Abstract: Segmented silicone polyamide block copolymers that comprise dimer acid residues and articles containing the same.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser tuned with an acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may generate standing waves or traveling waves. When traveling waves are used, a second acousto-optic modulator may be used in a reverse orientation to cancel out a chirp created in the first acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may be used with standing-wave laser resonators or ring lasers.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes: providing, by a merchant computing device, an offline payment request to a user device when the merchant computing device is disconnected from a payment server, wherein the offline payment request is provided via local communications between the user device and the merchant computing device; receiving, by the merchant computing device, a payment approval message associated with the offline payment request based on providing the offline payment request, wherein the payment approval message is received via the local communications between the user device and the merchant computing device; storing, by the merchant computing device, the payment approval message; and providing, by the merchant computing device, offline transaction information corresponding to the payment approval message to the payment server when connectivity to the payment server has been restored.

Abstract: A computer program product for facilitating offline transactions includes: a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are executable by a user device to cause the user device to: receive an offline payment request from a merchant payment system via local communications; provide a payment approval message to the merchant payment system via the local communications to cause the merchant payment system to store the payment approval message; and provide offline transaction information to the payment server corresponding to the payment approval message; and provide the offline transaction information to the payment server corresponding to the payment approval message to the payment server when the user device and the payment server are connected via a network.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser tuned with an acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may generate standing waves or traveling waves. When traveling waves are used, a second acousto-optic modulator may be used in a reverse orientation to cancel out a chirp created in the first acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may be used with standing-wave laser resonators or ring lasers.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to adhesive compositions, adhesive articles including the adhesive compositions, methods of making the adhesive compositions and articles, and methods of using the adhesive compositions and articles. The adhesive compositions of the present disclosure include a thermoplastic phenolic resin made from the reaction of (1) alkyl phenol (e.g., butyl- or octyl- or -nonyl) and formaldehyde; or (2) alkyl phenol (e.g., butyl- or octyl-) and acetaldehyde; or (3) alkyl phenol (e.g., butyl- or octyl-) and acetylene. The present disclosure also generally relates to adhesive articles including these adhesive compositions. The inventors of the present disclosure found that such adhesive articles exhibit excellent adhesion to architectural coatings with including low or no VOCs, deep base formulations, and/or formulations including primer in various conditions, including, for example, high humidity.

Abstract: A set of context profiles containing profile content rules for filtering which content within a set of personal productivity applications (such as e-mail, chat, calendar, and contacts applications) is accessible by a user. Content rules support filtering content by, for example, content originator, and/or subject matter. The context profiles are centrally maintained for control of integrated, non-integrated, and/or independently administered personal productivity applications.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions that include at least about 85 wt % of a hydroalcoholic solution that includes at least about 1 wt % water; and about 30 to about 85 wt % of at least one C1 to C4 alkyl alcohol based on the total weight of the hydroalcoholic solution; and acrylate copolymer particles dispersed in the hydroalcoholic solution, the acrylate copolymers particles being the reaction product of a reaction mixture, the reaction mixture including monomers, the monomers including from about 5 wt % to about 50 wt % of at least one high Tg monomer; and from about 20 w% to about 80 wt % of at least one low Tg monomer where the wt % of the low and high Tg monomers are with respect to the total weight of the monomers in the reaction mixture, wherein the particles have a number average diameter of at least about 100 nm.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying a user interface may include an examination and/or elimination of positional bias of interactive categories in order to drive user engagement. A method or system configured to execute the method on a user interface may include creating a first arrangement of categories. The arrangement can be shown on a user device to one or more users a selected number of times. The users' interactions with the categories in the interface may be recorded. The method may further include creating a second arrangement, which is different from the first arrangement, and this second arrangement may be shown to the users the selected number of times and the users' interactions with the second arrangement may be recorded. Based on the frequency of user interactions with the first and second arrangement, a ranked set of the categories may be created and displayed to users.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser tuned with an acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may generate standing waves or traveling waves. When traveling waves are used, a second acousto-optic modulator may be used in a reverse orientation to cancel out a chirp created in the first acousto-optic modulator. The acousto-optic modulator may be used with standing-wave laser resonators or ring lasers.

