Abstract: Approaches presented herein provide for the support of distorted cameras in 3D scene reconstruction. Objects in a scene can be represented by 3D Gaussian particles. To determine which 3D Gaussian particles contribute to individual pixels of an image to be rendered, an unscented transform-based approach can be used to project representative sigma points for the 3D Gaussian particles onto a 2D camera plane. The 3D Gaussian particles determined to potentially contribute to a given pixel can then have rays traced to determine a segment of intersection of the ray across a 3D Gaussian particle, and a value corresponding to the point of maximum response across that segment can be returned as a contribution value. The various contribution values for each pixel can then be blended to provide an output color value.

Abstract: A power converter includes a plurality of direct current-direct current (DC-DC) power conversion circuits that are connected in series. And a controller is configured to: send a first pulse signal to control a first DC-DC power conversion circuit to work, and send a second pulse signal to control a second DC-DC power conversion circuit to work, to enable a direct current busbar to charge a battery pack, or enable a battery pack to be discharged to a direct current busbar. A duty cycle of the first pulse signal is determined based on a voltage or a current at a first end of the power converter, or a voltage or a current at a second end of the power converter. The second pulse signal has a fixed duty cycle and a fixed frequency.

Abstract: A washing control method and apparatus for a cleaning device or a cleaning system, a computer-readable storage medium and an electronic device are disclosed and relate to the field of smart control technologies.

Abstract: A secondary battery includes positive and negative electrode sheets, separator between the positive and negative electrode sheets, and electrolytic solution including organic solvent and lithium salt. The positive electrode sheet includes positive electrode current collector and positive electrode film layer located on at least one surface of the positive electrode current collector and including positive electrode active material that includes lithium transition metal oxide. The lithium transition metal oxide includes nickel, cobalt, and at least one of manganese and aluminum. In the lithium transition metal oxide, molar content of nickel is 85 mol % or higher based on total molar content of all metal elements except lithium. In DTG curve obtained by heating the positive electrode active material at heating rate of 10° C./min, absolute value of peak value of thermogravimetric change rate of the positive electrode active material is less than 7%/min.

Abstract: A coherent fiber optic bundle breakout cable assembly includes a trunk fiber bundle having a plurality of optical fibers in a close-packed 2D array at a trunk connector end face, and multiple breakout bundles emanating from the trunk fiber bundle and each including a group of optical fibers in a close-packed 2D array at a breakout connector end face, with optical fibers being in lateral contact with one another. Bonding material is arranged in interstitial spaces of optical fibers near ends of each breakout bundle.

Abstract: Novel polyketanil-based compositions for use as a laser-releasable composition for temporary bonding and laser debonding processes are provided. The inventive compositions can be debonded using various UV lasers, at wavelengths from about 300 nm to about 360 nm, leaving behind little to no debris. The layers formed from these compositions possess good thermal stabilities and are resistant to common solvents used in semiconductor processing. The compositions can also be used as build-up layers for redistribution layer formation.

Abstract: A primer set and a kit is used for simultaneous identification of a classical strain and a variant strain of a porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). The primer set includes primer set I and primer set II; where primer set I comprises the nucleotide sequences set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 4; and primer set II comprises the nucleotide sequences set forth in SEQ ID NO: 5 to SEQ ID NO: 8. This approach not only helps avoid false negatives or false positives in the detection of PEDV variant strain infections, but also enables the identification between classical strain and variant strain in PEDV. This is of significant importance for understanding the prevalence of PEDV and for the prevention and control of PEDV infections.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel CLDN18.2 binding molecule. Also disclosed are a nucleic acid molecule encoding the CLDN18.2 binding molecule, an expression vector and a host cell for expressing the CLDN18.2 binding molecule. Further disclosed are a method for producing the CLDN18.2 binding molecule and use thereof.

Abstract: Methods and systems for removing coatings from optical fibers. A system includes a gas source for providing gas, and a heater configured to heat the gas. The system includes a holder comprising first and second attachment features. The attachment features secure a coated optical fiber along a removal path. The system includes at least one nozzle connected to the gas source. The at least on nozzle is aimed in a nozzle direction that is towards the removal path at a pitch, such that the nozzle is non-perpendicular towards the removal path. The nozzle directs a continuous stream of the heated gas towards the coated optical fiber causing the coating of the coated optical fiber to be removed. The methods and systems may employ a second nozzle that may be offset from the first nozzle angularly and/or laterally with respect to the removal path.

Abstract: An accessory holder and a maintenance station system. The accessory holder includes: an accommodating tray configured to accommodate an accessory of a surface cleaning device; and an accommodating rod located on one side of the accommodating tray and configured to accommodate a brush head provided with an extension rod, where the accommodating rod includes a first accommodating position, a second accommodating position, and a third accommodating position, the first accommodating position and the second accommodating position implement a first accommodating posture of the brush head, and the first accommodating position and the third accommodating position implement a second accommodating posture of the brush head.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an optical fiber includes an inner core having a core refractive index delta and profile shape parameter ? in the range of 1.8 to 2.6, including endpoints, and a cladding layer surrounding the inner core. The cladding layer includes an inner cladding segment having an inner refractive index delta, a trench segment having a trench refractive index delta, and an outer cladding segment having an outer refractive index delta. The optical fiber further includes a coating layer surrounding the cladding layer and having a thickness of less than 30 ?m and a modulus greater than or equal to 0.5 GPa.

