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Introduction:Escherichia coli(E. coli) is a significant commensal gram-negative bacterium that can give rise to various diseases. The roles of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and the NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in sepsis induced by E. coliinfection remain unclear. Methods:In vivo, we investigated differences in mortality, production of inflammatory mediators, organ damage, neutrophil count, and bacterial load during E. coliinfection in C57BL/6J mice, as well as in mice deficient in TLR2 or NLRP3. In vitro, we investigated the impact of E. colion the activation of TLR2 and NLRP3 in macrophages and the influence of TLR2 and NLRP3 on the activation of inflammatory signaling pathways and the secretion of inflammatory mediators in macrophages induced by E. coliinfection. Results:TLR2-deficient (TLR2−/−) and NLRP3-deficient (NLRP3−/−) mice exhibit significantly increased mortality and organ damage after E. coliinfection. These mice also show elevated levels of TNF-α and IL-10 in serum and peritoneal lavage fluid. Additionally, TLR2−/−and NLRP3−/−mice display heightened neutrophil recruitment and increased bacterial load in the blood. Furthermore, macrophages from these mice demonstrate a significant reduction in the activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. Conclusion:TLR2 and NLRP3 play crucial roles in modulating inflammatory mediator expression, immune cell recruitment, and bactericidal activity, thereby preventing excessive tissue damage and reducing mortality in E. coli-induced sepsis.

Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) is a cost-efficient network densification technology for improving the coverage and capacity of the millimeter-wave (mmWave) cellular networks. In IAB systems, user traffic is forwarded to/from the wired base station by one or more relay stations, known as IAB nodes. Due to the multi-hop relaying, these systems may be subject to large packet delays and poor performance when the load is unevenly distributed among nodes. Addressing this limitation via delay-aware access and backhaul link scheduling in IAB networks is challenging due to potentially large network scale, complex topology, half-duplex, and interference constraints. In this paper, the topical link scheduling problem is formulated as a Markov decision problem (MDP) for a single-donor IAB system with a general topology that allows for users with different delay requirements and traffic dynamics. The proposed link scheduling strategy jointly optimizes (i) user traffic routing and (ii) multiplexing of access and backhaul links under half-duplex constraints and non-negligible interference that may arise in dense IAB systems even with high beam directionality. To address the complexity of our formulated MDP, we consider several approximation methods, namely, Q-learning, Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS), and genetic algorithms (GAs). Then, we propose a customized version of the GA, which provides the preferred optimality–complexity trade-off and offers a 15% packet delay reduction as compared to the state-of-the-art backpressure algorithm.

Diphenyl carbonate (DPC) is a crucial organic chemical intermediate that is widely applied for the synthesis of polycarbonate. The process of transesterification of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and phenol to produce DPC is promising and is in line with the requirements of green transitions and raw material sustainability. In this work, anatase-layered titanium dioxide (A-TiO2) was prepared and applied for the efficient transesterification of DMC and phenol to synthesize DPC with 10.5% phenol conversion and 87.9% DPC selectivity. The high activity and selectivity of transesterification over A-TiO2were ascribed via characterizations to the tetracoordinate Ti species and Lewis acid–base sites on the catalyst surface. We further studied the deactivation mechanism of this kind of A-TiO2, and it was found that Ti leaching and the deposition of organic compounds onto the catalyst surface were the major reasons for deactivation during transesterification. This study provides some insights into the design of highly active and selective catalysts for transesterification reactions.

Microdroplets have recently emerged as an exciting technological platform for wide applications. In this work, we developed a controllable fabrication approach to novel tungsten–platinum micro-thermocouples that function not only as a sensitive temperature sensor but also as a flexible suspender for individual microdroplet studies. The controllable fabrication hinges on the formation of tungsten tip apex nodes to make junctions with platinum, which was achieved through a unique combinational strategy, involving gradient coating with a complete insulating layer and subsequent targeted removal by tip electroporation. Benefiting from its coaxial structure, microspherical contact node end, hydrophobic surface, and thermoelectric performance, the as-fabricated micro-thermocouple was successfully employed for the microdroplet suspension and in situ temperature detection throughout the droplet evaporation cycle. It was observed that the temperature inside the suspended microdroplets was lower than that of the external environment, and there existed temperature discontinuity during droplet evaporation. By integrating the capabilities of temperature monitoring and droplet manipulation into a single micro-thermocouple, this work demonstrates its versatility and promising applications in expanded sensing for single microdroplets and other microsystems.