builds on the concepts such as canonical structure and membership vectors invented in recent works on collaborative learning and is suitable for modeling heterogeneous population with insufficient data from each individual. We further propose an extension of the collaborative learning framework using pairwise-fusion regularization as a knowledge discovery tool for real-world applications where the canonical structure is uneven, e.g., some canonical models may only represent minor subpopulations. Computationally competent algorithms are developed to solve the corresponding optimization challenges. Extensive simulation studies and a real-world application in smart transportation demand management (TDM) show the effectiveness of our proposed methods.

High brightness silicon nanocrystal white light-emitting diode with luminance of 2060 cd/m2.

High brightness Si nanocrystal white light-emitting diodes (WLED) based on differentially passivated silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) are reported. The active layer was made by mixing freestanding SiNCs with hydrogen silsesquioxane, followed by annealing at moderately high temperatures, which finally led to a continuous spectral light emission covering red, green and blue regimes. The photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of the active layer was 11.4%. The SiNC WLED was composed of a front electrode, electron transfer layer, front charge confinement layer, highly luminescent active layer, rear charge confinement layer, hole transfer layer, textured p-type Si substrate and aluminum rear electrode from top to bottom. The peak luminance of the SiNC WLED achieved was 2060 cd/m2. The turn-on voltage was 3.7 V. The chromaticity of the SiNC WLED indicated white light emission that could be adjusted by changing the annealing temperature of the active layer with color temperatures ranging from 3686 to 5291 K.

Epidemiology and Outcomes of Acute Kidney Injury in COVID-19 Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with increased mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, the epidemiological features and outcomes of AKI among COVID-19 patients with ARDS are unknown. METHODS: We retrospectively recruited consecutive adult COVID-19 patients who were diagnosed with ARDS according to Berlin definition from 13 designated intensive care units in the city of Wuhan, China. Potential risk factors of AKI as well as the relation between AKI and in-hospital mortality were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 275 COVID-19 patients with ARDS were included in the study, and 49.5% of them developed AKI during their hospital stay. In comparison with patients without AKI, patients who developed AKI were older, tended to have chronic kidney disease, had higher Sepsis-Related Organ Failure Assessment score on day 1, and were more likely to receive invasive ventilation and develop acute organ dysfunction. Multivariate analysis showed that age, history of chronic kidney disease, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and albumin level were independently associated with the occurrence of AKI. Importantly, increasing AKI severity was associated with increased in-hospital mortality when adjusted for other potential variables: odds ratio of stage 1 = 5.374 (95% CI: 2.147-13.452; p < 0.001), stage 2 = 6.216 (95% CI: 2.011-19.210; p = 0.002), and stage 3 = 34.033 (95% CI: 9.723-119.129; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In this multicenter retrospective study, we found that nearly half of COVID-19 patients with ARDS experienced AKI during their hospital stay. The coexistence of AKI significantly increased the mortality of these patients.

Dnmt3aa but Not Dnmt3ab Is Required for Maintenance of Gametogenesis in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Dnmt3a, a de novo methyltransferase, is essential for mammalian germ line DNA methylation. Only one Dnmt3a is identified in mammals, and homozygous mutants of Dnmt3a are lethal, while two Dnmt3a paralogs, dnmt3aa and dnmt3ab, are identified in teleosts due to the third round of genome duplication, and homozygous mutants of dnmt3aa and dnmt3ab are viable in zebrafish. The expression patterns and roles of dnmt3aa and dnmt3ab in gonadal development remain poorly understood in teleosts. In this study, we elucidated the precise expression patterns of dnmt3aa and dnmt3ab in tilapia gonads. Dnmt3aa was highly expressed in oogonia, phase I and II oocytes and granulosa cells in ovaries and spermatogonia and spermatocytes in testes, while dnmt3ab was mainly expressed in ovarian granulosa cells and testicular spermatocytes. The mutation of dnmt3aa and dnmt3ab was achieved by CRISPR/Cas9 in tilapia. Lower gonadosomatic index (GSI), increased apoptosis of oocytes and spermatocytes and significantly reduced sperm quality were observed in dnmt3aa-/- mutants, while normal gonadal development was observed in dnmt3ab-/- mutants. Consistently, the expression of apoptotic genes was significantly increased in dnmt3aa-/- mutants. In addition, the 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) level in dnmt3aa-/- gonads was decreased significantly, compared with that of dnmt3ab-/- and wild type (WT) gonads. Taken together, our results suggest that dnmt3aa, not dnmt3ab, plays important roles in maintaining gametogenesis in teleosts.

KIAA0101 and UbcH10 interact to regulate non-small cell lung cancer cell proliferation by disrupting the function of the spindle assembly checkpoint.

BACKGROUND: Chromosome mis-segregation caused by spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) dysfunction during mitosis is an important pathogenic factor in cancer, and modulating SAC function has emerged as a potential novel therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). UbcH10 is considered to be associated with SAC function and the pathological types and clinical grades of NSCLC. KIAA0101, which contains a highly conserved proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-binding motif that is involved in DNA repair in cancer cells, plays an important role in the regulation of SAC function in NSCLC cells, and bioinformatics predictions showed that this regulatory role is related to UbcH10. We hypothesized KIAA0101 and UbcH10 interact to mediate SAC dysfunction and neoplastic transformation during the development of USCLC. METHODS: NSCLC cell lines were used to investigate the spatial-temporal correlation between UbcH10 and KIAA0101 expression and the downstream effects of modulating their expression were evaluated. Further immunoprecipitation assays were used to investigate the possible mechanism underlying the correlation between UbcH10 and KIAA0101. Eventually, the effect of modulating UbcH10 and KIAA010 on tumor growth and its possible mechanisms were explored through in vivo tumor-bearing models. RESULTS: In this study, we demonstrated that both UbcH10 and KIAA0101 were upregulated in NSCLC tissues and cells and that their expression levels were correlated in a spatial and temporal manner. Importantly, UbcH10 and KIAA0101 coordinated to mediate the premature degradation of various SAC components to cause further SAC dysfunction and neoplastic proliferation. Moreover, tumor growth in vivo was significantly inhibited by silencing UbcH10 and KIAA0101 expression. CONCLUSIONS: KIAA0101 and UbcH10 interact to cause SAC dysfunction, chromosomal instability and malignant proliferation in NSCLC, suggesting that UbcH10 and KIAA0101 are potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of NSCLC by ameliorating SAC function.

Clinical features and efficacy of antiviral drug, Arbidol in 220 nonemergency COVID-19 patients from East-West-Lake Shelter Hospital in Wuhan: a retrospective case series.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe the features of 220 nonemergency (mild or common type) COVID-19 patients from a shelter hospital, as well as evaluate the efficiency of antiviral drug, Arbidol in their disease progressions. METHODS: Basic clinical characteristics were described and the efficacy of Arbidol was evaluated based on gender, age, maximum body temperature of the patients. RESULTS: Basically, males had a higher risk of fever and more onset symptoms than females. Arbidol could accelerate fever recovery and viral clearance in respiratory specimens, particularly in males. Arbidol also contributed to shorter hospital stay without obvious adverse reactions. CONCLUSIONS: In the retrospective COVID-19 cohort, gender was one of the important factors affecting patient's conditions. Arbidol showed several beneficial effects in these patients, especially in males. This study brought more researches enlightenment in understanding the emerging infectious disease.

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay: a 'nonsense' pathway makes sense in stem cell biology.

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a highly conserved post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism of gene expression in eukaryotes. Originally, NMD was identified as an RNA surveillance machinery in degrading 'aberrant' mRNA species with premature termination codons. Recent studies indicate that NMD regulates the stability of natural gene transcripts that play significant roles in cell functions. Although components and action modes of the NMD machinery in degrading its RNA targets have been extensively studied with biochemical and structural approaches, the biological roles of NMD remain to be defined. Stem cells are rare cell populations, which play essential roles in tissue homeostasis and hold great promises in regenerative medicine. Stem cells self-renew to maintain the cellular identity and differentiate into somatic lineages with specialized functions to sustain tissue integrity. Transcriptional regulations and epigenetic modulations have been extensively implicated in stem cell biology. However, post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms, such as NMD, in stem cell regulation are largely unknown. In this paper, we summarize the recent findings on biological roles of NMD factors in embryonic and tissue-specific stem cells. Furthermore, we discuss the possible mechanisms of NMD in regulating stem cell fates.

Extracting Trips from Multi-Sourced Data for Mobility Pattern Analysis: An App-Based Data Example.