Abstract: Methods for preparing silicone-containing polymers by essentially adiabatic polymerization methods are disclosed. The polymerization system includes free radically polymerizable monomers. The monomers include ethylenically unsaturated silicone-containing monomers and/or mercapto-functional silicones as well as additional free radically polymerizable monomers. The silicone-containing polymers are useful as adhesives or release materials.

Abstract: Methods for preparing silicone-containing polymers by essentially adiabatic polymerization methods are disclosed. The polymerization system includes free radically polymerizable monomers. The monomers include ethylenically unsaturated silicone-containing monomers and/or mercapto-functional silicones as well as additional free radically polymerizable monomers. The silicone-containing polymers are useful as adhesives or release materials.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to articles comprising a substrate, a pressure sensitive adhesive, and a release layer, wherein the release layer comprises at least one silicone carbonate polymer.

Abstract: A hand-tearable masking tape, comprising a plastic backing with a low adhesion backsize on the first major side of the backing and a pressure-sensitive adhesive on the second major side of the backing; wherein the second major side of the backing comprises a microstructured hand-tear pattern and wherein the low adhesion backsize comprises the reaction product of a mercapto-functional silicone macromer.

Abstract: A method and associated systems for dynamic container deployment with parallel layers. A processor creates an image file by processing each instruction of an image-container file in sequential order, where each instruction adds a layer to the image file that identifies either an unconditional or a parallel software layer of a container. Each unconditional layer is assigned a unique level but parallel layers may share a same level. The processor then deploys an instance of a container by deploying layers of the image file to the container in the order in which they were created by the image-creation file. If an image-file layer is marked as parallel, it is deployed only if an associated condition is satisfied, such that no two deployed layers have the same level.

Abstract: A latch assembly that is adjustable between first and second backset settings. A cam is rotatable about a cam axis, and facilitates linear displacement of a latch link in a first direction. A multiplier link is rotatable about a multiplier link axis that is offset from the cam axis can be rotated in the first rotational direction by engagement with the latch link. A latch bar is coupled to the multiplier link and is linearly displaced in a second direction by rotation of the multiplier link in the first direction. The latch apparatus also includes a latch bolt that is coupled to the latch bar, the latch bolt being displaced toward a retracted position by the displacement of the latch bar in the second direction. The latch assembly can also include a dead latch link can block retraction of at least the latch bolt.

Abstract: A composition including at least one moisture-curable, semi-crystalline (meth)acrylic oligomer represented by the formula: wherein R1 is independently a C16 to C40 alkyl group; R2 is independently a C16 to C40 alkyl group; each R3 is independently a methyl, ethyl, or isopropyl group; X is a chain transfer agent as defined further below; Y is independently selected to be a methyl, ethyl, or isopropyl group; a, b and c are each independently selected to be an integer of at least 10, and a+b+c?1500; n?1; and p is 0, 1, 2, or 3. The oligomer may be used advantageously as a coating, primer or adhesion promoter in construction articles, for example, adhesives, caulks, grouts, pavement markings, paving materials, ceramic tiles, or roofing granules.

Abstract: A hand-tearable masking tape, comprising a plastic backing with a low adhesion backsize on the first major side of the backing and a pressure-sensitive adhesive on the second major side of the backing; wherein the second major side of the backing comprises a microstructured hand-tear pattern and wherein the low adhesion backsize comprises the reaction product of a mercapto-functional silicone macromer.

Abstract: A hand-tearable masking tape, comprising a plastic backing with a low adhesion backsize on the first major side of the backing and a pressure-sensitive adhesive on the second major side of the backing; wherein the second major side of the backing comprises a microstructured hand-tear pattern and wherein the low adhesion backsize comprises the reaction product of a mercapto-functional silicone macromer.

Abstract: Generally, this disclosure describes devices, systems and methods for wireless data transfer with improved transport mechanism selection. The device may include a near field communication (NFC) circuit configured to initiate a data transfer between a first communication device and a second communication device; a Soft Access Point (Soft AP) data transport circuit configured to transfer data between the communication device and the second communication device; one or more additional data transport circuits configured to transfer data between the communication device and the second communication device; and a transport mechanism selection circuit coupled to the NFC interface circuit and further coupled to the one or more data transport circuits, the transport mechanism selection circuit configured to select one of the data transport circuits for the data transfer, wherein the selection is based on a determination of the size of the data transfer.