3,15-Dimeth­oxy-10-methyl­tricyclo­[9.4.0.02,7]penta­deca-1(11),2(7),3,5,9,12,14-heptaen-8-one

The title mol­ecule, C18H16O3, contains three fused rings, of which the seven-membered cyclo­hept-2-enone ring has a screw-boat conformation. The two meth­oxy­phenyl rings make a dihedral angle of 50.4 (2)°. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, leading to a three-dimensional supra­molecular architecture

Electronic correlations and energy gap in the bilayer nickelate La3_{3}Ni2_{2}O7_{7}

The discovery of superconductivity with a critical temperature of 80~K in La$_{3}$Ni$_{2}$O$_{7}$ under pressure has received enormous attention. La$_{3}$Ni$_{2}$O$_{7}$ is not superconducting under ambient pressure but exhibits a density-wave-like transition at $T^{\ast} \simeq 115$~K. Understanding the electronic correlations, charge dynamics and dominant orbitals are important steps towards the mechanism of superconductivity and other instabilities. Here, our optical study shows that La$_{3}$Ni$_{2}$O$_{7}$ features strong electronic correlations which significantly reduce the electron's kinetic energy and place it in the proximity of the Mott phase. The low-frequency optical conductivity reveals two Drude components arising from multiple bands dominated by the Ni-$d_{x^2 - y^2}$ and Ni-$d_{3z^2 - r^2}$ orbitals at the Fermi level. Above $T^{\ast}$, the scattering rates for both Drude components vary linearly with temperature, indicating non-Fermi-liquid behavior which may be associated with spin-fluctuation scattering. Below $T^{\ast}$, a gap opens in the Ni-$d_{3z^2 - r^2}$ orbital, suggesting the importance of the Ni-$d_{3z^2 - r^2}$ orbital in the density-wave-like instability. Our experimental results provide key insights into the mechanism of the density-wave-like order and superconductivity in La$_{3}$Ni$_{2}$O$_{7}$.Comment: 26 pages, 4 figures, Comments are welcome and appreciate

Unveiling the potential of Butylphthalide: inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and preventing bone loss

Osteoporosis, resulting from overactive osteoclasts and leading to elevated fracture risk, has emerged as a global public health concern due to the aging population. Therefore, inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption function represents a crucial approach for preventing and treating osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects and molecular mechanisms of Butylphthalide (NBP) on the differentiation and function of osteoclasts induced by RANKL. Osteoclastogenesis was assessed through TRAP staining and bone slice assay. An animal model that underwent ovariectomy, simulating postmenopausal women’s physiological characteristics, was established to investigate the impact of Butylphthalide on ovariectomy-induced bone loss. To delve deeper into the specific mechanisms, we employed Western blot, PCR, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemical staining to detect the expression of proteins that are associated with the osteoclast signaling pathway. In this study, we found that Butylphthalide not only suppressed osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption in vitro but also significantly decreased TRAcP-positive osteoclasts and prevented bone loss in vivo. Further mechanistic experiments revealed that Butylphthalide reduces intracellular ROS in osteoclasts, inhibits the MAPK and NFATc1 signaling pathways, and downregulates the key genes and proteins of osteoclasts. This inhibits osteoclast formation and function. The reduction in ROS in osteoclasts is intricately linked to the activity of Butylphthalide-modulated antioxidant enzymes. Overall, NBP may offer a alternative treatment option with fewer side effects for skeletal diseases such as osteoporosis

Surface skyrmions and dual topological Hall effect in antiferromagnetic topological insulator EuCd2_2As2_2

In this work, we synthesized single crystal of EuCd$_2$As$_2$, which exhibits A-type antiferromagnetic (AFM) order with in-plane spin orientation below $T_N$ = 9.5~K.Optical spectroscopy and transport measurements suggest its topological insulator (TI) nature with an insulating gap around 0.1eV. Remarkably, a dual topological Hall resistivity that exhibits same magnitude but opposite signs in the positive to negative and negative to positive magnetic field hysteresis branches emerges below 20~K. With magnetic force microscopy (MFM) images and numerical simulations, we attribute the dual topological Hall effect to the N\'{e}el-type skyrmions stabilized by the interactions between topological surface states and magnetism, and the sign reversal in different hysteresis branches indicates potential coexistence of skyrmions and antiskyrmions. Our work uncovers a unique two-dimensional (2D) magnetism on the surface of intrinsic AFM TI, providing a promising platform for novel topological quantum states and AFM spintronic applications.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

High Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Level Is Associated With Hyperandrogenism in Euthyroid Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Women, Independent of Age, BMI, and Thyroid Autoimmunity: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Background: Infertility and dyslipidemia are frequently present in both women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and subjects with thyroid dysfunction. Limited study regarding the association between thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level and phenotypes in euthyroid PCOS women. We aimed to determine whether the variation of TSH level associates with phenotypes in euthyroid PCOS patients.Methods: Cross-sectional study including 600 PCOS and 200 age, body mass index (BMI), and thyroid autoimmunity-matched Chinese women from Renji hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong university during January 2010 and August 2018. The anthropometric and serum biochemical parameters related to TSH, thyroid autoimmunity, lipid profiles, and sex steroids were detected.Results: The TSH level is higher in (2.29 ± 1.24 vs. 1.86 ± 0.90 mu/L, p < 0.001) in PCOS than controls. In euthyroid PCOS patients, TSH, TG, TC, LDL-c, and apoB level increased from non-hyperandrogenism (nonHA) to HA group (all p < 0.05). TSH level is positively associated with TG, apoB, free T, FAI, and negatively associated with apoA (all p < 0.05). The percentage of HA increased from TSH level (57.93% in TSH < = 2.5 group vs. 69.46% in TSH > 2.5 mU/L group, p = 0.006). HA phenotype is increased with TSH level independently of age, BMI, WC, LDL-C. Besides, in multivariate logistic regression analysis TSH and TG significantly associated with HA phenotype.Conclusions: Higher TSH level is associated with increased prevalence of HA phenotype independent of age, BMI and thyroid autoimmunity in euthyroid PCOS

Improvement of Damping Property and Its Effects on the Vibration Fatigue in Ti6Al4V Titanium Alloy Treated by Warm Laser Shock Peening

In order to increase the vibration life of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy, warm laser shock peening (WLSP) is used to improve the damping properties and thus decrease the vibration stress in this study. Firstly, the Ti6Al4V specimens are treated by WLSP at different treatment temperatures from 200 °C to 350 °C. Then the damping ratios of untreated and WLSPed samples are obtained by impact modal tests, and the improvement of damping properties generated by WLSP is analyzed by the microstructures in Ti6Al4V titanium alloy. Moreover, the finite element simulations are utilized to study the vibration amplitude and stress during the frequency response process. Finally, the vibration fatigue tests are carried out and the fatigue fracture morphology is observed by the scanning electron microscope. The results indicate that the damping ratios of WLSPed specimens increase with the increasing treatment temperatures. This is because elevated temperatures during WLSP can effectively increase the α phase colonies and the interphase boundaries, which can significantly increase the internal friction of materials. Moreover, due to the increasing material damping ratio, the displacement and stresses during vibration were both reduced greatly by 350 °C-WLSP, which can significantly decrease the fatigue crack growth rate and thus improve the vibration fatigue life of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy