Abstract: The invention relates to gene expression regulatory sequences, specifically introns that act as enhancers of gene expression, the promoter and terminator sequences endogenously associated with these introns. Presence of these intronic enhancer sequences in proximity to promoter sequences leads to enhancement of gene expression. Methods of finding such new intronic enhancer sequences and using them to generate transgenic plants are also described.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are provided for introducing transgenic target sites for Site Specific Integration (SSI) and/or polynucleotides of interest into at least one double-strand break target site of a double-strand-break inducing agent in a genomic window of a plant genome. Also provided are methods and compositions for producing a complex trait locus in a genomic window of a plant comprising at least one transgenic target site for site specific integration integrated in at least double-strand-break target site. The double-strand-break target site can be, but is not limited to, a target site for a zinc finger endonuclease, an engineered endonuclease, a meganuclease, a TALENs and/or a Cas endonuclease. The genomic window of said plant can comprise at least one genomic locus of interest such as a trait cassette, a transgene, a mutated gene, a native gene, an edited gene or a site-specific integration (SSI) target site.

Abstract: An illustrative multimodal measurement system includes a wearable assembly configured to be worn by a user; and a module configured to be removably inserted into the wearable assembly and comprising: a housing, a printed circuit board (PCB) and a light guide assembly configured to emit light directed at a target within the user. The light guide assembly comprises: a lower light guide portion housed within the housing and having a proximal end attached to the PCB, a conductive spring member housed within the housing and comprising a coil positioned around an external surface of the lower light guide portion, and a conductive upper light guide portion connected to the lower light guide portion and configured to protrude from an upper surface of the housing and be in contact with a surface of a body of the user.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for controlling pests are provided. The methods involve transforming organisms with a nucleic acid sequence encoding an insecticidal protein. In particular, the nucleic acid sequences are useful for preparing plants and microorganisms that possess insecticidal activity. Thus, transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, plant tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions are insecticidal nucleic acids and proteins of bacterial species. The sequences find use in the construction of expression vectors for subsequent transformation into organisms of interest including plants, as probes for the isolation of other homologous (or partially homologous) genes. The pesticidal proteins find use in controlling, inhibiting growth or killing Lepidopteran, Coleopteran, Dipteran, fungal, Hemipteran and nematode pest populations and for producing compositions with insecticidal activity.

Abstract: An illustrative optical measurement system includes a light source configured to emit a light pulse directed at a target. The optical measurement system further includes a control circuit configured to drive the light source with a current pulse comprising a non-linear rise, and a decline from a maximum output to zero having a duration within a threshold percentage of a total pulse duration of the current pulse.

Abstract: An optical measurement system includes a light source configured to emit a first light pulse and a second light pulse toward a target, a detector, and a processing unit. The first light pulse has a first wavelength and the second light pulse has a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. The processing unit is configured to determine a plurality of temporal distributions of photons included in the first light pulse and the second light pulse and detected by the detector after the photons are scattered by the target, and determine, based on the plurality of temporal distributions and a source-detector distance estimation model, a distance between the light source and the detector.

Abstract: An illustrative optical measurement system includes a light source configured to emit light directed at a target, an array of photodetectors configured to detect photons of the light after the light is scattered by the target, and a processing unit configured to measure a noise level of a photodetector included in the array of photodetectors, the noise level comprising a dark count rate that measures a dark count divided by a time period, determine that the noise level meets a predetermined threshold comprising a dark count rate threshold, and prevent, based on the determining that the noise level meets the predetermined threshold, an output of the photodetector from being used in generating a histogram based on a temporal distribution of photons detected by the array of photodetectors, the preventing comprising switching the output to a monitoring circuit that monitors a characteristic of the optical measurement system separate from the photodetector.

Abstract: An illustrative biopotential measurement system includes a plurality of electrodes each configured to record a different signal included in a plurality of signals representative of electrical activity of a target within a user; a plurality of non-inverting operational amplifier circuits each connected to a different electrode included in the plurality of electrodes and each configured to output a different amplified signal included in a plurality of amplified signals representative of amplified versions of the plurality of signals; and a common-mode feedback circuit configured to measure a common-mode signal between the plurality of amplified signals and provide the common-mode signal to the non-inverting operational amplifier circuits. The non-inverting operational amplifier circuits are configured to use the common-mode signal to generate voltage-divided feedback signals used to generate the plurality of amplified signals.

Abstract: An illustrative system may include a TDC configured to monitor for an occurrence of a photodetector output pulse during a measurement time window that is within and shorter in duration than a light pulse time period, the photodetector output pulse generated by a photodetector when the photodetector detects a photon from a light pulse having a light pulse time period; a PLL circuit for the TDC and having a PLL feedback period defined by a reference clock, the PLL circuit configured to: output a plurality of fine phase signals and output one or more signals representative of a plurality of feedback divider states during the PLL feedback period; and a precision timing circuit configured to adjust, based on one or more of the fine phase signals and/or the feedback divider states, a temporal position of the measurement time window within the light pulse time period.