Abstract: This disclosure provides anti-MerTK antibodies, variants thereof and humanized versions. The newly disclosed antibodies exhibited high affinity to the MerTK protein and can be used to treat cancers, in particular solid tumors.

Abstract: A method and system for laser cleaving an optical fiber. The method includes applying a non-diffracting beam to the optical fiber to create a plurality of perforations therein by pulsing and scanning the non-diffracting beam across the optical fiber. The perforations form a perforation plane in the optical fiber across which the optical fiber is separated to form a cleaved fiber end face. The system includes a laser, an optical assembly that receives a laser beam from the laser and outputs the non-diffracting beam, and one or more translation stages configured to scan the non-diffracting beam across the optical fiber such that the plurality of perforations are created in the optical fiber to define the perforation plane. Penetration depth of the non-diffracting beam is controlled by adjusting one or more parameters of the non-diffracting beam to avoid damage to the core region of the optical fiber.

Abstract: A hollow core fiber array unit includes hollow core fibers each having a terminal end and an adapter that includes grooves. Each groove receives the terminal end of one of the hollow core fibers. The terminal end of the hollow core fibers is spaced from an end face of the adapter. The hollow core fiber array unit includes a spot size converter coupled to the end face of the adapter. The spot size converter includes a plurality of waveguides that correspond to the hollow core fibers. Each waveguide extends from an input at an input end of the spot size converter that is coupled to the end face of the adapter to an output at an opposite output end of the spot size converter. The input of each waveguide includes a first mode field diameter that corresponds to the hollow core fibers and the output includes a second mode field diameter.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to materials and methods for prognostic classification of multiple sclerosis patients. In particular, provided herein are biomarkers and methods of uses thereof for stratifying patients with multiple sclerosis. The methods described herein facilitate selection of an appropriate treatment for a subject.

Abstract: A modified lithium-rich manganese-based material, a modification method of a lithium-rich manganese-based material, a secondary battery and an electrical device are provided. The modified lithium-rich manganese-based material includes a lithium-rich manganese-based material co-doped with anion and cation and a fast ionic conductor material. The lithium-rich manganese-based material has a chemical formula of xLi2MnO3·(1?x)LiNiyCozMnaO2, where 0<x<1, 0?y?1, 0?z?1, and y+z+a=1. A doped cationic element M1 is selected from at least one of a group consisting of Na, Fe, Nb, Ti, Mg, Al, Cr, and Er, and a doped anionic element M2 is selected from at least one of a group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, S, B, P, N, Se, and Te. The first efficiency, cycle stability, thermal stability, rate performance and capacity of the material are improved.

Abstract: A method and system for coupling hollow-core optical fibers. The fiber optic coupling system includes one or more fiber optic connectors, and each of the fiber optic connectors includes a ferrule, a hollow-core optical fiber, and one or more seals. Each ferrule includes an end face, an outer surface that defines a center axis of the ferrule, and a bore with an opening on the end face. Each hollow-core optical fiber is positioned in the bore of a respective ferrule, and each of the one or more seals are operatively coupled to the ferrule and configured to form a sealing interface that isolates the opening of the bore from an external environment when the fiber optic connector is operatively coupled to another component of the system.

Abstract: A hollow-core optical fiber for carrying an optical signal is disclosed. The hollow-core optical fiber includes a hollow core fiber body having at least a terminated end that defines an end face and a flexible membrane having an inner end face, an outer end face, and a thickness (t) coupled to the hollow-core fiber body. The inner end face of the flexible membrane is coupled to the end face of the hollow core fiber body to seal the hollow core optical fiber at the first end face. The first flexible membrane has a thickness (t) less than about 5 ?m. A fiber optic cable assembly having a such a hollow-core optical fiber connected to a ferrule of a fiber optic connector and a method of making such a hollow core optical fiber and fiber optic cable assembly are also disclosed.

Abstract: Perimeter external surfaces of arrays of hard polymer coated optical fibers with precise concentricity are used as datum surfaces for aligning (with an inter-core misalignment tolerance of less than 1 ?m) mechanically spliced optical fiber arrays received within a rectangular bore of a rigid sleeve that is devoid of fiber alignment grooves. A method for splicing arrays hard polymer coated optical fibers involves forming ribbonized segments of the arrayed optical fibers, and receiving non-ribbonized segments of the arrays in contact with one another and with walls defining a rectangular cross-section bore of a rigid sleeve. A rigid sleeve for mechanically splicing arrayed optical fibers includes a unitary body structure having a medial portion with a rectangular cross-section bore arranged between first and second extension portions each having a U-shaped channel, with continuous bottom and side walls between the medial and extension portions, and with the sleeve being devoid of fiber alignment grooves.