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The accurate segmentation and quantification of retinal fluid in Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) images are crucial for the diagnosis and treatment of ophthalmic diseases such as age-related macular degeneration. However, the accurate segmentation of retinal fluid is challenging due to significant variations in the size, position, and shape of fluid, as well as their complex, curved boundaries. To address these challenges, we propose a novel multi-scale feature fusion attention network (FNeXter), based on ConvNeXt and Transformer, for OCT fluid segmentation. In FNeXter, we introduce a novel global multi-scale hybrid encoder module that integrates ConvNeXt, Transformer, and region-aware spatial attention. This module can capture long-range dependencies and non-local similarities while also focusing on local features. Moreover, this module possesses the spatial region-aware capabilities, enabling it to adaptively focus on the lesions regions. Additionally, we propose a novel self-adaptive multi-scale feature fusion attention module to enhance the skip connections between the encoder and the decoder. The inclusion of this module elevates the model's capacity to learn global features and multi-scale contextual information effectively. Finally, we conduct comprehensive experiments to evaluate the performance of the proposed FNeXter. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed approach outperforms other state-of-the-art methods in the task of fluid segmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: synNotch receptors can get different inputs about the outside environment into cells; however, synNotch system doesn't work for soluble ligands. This study aims to explore the activation efficiency of different ligand carriers on synNotch system. Methods: SynNotch-based contact-dependent activation system was constructed in 293T cells (293T-synNotch), then the synNotch receptor ligands eGFP proteins were provided by three different carriers: 400 nm Ni magnetic beads (Mag Ni-eGFP), 300 nm carboxyl modified Fe3O4 magnetic beads (Mag COOH-deGFP), and 4T1 cell (4T1-mGFP). Three eGFP carriers were incubated with 293T-synNotch, the activation efficiencies of these three eGFP carriers were evaluated by fluorescence microscopy. Results: The 293T-synNotch cell activated by Mag Ni-eGFP shows no observable red fluorescence; when Mag COOH-deGFP are incubated with 293T-synNotch, about 50‰ cells with red fluorescence appeared, also eGFP proteins have not dropped off from the Mag COOH-deGFP beads; 4T1-mGFP cells show the highest activation efficiency, about 21% synNotch cells are activated, when 4T1-mGFP and 293T-synNotch are incubated at high cell density. Conclusion: The 4T1-mGFP cells are the most effective ligands for synNotch receptor activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The pyrolysis of two coking coals was studied by in-situ FTIR. • The correlations among the six functional groups during pyrolysis were discussed. • Kinetics of functional groups during coking coal pyrolysis were presented. Abstract Knowledge of the mechanism of coking coal can improve coke and tar production in the coking industry. The evolution of six main functional groups in two coking coals with different ranks was investigated by in situ Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) during non-isothermal pyrolysis in nitrogen gas flow. Different stages in various temperature ranges were proposed based on the evolution of functional groups during coking coal pyrolysis. The evolution of aromatic groups and C O between the two coking coals had the largest difference because of the different coal ranks. The correlations among the evolution of the six functional groups during pyrolysis were also investigated to identify the possible reaction mechanism of coking coal pyrolysis. There were three processes, including evaporation of small molecules, decomposition of oxygen-containing groups, and devolatilization of aliphatic groups during pyrolysis. One-way transport and n th-order chemical reaction models were the main kinetic models of decomposition of the aliphatic groups, C O, C O, and OH. The activation energies of the functional group decomposition in two coking coals were in the range of 25.1–219.4 kJ/mol and 12.3–167.0 kJ/mol. The results that describe the pyrolysis process of coking coals with respect to functional groups can improve the understanding of the pyrolysis mechanism of coking coal and facilitate the development of clean coal technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ordered surface step arrays were successfully prepared on two different types of miscut yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates via one-step pre-annealing. These steps were subsequently used as templates for the self-assembly of the nanoislands, which results in significantly improved alignment of the islands along the step direction. Additionally, a unique step faceting phenomenon at island growth front was observed only on the (001)–[100] miscut YSZ substrates. Preliminary investigation indicates that this faceting is induced by doping via surface diffusion, while the elastic interaction between the faceted steps also plays an important role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation is tightly controlled in vivo, as disruption of the normal differentiation program can lead to diverse disorders. Caspase-1, the first identified member of the caspase family, regulates differentiation in various cell types such as Th17 cells and adipocytes. However, the contribution of caspase-1 in monocyte-macrophage differentiation remains elusive. Here we report that caspase-1 is significantly downregulated in leukemia cells from patients with acute monocytic leukemia. By using the phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced cell differentiation model, we found that caspase-1 activation was required for the differentiation of human monocytes to macrophages. Further analysis of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ ( PPARγ) protein levels revealed that the monocyte-macrophage differentiation program could be divided into two stages. Caspase-1-mediated downregulation of PPARγ was important in the late stage of monocyte-macrophage differentiation; however, PPARγ protein levels had little effect on the early stage differentiation. Accumulation of PPARγ protein by troglitazone treatment potently suppressed the late stage of macrophage differentiation, which might be linked to inhibition of nuclear factor-κB activity. The data provide a plausible mechanistic basis by which caspase-1 promotes the differentiation of macrophages from monocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the real time changes of functional groups during lignite pyrolysis can deepen understanding of reaction mechanism of lignite under oxygen-free condition, and help upgrading its quality and enhancing the conversion efficiency. In this study, non-isothermal low temperature pyrolysis of lignite using in-situ Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was carried out to investigate the evolution of six most abundant functional groups in lignite. The evolution of these functional groups was divided into several stages with different mechanisms and kinetic characteristics. The decomposition of C O associated with hydroxyls by hydrogen bonds (HBs) played an important role in the pyrolysis process below 400 °C. The activation energies for the pyrolysis of lignite at various stages were mostly lower than 70 kJ/mol, and demonstrated the important role of HBs in the low temperature pyrolysis. Additionally, the HBs were mainly related to the aromatic phenol, aromatic ether and phenoxy for C O, and quinone and carboxyl for C O. At higher temperature stage (above 300 °C), the oxygen contained functional groups, including carboxyl, carbonyl and especially ether, began to decompose, resulting in greater loss of coal materials. At the temperature up to 400 °C, the C C bonds began to break apart, which caused the primary decomposition of aliphatic groups and the increasing intensity of aromatic C H. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powder metallurgy methods such as additive manufacturing are often employed to fabricate bulk refractory alloys with high-melting temperature, nevertheless, it still remains a challenge to produce high-quality refractory high-entropy alloy (RHEAs) powders. In this work, we found that hydrogen absorption can embrittle the NbTaTiZr RHEA and promote intragranular fracture due to segregation of hydrogen atoms at grain boundaries. Synergistic effects of the hydrogenation temperature and time on the pulverization behavior of the NbTaTiZr RHEA were investigated, and the relation between grain sizes in the original ingots and particle sizes in the pulverized powders was explored. The present findings not only provide a highly efficient approach to produce high-quality powders of alloys with high-melting points, but also shed light into understanding hydrogen embrittlement of RHEAs. • The RHEA was easily pulverized after hydrogenation. • The particle size distributions of the pulverized powders matched those of the grain sizes. • An orderly transition from grains to powders was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicosis is one of the most serious occupational diseases with the main feature of inflammatory cell infiltration, fibroblasts activation, and large deposition of extracellular matrix in the lung. Increasing evidence indicates that macrophage-derived exosomes may play an important role in the development of silicosis by transferring their loaded microRNAs (miRNAs). Hence we carried out high-throughput sequencing to identify the expression of exosomal miRNA from macrophages exposed to silica or not in the previous study. Then we verified that miR-7219–3p was significantly up-regulated in macrophages and their exosomes after silica-exposure, as well as in the silicotic mice model by qRT-PCR, subsequent experiments confirmed that the increase of miR-7219–3p facilitated fibroblast to myofibroblast trans-differentiation (FMT), as well as cell proliferation and migration. Spouty1 (SPRY1), which served as a negative modulator of the Ras/ERK/MAPK signaling pathway, was verified as the target gene of miR-7219–3p, the knockdown or over-expression of SPRY1 apparently promoted or inhibited FMT via the Ras/ERK/MAPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, the inhibition of exosomal miR-7219–3p partially suppressed FMT and silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. In brief, our results demonstrated that exosomal miR-7219–3p played an important role in FMT and might be a novel therapeutic target of silicosis. • Silica-exposed macrophage derived exosomes promoted fibroblasts transdifferentiation. • The expression profile of the exosomal miRNAs changed after exposure to silica. • Exosomal miR-7219–3p facilitated fibroblasts transdifferentiation by targeting SPRY1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perhydrous coal has advantages as a fuel source and raw material for hydrocarbon production over other coal with similar rank. Good understanding of thermal characterization of perhydrous coal can provide important information for control of the pollutants release and enhancement of the conversion rate of coal during its utilization. A perhydrous bituminous coal from Dingji Coal Mine, China was selected for the investigation of the non-isothermal pyrolysis process below 500 °C in N 2 flow by in-situ transmission FIIR. Evolutions of the main functional groups in coal, including aliphatic groups, aromatic C C and C H, carbonyl, C O and hydroxyl could be divided into several stages. The thermal characterization of each stage was discussed. The aliphatic groups and aromatic C C content decreased slightly with the volatilization of small molecules below 400 °C, while the amount of aromatic C H increased with the loss of substituent groups. The conversion of C O to C O contributes to the slight increase in the C O amount below 370 °C, and the decrease of hydroxyl was attributed to loss of water and the condensation and elimination of hydroxyl groups. The amount of all functional groups except for the aromatic C H declined rapidly with the cracking of C C bonds after 400 °C. The kinetic characterization of pyrolysis stages for three functional groups, including aliphatic groups, C O and hydroxyl, was studied with modified integral method. Activation energy of pyrolysis stages of the three functional groups increased with rising temperature. Kinetics for the different stages of functional groups were fitted with different kinetic models. The initial loss of aliphatic groups and C O was controlled by diffusion. Then, the reaction of the three functional groups fitted on the first-order or third-order reaction models. The results obtained by in-situ FTIR revealed more detail information about thermal characterization and kinetic characterization and can be expected to lead to good understanding of pyrolysis of a perhydrous coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a new genotype of oat (cv. CDC SO-I, containing low-hull lignin and high-fat groat), has been developed. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of partially replacing barley and corn with the new oat and its micronisation on lactating performance of dairy cows. In a double 4 × 4 Latin square design, eight lactating dairy cows (732 ± 46 kg body weight [BW]; parity 4 ± 2) received total mixed rations with a forage-to-concentrate ratio of 50:50 (DM basis). The four treatments were: T1, barley only (control); T2, raw oat, replacing 42% barley of T1; T3, micronised oat, replacing 42% barley of T1; and T4, raw oat and corn blend, replacing 100% barley of T1. The results showed that dairy cows fed the new oats (T2, T3) produced more fat (p < 0.05) and more fat corrected milk (p < 0.10) than cows fed barley only (T1). The performance of cows fed the new oat and corn blend (T4) was not significantly different from other treatments. The micronisation significantly reduced protein degradability (74 vs. 63%, p < 0.05), but increased starch degradability (87 vs. 93%, p < 0.05) of the new oat. However, the overall results suggested that micronisation did not show a significant impact on milk production. The newly developed CDC SO-I oat can replace 42% barley (in T1) as a concentrate supplement in dairy total mixed rations with an increased yield of milk fat and fat corrected milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The thermal behavior of six functional groups in various rank coals was compared. • The decomposition of aliphatic C H contribute to the primary pyrolyisis stage. • The evolution of OH is relatively insensitive to coal rank. • The pattern of E a for pyrolysis of FGs in various temperature range was presented. Pyrolysis has widely found applications in the processes of coal conversion and utilization. Good understanding of its reaction mechanism contributes to the optimization of coal conversion process and the controlling of the emission of pollutants during coal utilization. The evolution of the six main functional groups in coal with different ranks during pyrolysis was compared based on the data from in-situ transmission FTIR. As the increase of the coal rank, the initial temperature for the primary decomposition of aliphatic group rises and the remaining proportion at the final temperature gets bigger due to the more stable aliphatic structure in the high rank coal. The evolution of methyl, methylene and methine presents more detailed information in different rank coal. For the decomposition of aromatic C H in the three relatively low rank coals, there are two stages: the decreasing stage and the increasing stage with temperature rising. The temperature range of the decreasing stage depends on the interaction of coal molecules, while the growth extent of aromatic C H in the increasing stage can indicate the degree of the substitutions at the aromatic rings. Both aromatic C C and C O in the two high rank coals decrease slower in the high temperature stage than in the low temperature stage, while the situation is opposite for the two low rank coals. The number of C O type decrease with the rising of coal rank. Among the six functional groups, OH is the most insensitive to the coal rank. For kinetics analysis, the pattern of activation energy for the loss of the four functional groups in different rank coals is presented. The activation energy for the decomposition of aliphatic groups and OH in the high temperature stage is much higher than that (<50 kJmol−1) in the low temperature stage. The decomposition of C O and C O shows relatively low activation energies in all stages. The kinetic models are mostly one way diffusion and n th order chemical reaction and the pre-exponential factor appears obvious compensation effect with the activated energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Source mask and polarization optimization (SMPO) is a promising extension of the widely used resolution enhancement technology, source mask optimization (SMO), to further enhance chip manufacturability beyond 28-nm node. Our work is aimed to develop an efficient gradient-based SMPO method by employing the hybrid Hopkins–Abbe imaging model to fulfill the goal. In addition to source and mask variables, the model is adapted to also include polarization variables to realize the optimization. Compact formulas for forward and backward model application are derived. The computation benefits from precomputed transmission cross coefficients and features high efficiency. Validity of the method is confirmed by case studies. For dense array pattern case, the optimal source and polarization can be found analytically. SMPO optimized results match well with the theoretical expectations. In addition, process window, mask error enhancement factor, and normalized image log-slope for the studied cases all get improved over the counterpart SMO results, which employ commonly used polarization. Runtime analysis shows the method is computationally efficient. Our work provides a valid way to optimize polarization together with source and mask. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The off-axis illumination (OAI) technology is one of the resolution enhancement technologies, and it used to reduce critical dimension (CD) and increase depth of focus (DOF) which are the important performance parameters of photolithography machine. The performance of illumination modes has great effect on critical dimension uniformity (CDU), H–V bias and overlay accuracy. In order that the pupil characteristic parameters can always meet the requirements for a long time using, it is necessary to adopt the pupil correction technology for photolithography illumination system. Using experiments and photolithography performance simulation, a programmable pupil correction method based on correction fingers is studied. The correction algorithm and its operation process are analyzed in detail. The experimental results show that the energy distribution of corrected pupils is more balanced than the uncorrected ones. Furthermore, the simulation results indicate that the corrected pupil could improve the exposure patterns in different aspects. The proposed method could determine the fingers' position easily, and could directly reflect the pupil performance requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale measurement plays an increasingly important role in intelligent manufacturing. However, existing instruments have problems with immersive experiences. In this paper, an immersive positioning and measuring method based on augmented reality is introduced. An inside-out vision measurement approach using a multi-camera rig with non-overlapping views is presented for dynamic six-degree-of-freedom measurement. By using active LED markers, a flexible and robust solution is delivered to deal with complex manufacturing sites. The space resection adjustment principle is addressed and measurement errors are simulated. The improved Nearest Neighbor method is employed for feature correspondence. The proposed tracking method is verified by experiments and results with good performance are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T and NK cell immunotherapy is a promising approach for cancer treatment. Due to the lack of tunability in anti-tumor activity, conventional CAR therapies have limited efficacy at low tumor antigen densities. To tune the CAR response to tumor cell surface antigens, we have developed a split CAR using the SpyCatcher-SpyTag system. The SpyCatcher serves as the ectodomain to constitute a SpyCatcher-CAR (SpyCAR), while SpyTag is attached to the antibodies that recognize tumor antigens. With dimerization mediated by SpyCatcher and SpyTag, the number and activation level of SpyCARs recruited by tumor antigens depends on the SpyTag number in the "antibody-SpyTag" fusion protein. The results demonstrated that the increasing number of SpyTags effectively enhanced the cytotoxicity of SpyCAR-NK92 cells against target cells. The development of SpyCAR with tunable cytotoxicity provides a novel strategy for CAR-based tumor immunotherapies. • The SpyCAR system was developed based on non-covalent SpyCatcher-SpyTag. • The SpyCatcher-SpyTag interaction mediates enhanced cytotoxicity of SpyCAR-NK92 cells. • The cytotoxicity of SpyCAR-NK92 cells is in a SpyTag number-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the molecular structural evolution mechanism during coal pyrolysis can help better regulate coal conversions for developing clean coal technology. This study investigated changes in functional groups and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during pyrolysis of a perhydrous bituminous coal at temperature of 75–600 °C. Results indicated that aliphatic, C–O, C=O, OH, aromatic C=C, and aromatic C–H groups declined in relative abundance below 300 °C. These declines were attributed to cracking of hydrogen bonds and devolatilization. Meanwhile, the alkyl side chains of alkylated PAHs, i.e., alkyl-naphthalenes and alkyl-phenanthrenes, were continuously detached. Pyrolysis at 300–450 °C was characterized by elevated aromaticity, reflected by increments in the relative abundances of aromatic C–H, aromatic carbon, pyridine nitrogen, and protonated carbon. PAH evolutions at this stage exhibited relative increases of 4-–6-ring PAHs with relative decreases of 2-–3-ring PAHs. Pyrolysis at 450–600 °C was characterized by an increment of aromatic C=C and significant increases in relative abundances of 4-–6-ring PAHs in emitted particulate and gaseous phases. The elevation of pyrolysis temperature transformed coal macromolecules into more compact structure. The molecular structural units of chars were formulated as C 245 H 227 N 3 O 14 S, C 239 H 193 N 3 O 8 S, C 228 H 152 N 2 O 3 S, and C 221 H 113 NO 3 S for coal and chars produced at 300, 500, and 600 °C, respectively. Changes in three-dimensional molecular structural units reflected step-by-step intense deformation and condensed process. • The evolution behaviors of various functional groups varied at different temperature stages. • Hydrogen bond crackings, devolatilization, and dealkylation reactions occurred below 300 °C. • Aromatic and protonated carbons increased above 300 °C due to aromaticity elevation. • Changes in PAH compositions recorded dealkylation, polymerization and condensation reactions. • Molecular formulas varied from C 245 H 227 N 3 O 14 S for coal to C 221 H 113 NO 3 S for 600 °C char. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteogeinc differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into osteoblasts is a key step for bone tissue engineering in regenerative medicine. The insight into regulatory mechanism of osteogenesis of MSCs facilitates achieving better recovery effect. Long non-coding RNAs are regarded as a family of important moderators in osteogenesis. In this study, we found a novel lncRNA, lnc-PPP2R1B was up-regulated during osteogenesis of MSCs by Illumina HiSeq transcritome sequencing. We demonstrated lnc-PPP2R1B overexpression promoted osteogenesis and knockdown of lnc-PPP2R1B inhibited osteogenesis of MSCs. Mechanically, it physically interacted with and up-regulated heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L Like (HNRNPLL), which is a master regulator of activation-induced alternative splicing in T cells. We found lnc-PPP2R1B knockdown or HNRNPLL knockdown decreased transcript-201 of Protein Phosphatase 2A, Regulatory Subunit A, Beta Isoform (PPP2R1B) while increased transcript-203 of PPP2R1B, and did not affect transcript-202/204/206. PPP2R1B is a constant regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2 (PP2A), which activates Wnt/β-catenin pathway by removing phosphorylation and stabilization of β-catenin and translocation into nucleus. The transcript-201 retained exon 2 and 3, compared to transcript-203. And it was reported the exon 2 and 3 of PPP2R1B were one part of B subunit binding domain on A subunit in PP2A trimer, and therefore retaining exon 2 and 3 promised formation and enzyme function of PP2A. Finally, lnc-PPP2R1B promoted ectopic osteogenesis in vivo. Conclusively, lnc-PPP2R1B mediated alternative splicing of PPP2R1B through retaining exon 2 and 3 by interacting with HNRNPLL and then promoted osteogenesis, which may facilitate an in-depth understanding of function and mechanism of lncRNAs in osteogenesis. Lnc-PPP2R1B interacted with HNRNPLL, and regulated alternative splicing of PPP2R1B through retaining exon 2 and 3, which preserved enzyme function of PP2A and enhanced dephosphorylation and nuclear translocation of β-catenin, thereby promoting Runx2 and OSX expression and then osteogenesis. And it provided experimental data and potential target for promoting bone formation and bone regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Index system for evaluating multiscale comprehensive carrying capacity is built. • Multiscale assessment is applied in China's YREB region. • Multiscale disparity of comprehensive carrying capacity is quantified. • Specific contributions to the total disparity are investigated. • Spatial pattern of urban comprehensive carrying capacity is analyzed. Exploring and revealing the comprehensive carrying capacity is a critical barometer and benchmark for multiregional sustainable development. Using a typical multiscale region moving forward on a green development demonstration belt (China' s Yangtze River Economic Belt) as a case study, the multiscale disparity of comprehensive carrying capacity during the period 2005–2019 is presented after a comprehensive assessment of multiscale carrying capacity level. Some convergence models, covering δ-convergence, absolute β-convergence, and conditional β-convergence, are constructed to test the disparity of urban comprehensive carrying capacity. Furthermore, the multiscale disparity of comprehensive carrying capacity is quantified when the decomposition model is used to determine the specific contributions to total disparity (from inter-urban agglomerations or intra-urban agglomeration), and then the spatial aggregation effect of urban comprehensive carrying capacity is analyzed. The results highlight that: YREB's comprehensive carrying capacity is gradually improving whether at the scale of upper, middle, lower reaches, or the whole; there is an obvious inter-city disparity of comprehensive carrying capacity from the results of conditional β-convergence; the further conditional β-convergence tells that urban ecological and sustainable management and its stakeholder engagements should begin with the sufficient eco-environment endowment, good transportation system, well-reconstructed market environment, and the healthy economic structure or benefit; the disparity from the lower reaches is greater than that from the middle and upper reaches when the specific disparity from intra-low reaches plays a significant role, and there is a spatial aggregation effect of urban carrying capacity in the study area. Future policies and regulatory decisions must address such multiregional disparities to foster sustainable development based on the "equity and efficiency" philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium diboride (MgB 2) is regarded as a potential substitute for the amorphous boron (B) due to its excellent energy-release characteristics. In this work, the motion track, flame, and reaction process of discrete MgB 2 particles were investigated in the state of motion to reveal their combustion mechanism. The effect of different gaseous mediums on the sustained combustion time and the ingredients and microstructure characteristics of combustion residues were also analyzed. Furthermore, the size distribution of grains in the initial MgB 2 particles, MgO cluster particles, and burnt grains in the combustion residues was obtained using graphic analysis. Based on the different motion tracks and flame features obtained, three different combustion modes can be identified; single-stage combustion, two-stage combustion, and micro-explosion combustion. Among them, the single-stage combustion and the two-stage combustion exhibit similar sustained combustion times (12.1 ms and 12.3 ms, respectively), whereas the micro-explosion combustion exhibits a significantly shorter sustained combustion time (5.6 ms) due to the disintegration of particles. Besides, the average sustained combustion time of MgB 2 particles was prolonged in the oxygen but shortened in the water vapor. The obtained X-ray diffractometer patterns showed that the combustion residues were composed of MgB 2 , MgO, Mg, B 2 O 3 , and MgB x (indicating an incomplete oxidation during the combustion), and that the burn-off rate of discrete MgB 2 particles could still be improved. The scanning electron microscopy images showed a coating layer of condensed B 2 O 3 and clusters of MgO particles on the surface of the combustion residues. The average diameter of burnt MgB x grains and MgO particles were calculated as 1.04 μm and 0.18 μm, respectively. The burnt MgB x grains were products obtained after the coagulation of liquid B 2 O 3 layer and initial MgB 2 grains and were larger than the initial MgB 2 grains (diameter of 0.24 μm). The MgO cluster particles were condensed from gas-phase reaction and agglomerated to produce a porous structure. • Single-stage, two-stage, and micro-explosion modes exist during MgB 2 combustion. • Micro-explosion mode exhibits shorter sustained combustion time due to disintegration. • Oxygen benefits the heat release but water vapor slows down the oxidation reaction. • Stepwise decomposition and incomplete combustion of the particles are confirmed. • B 2 O 3 condensation and MgB x recrystallization cause size increase of product grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoptive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T or NK cells (CAR-T/NK) have emerged as a novel form of disease treatment. Lentiviral vectors (LVs) are commonly employed to engineer NK cells for the efficient expression of CARs. This study reported the influence of single-promoter and dual-promoter LVs on the CAR expression and cytotoxicity of engineered NK cells. We constructed a third-generation NKG2D-based CAR that kills cancer cells by targeting up to eight stress-induced ligands (NKG2DLs). Our results demonstrated that the CAR exhibits both a higher expression level and a higher coexpression concordance with the GFP reporter in HEK-293T or NK92 cells by utilizing the optimized single-promoter pCDHsp rather than the original dual-promoter pCDHdp. After puromycin selection, the pCDHsp produces robust CAR expression and enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity of engineered NK cells. Therefore, infection with a single-promoter pCDHsp lentivector is recommended to prepare CAR-engineered NK cells. This research helps to optimize the production of CAR-NK cells and enhance their functional activity, to provide CAR-NK cell products with better and more uniform quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green innovation is deemed as a sound solution to balance socioeconomic development and eco-environmental improvement. The driving force of green innovation have received increasing attention from scholars. However, research on the driving effect of regional integration development on green innovation remains scant. To bridge the research gap, based on the panel data of China's main urban agglomerations from the year of 2006–2017, we constructed an index system to evaluate urban green innovation comprehensive level and applied baseline regression model and spatial econometric model to detect how regional integration development affects green innovation. The main findings are as follows: (1) The average green innovation level in China's major urban agglomerations harbors an upward trend when it increases from 0.11 to 0.47, although there is an uneven development pattern when the urban agglomeration with the highest green innovation level (0.62) from eastern region and the lowest one (0.34) from western region. (2) Empirical results show that improving regional integration level can significantly drive the green innovation development through some effective paths such as the advancement of foreign direct investment, financial development, and economic agglomeration. (3) Regional integration development exerts the pronounced spatial spillover effect on green innovation and promotes the green innovation level of local and adjacent cities. Thus, the research findings would provide new insights into the relationship and interaction between regional integration development and green innovation when exploring and seeking the multiregional sustainable development path from a story of China. • The interaction between regional integration and green innovation is explored. • The index system of urban green innovation level is constructed. • The regional integration development is estimated. • We assess how regional integration development affects green innovation. • This study considers China's major urban agglomerations as a study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives of this study were (1) to quantify the protein inherent molecular structural features of green cotyledon (CDC Striker) and yellow cotyledon (CDC Meadow) pea ( Pisum sativum L.) seeds using molecular spectroscopic technique (FT/IR-ATR); (2) measure the denaturation of protein molecular makeup in the two types of pea during dry roasting (120 °C for 60 min), autoclaving (120 °C for 60 min) or microwaving (for 5 min); and (3) correlate the heat-induced changes in protein molecular makeup to the corresponding changes in protein digestibility determined using modified three-step in vitro procedure. Compared with yellow-type, the green-type peas had higher ( P < 0.05) ratios of amide I to II peak height (1.698 vs . 1.805) and area (1.843 vs . 2.017). A significant correlation was observed between the amide I and II peak height ( r = 0.48) and peak area ( r = −0.42) ratio with protein content. Compared with yellow-type, the green-type peas had lower ( P < 0.05) α-helix:β-sheet ratio (1.015 vs . 0.926), indicating varietal difference in protein secondary structure makeup. All processing applications increased α-helix:β-sheet ratio, with the largest ( P < 0.05) increase being observed with roasting and microwaving. The heat-induced changes in α-helix:β-sheet ratio was strongly correlated to intestinal digestibility of protein within the green ( r = −0. 86) and yellow ( r = 0.81) pea-types. However, across the pea types the correlation was not significant. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses on the entire spectral data from the amide region (ca. 1727–1480 cm −1 ) were able to visualize and discriminate the structural difference between pea varieties and processing treatments. This study shows that the molecular spectroscopy can be used as a rapid tool to screen the protein value of raw and heat-treated peas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified immune cells have emerged as a promising approach for cancer treatment, but single-target CAR therapy in solid tumors is limited by immune escape caused by tumor antigen heterogeneity and shedding. Natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) is an activating receptor expressed in human NK cells, and its ligands, such as MICA and MICB (MICA/B), are widely expressed in malignant cells and typically absent from healthy tissue. NKG2D plays an important role in anti-tumor immunity, recognizing tumor cells and initiating an anti-tumor response. Therefore, NKG2D-based CAR is a promising CAR candidate. Nevertheless, the shedding of MICA/B hinders the therapeutic efficacy of NKG2D-CARs. Here, we designed a novel CAR by engineering an anti-MICA/B shedding antibody 1D5 into the CAR construct. The engineered NK cells exhibited significantly enhanced cytotoxicity against various MICA/B-expressing tumor cells and were not inhibited by NKG2D antibody or NKG2D-Fc fusion protein, indicating no interference with NKG2D-MICA/B binding. Therefore, the developed 1D5-CAR could be combined with NKG2D-CAR to further improve the obstacles caused by MICA/B shedding. • 1D5-CAR targeting MICA/B α3 was designed based on structure. • 1D5-CAR-modified NK cells exhibited potent cytotoxicity. • 1D5-CAR didn't disturb NKG2D-MICA/B interaction. • 1D5-CAR could be combined with NKG2D-CAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineered natural killer (NK) cell-based therapies have been potentially broadly applicable and exhibited promising results in clinical trials, particularly in the fight against cancers. NK cell immunotherapy however always remains variable. One major obstacle is the inhibitory pathway including PD1/PDL1, providing tumor cells an escape mechanism from immunosurveillance. In this regard, we rationally designed a chimeric switch-receptor (CSR) PD1-DAP10-41BB, which comprising the ectodomain of PD1 fused to the co-stimulatory receptor DAP10 and 41BB. Therefore, by exchanging the transmembrane and cytoplasmic tail of PD1 with positive costimulatory molecules DAP10 and 41BB signaling domains, the negative PD1/PDL1 signal pathway was thus converted into a positive one. This CSR-expressing NK92 cells showed a typical parental NK92 phenotype and improved cytotoxicity against human lung cancer H1299 cells. Besides, the expression of CSR elicited a significant increase of effector molecules such as perforin and granzymes, which can induce apoptosis of H1299 cells. More importantly, in the solid tumor cell H1299-bearing mice model, the CSR-modified NK92 cells significantly inhibited tumor growth. Collectively, we demonstrated that expression of PD1-DAP10-41BB augmented NK92-cell activation and killing in vitro and in vivo , which provides a considerable avenue of using NK-tailored chimeric receptor engineered NK92 cells to treat a wide range of solid tumors. • A novel NK-tailored chimeric switch-receptor PD1-DAP10-41BB is rationally designed. • Modified NK92 cells mediate the clearance of H1299 cells by triggering apoptosis. • PD1-DAP10-41BB-expressing NK92 cells elicit in vivo tumor control of H1299 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Post-translational regulation plays a critical role in the control of cell growth and proliferation. The phosphorylation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is the most important post-translational modification. The function of PPARγ phosphorylation has been studied extensively in the past. However, the relationship between phosphorylated PPARγ1 and tumors remains unclear. Here we investigated the role of PPARγ1 phosphorylation in human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cell line. Using the nonphosphorylation (Ser84 to alanine, S84A) and phosphorylation (Ser84 to aspartic acid, S84D) mutant of PPARγ1, the results suggested that phosphorylation attenuated PPARγ1 transcriptional activity. Meanwhile, we demonstrated that phosphorylated PPARγ1 promoted HT1080 cell proliferation and this effect was dependent on the regulation of cell cycle arrest. The mRNA levels of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI) p21Waf1/Cip1 and p27Kip1 descended in PPARγ1S84D stable HT1080 cell, whereas the expression of p18INK4C was not changed. Moreover, compared to the PPARγ1S84A, PPARγ1S84D up-regulated the expression levels of cyclin D1 and cyclin A. Finally, PPARγ1 phosphorylation reduced sensitivity to agonist rosiglitazone and increased resistance to anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in HT1080 cell. Our findings establish PPARγ1 phosphorylation as a critical event in human fibrosarcoma growth. These findings raise the possibility that chemical compounds that prevent the phosphorylation of PPARγ1 could act as anticancer drugs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Top-Gaussian illumination generation technology has considerable application prospects in photolithography. We propose a detailed design and optimization method for the optical component that generates the top-Gaussian illumination field. This method can generate a field with a specific profile in the scan direction and a rectangular distribution in the nonscan direction. The energy density is reduced by jointly designing the first and second microlens arrays (MLAs). Thus, design freedom becomes more extensive. The requirements of the illumination field are met by the designed top-Gaussian illumination field, whose dimensions in the scan and nonscan directions are insensitive to illumination mode. Furthermore, the influences of the rectangular distribution dimension and the Gaussian distribution σ errors on the dimension of the top-Gaussian distribution are studied. The design results show that the maximum energy density in the second MLA can be reduced to 17.43% of that in the general design method. The analysis results indicate that the full-width-at-half-maximum error of the rectangular illumination field in the scan direction should be restricted within ±0.3 mm, and the σ error of the Gaussian distribution should be restricted within ±0.05 deg. The proposed method should increase the service life of the key component of the photolithography machine, and the cost of the manufacture and maintenance may be decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to cope with the water flow disturbance is one of the problems which affect the safety and efficiency of divers and underwater vehicles. In order to solve this problem, the underwater flow speed sensor is necessary. However, the existing underwater flow speed sensors are difficult to integrate into diving suits and underwater vehicles. Based on Micro Thermoelectric Generator (MTEG), this research proposes an underwater speed perception theory and establishes the thermodynamic model. Based on the thermodynamic model, a prototype is made to verify the theory in the pipeline and broad water. The results reveal that within the flow speed range of 0–8 m/s, the prototype can give feedback on the voltage variation corresponding to the speed variation with an accuracy of 0.5 m/s in 0–3 s, which indicates that the prototype can identify the speed accurately and verifies the theory. Based on the theory proposed in this research, the underwater flow speed sensor can be small enough to integrate into diving suits and underwater vehicles. Moreover, the prototype has the capability to use the heat generated by the diver's body or waste heat generated by the underwater vehicle's battery as source of energy, enabling self-powered operation. [Display omitted] ● Based on thermoelectric effect, an underwater thermal tactile thermodynamic model for underwater flow velocity perception is established. ● The prototype can utilize the heat of the diver body or the battery waste heat of the underwater vehicle as the energy source to realize self-powered work. ● Within the water velocity range of 0–8 m/s, the prototype can identify the velocity variation with an accuracy of 0.5 m/s in 0–3 s [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• VEGF165b treatment augments the cytolytic ability of NK92 against tumor cells in vitro. • VEGF165b treatment upregulates perforin and granzyme B. • 3.VEGF165b activity is mediated by the VEGFR1-PLC pathway. Pro-angiogenic Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) exert immunosuppressive functions on some immune cells by interacting with VEGF receptors. Blocking the VEGF/VEGFR pathway could reverse the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment to some degree. We recently demonstrated that the anti-angiogenic VEGF isoform VEGF165b, similar to other anti-angiogenic agents, inhibit the accumulation immunosuppressive cells such as Tregs and MDSCs. However, whether VEGF165b affects the functions of immune effector cells remain unclear. Here, NK92 cell line was utilized as an immune effector cell model. Our results verified that NK92 cells endogenously express VEGF165 and VEGFR1. Further investigation showed that NK92 treatment with VEGF165b augments its killing ability against human K562 leukemia cells by upregulating perforin and granzyme B through the VEGFR1-PLC pathway, whereas VEGF165b had no impact on the proliferation of NK92 cells in vitro. The results of this study improve our understanding of the immunomodulatory function of VEGF165b, which may help in enhancing the efficacy of NK92-based cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mutant VEGF165b were found to play immunomodulatory roles, beyond their anti-angiogenic functions. • VEGF165b and Mutant VEGF165b was capable of inhibiting the proliferation of Tregs in vitro. • Mutant VEGF165 was capable of inhibiting the accumulation of Tregs and MDSCs in spleen and tumors in tumor-bearing mice. A great deal of evidence has shown that anti-angiogenic molecules and antibodies targeting the VEGF-A/VEGFRs signal pathway can also reverse tumor-induced immunosuppression to an extent. VEGF165b, an anti-angiogenic VEGF-A isoform, has demonstrated capacity as an efficacious anti-tumor therapy in mice as an anti-angiogenic agent. However, whether VEGF165b also plays an immunomodulatory role in anti-tumor field remains unclear. mVEGF165b effect on regulatory T cells (Tregs) in vitro were evaluated using flow cytometry and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) methods. Its effects on Tregs (or Foxp3 expressing cells) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) were analyzed in vivo using flow cytometry and immunostaining techniques. In this study, we found VEGF165b and its mutant (its half-life in plasma was extended 10 times while retaining its bioactivity; the VEGF165b mutant is called mVEGF165b for short) inhibited the proliferation of Tregs in vitro. In addition, mVEGF165b dramatically inhibited the accumulation of MDSCs and Tregs (or Foxp3 expressing cells) in the spleen and tumor in tumor-bearing mice. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated for the first time that VEGF165b and its mutant has immunoregulatory functions. It may be used as a potential immunomodulatory agent, beyond its anti-angiogenic capacities, in cancer therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural killer (NK) cells are derived from hematopoietic stem cells. They belong to the innate lymphoid cell family, which is an important part of innate immunity. This family plays a role in the body mainly through the release of perforin, granzyme, and various cytokines and is involved in cytotoxicity and cytokine-mediated immune regulation. NK cells involved in normal immune regulation and the tumor microenvironment (TME) can exhibit completely different states. Here, we discuss the growth, development, and function of NK cells in regard to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors are those that influence NK cells to promote cell maturation and exert their effector functions under the control of internal metabolism and self-related genes. Extrinsic factors include the metabolism of the TME and the influence of related proteins on the "fate" of NK cells. This review targets the potential of NK cell metabolism, cellular molecules, regulatory genes, and other mechanisms involved in immune regulation. We further discuss immune-mediated tumor therapy, which is the trend of current research. [Display omitted] • NK cells exhibit distinct states in normal immune regulation and within the TME. • Intrinsic and extrinsic factors cooperatively define NK cell fate. • Elucidating NK cell dynamic nature holds great potential for cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) discharge to the soil environment through increased anthropogenic activities is a global threat. These PTEs can have harmful and chronic-persistent health effects on exposed populations through food consumption grown on contaminated soils. Efforts to investigate the transformation mechanism and accumulation behavior of PTEs in soil-plant system and their adverse health-effects have focused extensively in previous studies. However, limited studies address biochar nanosheets (BCNs) as a potential soil amendment to reduced humans health risks through dietary intake of food-crop grown on PTE-contaminated soil. Here, we showed how BCNs cutback health hazards of PTEs through impacts on bioavailability and phytoaccumulation of PTEs, and their daily intake via consumption of wheat. When BCNs amendment was compared with both conventional organic amendments (COAs) and control, it significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced bioavailability and uptake of PTEs by wheat plants. Based on risk assessment results, the hazard indices (HIs) for PTEs in all treatments were <1, however, BCNs addition significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced risk level, when compared to control. Furthermore, the cancer risks for Cd, Cr and Ni over a lifetime of exposure were higher in all treatments than the tolerable limit (1.00E-4 to 1.00E-6), however BCNs addition significantly suppressed cancer risk compared to control. Conclusively, our results suggest that BCNs can be used as soil amendment to reduce potential risks of PTEs through consumption of food grown in PTE-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chrysin (5,7-di-OH-flavone), a widely distributed natural flavonoid, has been well documented for involving in various biological activities, especially in regulation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) activity as a modest modulator. However, the exact molecular mechanism is still unrevealed. In the current study, for the first time, we discovered that, chrysin not only significantly attenuated inflammation in high-fat feeding mice, but also alleviated high fat diet-induced hepatic, muscular steatosis in obese mice without altering the body weight. Chrysin decreases the infiltration of macrophages into adipose tissue in obese mice. In addition, chrysin was also found to induce an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype and decreases M1 phenotype, both in peritoneal macrophages of obese mice and cultured macrophages in vitro, and thereby, chrysin changed the M1/M2 status. Our data further showed that chrysin regulated the phenotype of macrophages through enhancing the transcriptional activation of PPARγ and the expression of its target genes. Taken together, we conclude that chrysin may serve as an effective modulator of PPARγ during the pathogenesis of inflammation, thereby our findings shed light on the potential therapeutic feature of chrysin in recovering inflammatory diseases via regulating M1/M2 status. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Biomass, as a renewable and sustainable energy resource, can be converted into environmentally friendly and practically valuable biofuels and chemical materials via pyrolysis. However, the process optimization and pyrolysis efficiency are restricted by the limited perception of the complicated mechanisms and kinetics for biomass pyrolysis. Here, to establish an in-depth mechanism model for biomass pyrolysis, we presented a novel investigation for the thermal evolutions and pyrolysis kinetics of the functional groups in peanut shell matrix by using in-situ Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (in-situ FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry-mass spectrometry (TG-FTIR-MS). The in-situ FTIR spectrum deconvolution for the solid matrix was innovatively introduced to identify and quantify the real-time evolution and thermal dynamics of the functional groups during peanut shell pyrolysis. The result for the first time proposed that the pyrolysis mechanisms of total OH at 20–380 °C, aliphatic C-H n groups at 20–500 °C, C O groups at 260–500 °C, and C–O groups at 300–500 °C were dominant by diffusion and order-based chemical reactions. The TG-FTIR-MS analysis was conducted for the online monitoring of the released volatiles and gases, the amounts of which were in the sequence of C O > CO 2 > aliphatic C– O -(H) > C– O -(C) in esters > aromatics > H 2 O > phenolic hydroxyl > aliphatic hydrocarbons > CO. The study established a novel methodology to evaluate the biomass pyrolysis mechanisms at the molecular level, which provided valuable information for developing advanced pyrolysis techniques on a large scale for sustainable ecosystem. [Display omitted] • In-situ investigation of molecular behaviors for peanut shell pyrolysis is conducted. • Pyrolysis mechanism and kinetics of peanut shell functional groups are investigated. • Variations of OH, C-H n , aromatics, C O, and C–O groups in solid matrix are depicted. • Diffusion and order-based reaction models fit well for functional groups pyrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• With the versatility, CRISPR/Cas9 has dominated the realm of genome editing. • Various challenges of CRISPR/Cas9 remain to be overcome for patients with cancer. • CRISPR/Cas9 is revolutionizing and opening a new era for cellular immunotherapies. Immunotherapy has become one of the most promising strategies in cancer therapies. Among the therapeutic alternatives, genetically engineered NK/T cell therapies have emerged as powerful and innovative therapeutic modalities for cancer patients with precise targeting and impressive efficacy. Nonetheless, this approach still faces multiple challenges, such as immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, exhaustion of immune effector cells in tumors, off-target effects manufacturing complexity, and poor infiltration of effector cells, all of which need to be overcome for further utilization to cancers. Recently, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology, with the goal of enhancing the efficacy and increasing the availability of engineered effector cell therapies, has shown considerable potential in the novel strategies and options to overcome these limitations. Here we review the current progress of the applications of CRISPR in cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, we discuss issues related to the NK/T cell applications, gene delivery methods, efficiency, challenges, and implications of CRISPR/Cas9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban mangroves affected by surrounding urbanization and anthropogenic activities, the fate of mercury (Hg) in sediment-mangrove system remains unclear. In this study, four urban mangroves with different urban functional zonings in fast-developing Shenzhen of China were selected: Shajing mangrove (SJM) and Xixiang mangrove (XXM) featured with industry district, Futian mangrove (FTM) and Baguang mangrove (BGM) featured with central business district and ecological preserve, respectively. The distributions of Hg in sediment, iron plaque (IP), and Kandelia obovata were determined. The mean concentrations of total Hg in mangrove sediments were SJM > XXM, FTM > BGM. Higher ecological risk was also detected in SJM based on geo-accumulation index, potential ecological risk factor, and contamination factor. The speciation analysis of Hg in non-rhizosphere sediments showed that residual, oxidizable, and volatile Hg acted as dominant fractions in urban mangroves, with volatile Hg to be important for Hg bioaccumulation in K. obovata. IP acted as a natural barrier to limit transfer of Hg from sediment to K. obovate due to lower Hg concentrations in IP compared to that in sediment. In terms of the total and bioavailable Hg, translocation factors (TF) of Hg in mangroves featured with different urban functions were: TF total : BGM (0.23) ≈ FTM (0.23) > SJM (0.15) ≈ XXM (0.14); TF avail : BGM (0.81) ≈ FTM (0.74) > SJM (0.40) ≈ XXM (0.37). The reduced TFs of Hg were important for protecting K. obovata from heavy Hg pollution in urban mangroves featured with industry district. Image 1 • Hg pollution in mangrove sediment was highest in Shajing featured with industry district. • Volatile Hg in mangrove sediment was related to its bioaccumulation in mangrove plant. • Iron plaque acted as a natural barrier for K. obovata 's Hg absorption from sediment. • Transfers of Hg in Shajing and Xixiang mangroves were lower than that of Futian and Baguang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric materials show the features of different lengths and time scales. In order to achieve optimized applications in practical forming process, it is of significance to understand the evolution of integrated structure–property relationship. In the study, the rheological behaviors of polymeric materials in film casting process are investigated by means of a multiscale modeling and simulation method based on the coarse‐grained molecular dynamic (CGMD) method, the primitive path analysis, and the finite element method. The macroscopic properties of the polymeric system are predicted from the microstructure by using a bottom‐up method. Based on the entanglement network of macromolecular chains predicted with CGMD simulation, the primitive path analysis method is adopted to evaluate main conformational parameters according to the tube theory, which realizes a bridge from nano to micro scale. The viscoelastic properties of polymeric materials are characterized by using a continuum Phan‐Thien–Tanner (PTT) constitutive model, whose rheological parameters are obtained by fitting the distributions of material functions predicted from the tube model. The mathematical model of film casting process is further established based on a membrane model and the corresponding finite element model and details of numerical schemes are introduced. The characteristics of macroscopic rheological behaviors of polymeric melts can hence be investigated from the evolution of microscopic structure, and the phenomena in practical film casting process like the neck‐in and the edge bead defects in engineering are successfully predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]