Abstract: Biological strains, compositions, and methods of using the strains and compositions for reducing overall insect damage.

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: The present disclosure relates to an electrolyte comprising: a) a sodium salt; b) an additive comprising at least one additional metallic/metalloid cation having a standard reduction potential which is at least 2.5V more positive than that of sodium cation; wherein said sodium salt and said additive are dispersed in a solvent comprising at least one alkyl carbonate, and wherein the concentration of said metallic/metalloid cation in the electrolyte is 15 mM to 250 mM. The present disclosure also relates to a sodium-sulfur cell comprising a sodium anode, a microporous sulfur cathode, and the electrolyte as described herein. The present disclosure further provides a method of improving cycling life of a sodium-sulfur cell, wherein the sodium-sulfur cell comprising a sodium anode, a sulfur cathode, and an electrolyte containing a sodium salt dispersed in an alkyl carbonate solvent.

Abstract: A rearview mirror system for a vehicle providing a direct reflection of scenes in good light and an enhanced display of scenes in bad lighting includes a housing defining an opening, a display screen arranged at the opening, a camera, a fill light lamp, and a controller. The display screen is light-pervious at only one side. The camera and the fill light lamp are arranged on the housing. An image processing chip and the controller are arranged between the display screen and the housing. When ambient brightness is below a preset brightness value, the camera and the fill light lamp are activated, the camera captures images of side and rear scenes of the vehicle and generates an optical signal, the image processing chip, based on the optical signal, outputs an enhanced image on the display screen for better driving safety. A vehicle including the rearview mirror system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A battery charger may include a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first portion supporting alternating current (AC) electrical components and a second portion supporting direct current (DC) electrical components; an indicator including a light-emitting diode (LED) supported on the first portion of the PCB and operable to emit light; and an isolating member positioned on the first portion between the AC electrical components and the LED. A trace on the PCB may be electrically connected to the second portion of the PCB, the trace extending from the second portion and along the first portion, and the LED may be electrically connected to and receiving DC power through the trace, the LED being selectively positioned along a length of the trace. The LED may be positioned more than about 8 mm from the AC electrical components.

Abstract: An electronic device and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The electronic device includes: a substrate; an electronic component disposed on the substrate; a first optical component disposed on the substrate and the electronic component; and a first optical adhesive disposed between the substrate and the first optical component to bond the substrate and the first optical component, wherein a Young's modulus of the first optical adhesive ranges between 10 kPa and 150 kPa.

Abstract: Detectors are situated along a tilted optical axis to receive optical radiation from a work surface. Variations in the received optical power are used to estimate a work surface positional along a work surface axis. The received optical power can be emitted from the work surface and an estimated temperature of the work surface used to adjust the received optical power. One or two single element detectors or a linear detector can be used. A position of a focused spot produced from the received optical power at the linear detector can be used to assess work surface axial position.

Abstract: A multi-lens camera module making use of a single image sensor comprising first and second lens modules, an image acquisition module, a refracting module, and a shielding module. The refracting module refracts light from either the first lens module and/or the second lens module, the shielding module allowing light to enter only one of the first or second lens modules by masking the other. The first and second lens modules can share one image acquisition module, which saves cost and interior space of the camera module and thus of the electronic device using such camera module. An electronic device comprising the camera module is also provided.

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: This invention relates to a portable magnetic particle imaging (MPI) device. The portable MPI device comprises a handheld probe and a processing unit. The handheld probe comprises a main housing a first sensor coil, a second sensor coil, a transmitter coil arranged between the first and second sensor coils, and an excitation priming frame housing magnetic component and the processing unit comprises a transmitter communicatively connected to the transmitter coil and the excitation priming frame, a receiver communicatively connected to the first and second sensor coils.

Abstract: A processing system includes: an irradiation system that irradiates an object with an energy beam; a material supply member that supplies a build material irradiated with the energy beam; a measurement apparatus that obtains information related to a height of a surface of the object; and a distance change apparatus that changes a distance between the material supply member and the surface based on a measured result by the measurement apparatus.

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 Hemipteran, Lepidopteran, Coleopteran, Dipteran, fungal, and nematode pest populations and for producing compositions with insecticidal activity.

Abstract: A pulsed magnetic particle imaging system includes a magnetic field generating system that includes at least one magnet, the magnetic field generating system providing a spatially structured magnetic field within an observation region of the magnetic particle imaging system such that the spatially structured magnetic field will have a field-free region (FFR) for an object under observation having a magnetic nanoparticle tracer distribution therein. The pulsed magnetic particle imaging system also includes a pulsed excitation system arranged proximate the observation region, the pulsed excitation system includes an electromagnet and a pulse sequence generator electrically connected to the electromagnet to provide an excitation waveform to the electromagnet, wherein the electromagnet when provided with the excitation waveform generates an excitation magnetic field within the observation region to induce an excitation signal therefrom by at least one of shifting a location or condition of the FFR.

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: A battery charger may include a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first portion supporting alternating current (AC) electrical components and a second portion supporting direct current (DC) electrical components; an indicator including a light-emitting diode (LED) supported on the first portion of the PCB and operable to emit light; and an isolating member positioned on the first portion between the AC electrical components and the LED. A trace on the PCB may be electrically connected to the second portion of the PCB, the trace extending from the second portion and along the first portion, and the LED may be electrically connected to and receiving DC power through the trace, the LED being selectively positioned along a length of the trace. The LED may be positioned more than about 8 mm from the AC electrical components.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes: forming a patterned hard mask layer on a semiconductor substrate; performing a first etching process to form a recess in an exposed portion of the semiconductor substrate, using a first etchant that includes a first halogen species; performing a second etching process using a second etchant that includes a second halogen species, such that the second halogen species forms a barrier layer in the semiconductor substrate, surrounding the recess; and growing a detection region in the recess using an epitaxial growth process. The barrier layer is configured to reduce diffusion of the first halogen species into the detection region.

Abstract: A dual-lens camera system includes a first lens, a second lens, an image sensor corresponding to a position of the first lens, and a reflecting assembly. The reflecting assembly includes a first reflecting member and a second reflecting member corresponding to a position of the second lens. The first reflecting member is movable between a first position at which an optical path from the first lens to the image sensor is blocked but an optical path from the second reflecting member to the image sensor is not blocked, and a second position at which the optical path from the first lens to the image sensor is not blocked but the optical path from the second reflective member to the image sensor is blocked. Only one image sensor is used in the dual-lens camera system, which saves cost and takes up less internal space of the electronic device.

Abstract: An image sensor for a Time-of-Flight imaging system is disclosed that includes at least one primary sensor having a photodetector that includes a photovoltaic junction formed at least partially in a germanium-containing material that includes germanium at an atomic percentage greater than 50%, and at least one secondary sensor having a photodetector that includes a photovoltaic junction formed in a second material, such as a silicon-containing material, that includes germanium at an atomic percentage between 0% and 50%. The primary sensor may detect Time-of-Flight measurement signals and the secondary sensor may detect background light, such as sunlight, to correct for background light interference.

Abstract: There is provided a method of synthesizing a porous carbon-sulfur composite comprising the step of carbonizing a carbon material having a metal-organic framework (MOF) at a temperature of 800-1000° C. to produce a porous carbon, mixing and heating the porous carbon with sulfur to infuse the sulfur (melt diffusion) into the pores of the porous carbon and removing excess sulfur not infused into the pores or present on the surface of the porous carbon. There is also provided a cathode comprising the porous carbon-sulfur composite and a method of preparing the cathode by mixing with conductive carbon and a polymer binder. The cathode finds use in an electrochemical cell comprising a sodium or lithium anode.