Abstract: An illustrative optical measurement system includes a signal generator configured to generate a signal and a processing unit configured to direct the signal generator to apply the signal to a TDC included in the optical measurement system and generate, based on timestamp symbols recorded by the TDC in response to the signal, characterization data representative of a nonlinearity of the TDC.

Abstract: An illustrative optical measurement system includes a light source configured to emit light directed at a target. The optical measurement system further includes a photodetector configured to detect a photon of the light after the light is scattered by the target. The optical measurement system further includes a control circuit configured to receive a first input voltage that is a temperature-dependent voltage. The control circuit is further configured to receive a second input voltage that is a temperature-invariant voltage. The control circuit is further configured to output, based on a combination of the first input voltage and the second input voltage, a bias voltage for the photodetector, wherein the combination of the first and second input voltages is configured to cause the bias voltage to vary based on temperature.

Abstract: An exemplary optical measurement system described herein includes a control circuit configured to output a global bias voltage and a module communicatively coupled to the control circuit. The module includes a light source configured to emit light directed at a target. The module further includes a plurality of detectors configured to detect arrival times for photons of the light after the light is scattered by the target. The module further includes a module control circuit configured to receive the global bias voltage and output a plurality of detector bias voltages based on the global bias voltage. The plurality of detector bias voltages include a respective detector bias voltage for each detector of the plurality of detectors.

Abstract: An illustrative calibration member made from a material that scatters light may be used to perform a calibration operation with respect to an optical measurement device having a plurality of light sources and a plurality of detectors distributed among a plurality of modules. The calibration member may form an exterior surface configured to support the optical measurement device and scatter photons of light emitted by the optical measurement device. The calibration operation may be performed based on arrival times of the scattered photons detected by the optical measurement device.

Abstract: An optical measurement system comprising an optical source configured for delivering sample light in an anatomical structure, such that the sample light is scattered by the anatomical structure, resulting in physiological-encoded signal light that exits the anatomical structure, an optical detector configured for detecting the physiological-encoded signal light, and a processor configured for acquiring a TOF profile derived from the physiological-encoded signal light, the initial TOF profile having an initial contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) between a plurality of states of a physiological activity in the anatomical structure. The processor is further configured for applying one or more weighting functions to the initial TOF profile to generate a weighted TOF profile having a subsequent CNR greater than the initial CNR between the plurality of states of the physiological activity.

Abstract: An illustrative optical measurement system includes a light source configured to emit light directed at a target. The optical measurement system further includes a photodetector configured to detect a photon of the light after the light is scattered by the target. The optical measurement system further includes a control circuit configured to arm the photodetector by applying a bias voltage to a first terminal of the photodetector and applying, for a predetermined amount of time using a current source, a current to a second terminal of the photodetector to produce a predetermined voltage difference across the photodetector.

Abstract: An illustrative optical measurement system includes a light source configured to emit light directed at a target within a user. The system further includes a detector configured to detect photon arrival times for photons of the light after the light is scattered by the target. The system further includes a processor configured to determine, based on the photon arrival times, histogram data associated with the target, the histogram data including noise. The processor is further configured to determine, based on the photon arrival times, a random matrix corresponding to the photon arrival times. The processor is further configured to determine, based on the random matrix, a noise distribution representing a distribution of the noise within the histogram data. The processor is further configured to generate clean histogram data using the noise distribution to filter at least a portion of the noise from the histogram data.

Abstract: A non-invasive product customization system and a method of customizing a product formulation is provided. Brain activity of a user is detected in response to an input of a product formulation into a brain of the user via a sensory nervous system of the user. A mental state of the user is detected based on the detected brain activity. The product formulation is modified based on the determined mental state of the user. The modified product formulation may be presented to the user in a manner that modulates the mental state of the user.

Abstract: A wearable module for use in an optical measurement system includes a light guide configured to receive a light pulse from a light source and guide signal photons included in the light pulse toward a target within a body of a user, and a light diverter configured to divert reference photons included in the light pulse toward at least one detector configured to detect the reference photons.

Abstract: A magnetic field measurement system includes a light source that emits a light beam; an optical fiber to transmit the light beam; a variable optical attenuator to increase stability of an intensity of the light beam; a beam splitter to divide the light beam into an OPM light beam and a monitor light beam; a monitor detector to detect the monitor light beam and generate a monitor signal; a vapor cell with alkali metal atoms disposed therein and configured for transmission of the OPM light beam through the vapor cell; an OPM detector to detect the OPM light beam after transmission through the vapor cell and generate an OPM signal; and a group delay filter to combine the monitor signal and the OPM signal to generate a reduced noise OPM signal, where the group delay filter accounts for a phase difference between the monitor signal and the OPM signal.

Abstract: A magnetic field generator includes a plurality of conductive windings comprising a first conductive winding arranged in a first plane and a second conductive winding arranged in a second plane that is substantially parallel to the first plane. The plurality of conductive windings are configured to generate, when supplied with a drive current, a first component of a compensation magnetic field. The first component of the compensation magnetic field is configured to actively shield a magnetic field sensing region located between the first conductive winding and the second conductive winding from ambient background magnetic fields along a first axis that is substantially orthogonal to the first plane and the second plane.