Passively-generated data, such as GPS data and cellular data, bring tremendous opportunities for human mobility analysis and transportation applications. Since their primary purposes are often non-transportation related, the passively-generated data need to be processed to extract trips. Most existing trip extraction methods rely on data that are generated via a single positioning technology such as GPS or triangulation through cellular towers (thereby called single-sourced data), and methods to extract trips from data generated via multiple positioning technologies (or, multi-sourced data) are absent. And yet, multi-sourced data are now increasingly common. Generated using multiple technologies (e.g., GPS, cellular network- and WiFi-based), multi-sourced data contain high variances in their temporal and spatial properties. In this study, we propose a "Divide, Conquer and Integrate" (DCI) framework to extract trips from multi-sourced data. We evaluate the proposed framework by applying it to an app-based data, which is multi-sourced and has high variances in both location accuracy and observation interval (i.e. time interval between two consecutive observations). On a manually labeled sample of the app-based data, the framework outperforms the state-of-the-art SVM model that is designed for GPS data. The effectiveness of the framework is also illustrated by consistent mobility patterns obtained from the app-based data and an externally collected household travel survey data for the same region and the same period.

3D cone beam computed tomography reconstruction images in diagnosis of ameloblastomas of lower jaw: A case report and mini review.

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has obvious advantages over regular radiography in diagnosis of complex diseases. Objective of this study is to report a case of a mandibular jaw ameloblastoma recurring cyst, which represents a benign tumor of odontogenic epithelium, using CBCT imaging technology. CBCT examination of the patient suffering with recurrent lower jaw cyst (relapsing four years after surgery) showed a decrease in irregular bone density and appearance of a honeycomb pattern (3.5 cm×2.5 cm×1.8 cm) in the right lower jaw. This suggests that the lesion is more likely to be an ameloblastoma. Preoperative tissue biopsy and pathological examination of surgical sample confirmed the diagnosis. Surgical resection of the diseased tissue and autogenous bone grafting in the mandible was performed. Postoperative CBCT examination showed that the bone defect healed well, without recurrence of the tumor 22 months postoperatively. In conclusion, the rotated 3D CBCT images clearly displays the exact size, location, borders and internal changes of the tumor in the jaw cyst itself and the adjacent tissues. Thus, the dental CBCT allows clinicians to better evaluate lesions, leading to better treatment outcomes.

On data processing required to derive mobility patterns from passively-generated mobile phone data.

Passively-generated mobile phone data is emerging as a potential data source for transportation research and applications. Despite the large amount of studies based on the mobile phone data, only a few have reported the properties of such data, and documented how they have processed the data. In this paper, we describe two types of common mobile phone data: Call Details Record (CDR) data and sightings data, and propose a data processing framework and the associated algorithms to address two key issues associated with the sightings data: locational uncertainty and oscillation. We show the effectiveness of our proposed methods in addressing these two issues compared to the state of art algorithms in the field. We also demonstrate that without proper processing applied to the data, the statistical regularity of human mobility patterns-a key, significant trait identified for human mobility-is over-estimated. We hope this study will stimulate more studies in examining the properties of such data and developing methods to address them. Though not as glamorous as those directly deriving insights on mobility patterns (such as statistical regularity), understanding properties of such data and developing methods to address them is a fundamental research topic on which important insights are derived on mobility patterns.

Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine TNF-α Attenuates BMP9-Induced Osteo/ Odontoblastic Differentiation of the Stem Cells of Dental Apical Papilla (SCAPs).

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Periapical periodontitis is a common oral disease caused by bacterial invasion of the tooth pulp, which usually leads to local release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and osteolytic lesion. This study is intended to examine the effect of TNF-α on BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation of the stem cells of dental apical papilla (SCAPs). METHODS: Rat model of periapical periodontitis was established. TNF-α expression was assessed. Osteogenic markers and ectopic bone formation in iSCAPs were analyzed upon BMP9 and TNF-α treatment. RESULTS: Periapical periodontitis was successfully established in rat immature permanent teeth with periapical lesions, in which TNF-α was shown to release during the inflammatory phase. BMP9-induced alkaline phosphatase activity, the expression of osteocalcin and osteopontin, and matrix mineralization in iSCAPs were inhibited by TNF-α in a dose-dependent fashion, although increased AdBMP9 partially overcame TNF-α inhibition. Furthermore, high concentration of TNF-α effectively inhibited BMP9-induced ectopic bone formation in vivo. CONCLUSION: TNF-α plays an important role in periapical bone defect during the inflammatory phase and inhibits BMP9-induced osteoblastic differentiation of iSCAPs, which can be partially reversed by high levels of BMP9. Therefore, BMP9 may be further explored as a potent osteogenic factor to improve osteo/odontogenic differentiation in tooth regeneration in chronic inflammation conditions.