Abstract: Workers often forget to enter clockings indicating when they have arrived or left work or transferred between work activities. Various embodiments provide a system that predicts the risk of potential missed worker clockings and delivers alerts to the workers and/or their managers when that risk is high. The system analyzes historical data to find previous instances of missed clockings at an organization, extracts feature information regarding the context of the missed clockings, and calibrates a missing clocking risk model. The model is then used in either an online or batch mode to predict the risk of workers missing upcoming scheduled clockings. Based on these risk scores and system configurations, alerts are generated for employees and managers reminding them about the upcoming clockings and lowering the amount of missed clockings and subsequent remedies.

Abstract: A batting tee is provided that includes a base to which a post is removably mounted. The post includes an upper, distal end for supporting a ball at a height convenient for a batter to hit, and a lower, proximal end to engage the base. The base includes a member that is spring-biased into engagement with the post, the post including an aperture. The aperture removably receives the member so that the post may be released from the base by pulling the member against the spring bias, and the post can be engaged with the base by releasing the member, permitting spring bias to move the member into engagement with the aperture.

Abstract: A viscoelastic wound closure dressing. The dressing can include a viscoelastic backing having a first major surface configured to face skin when in use, a first end, a second end, and a middle section located between the first end and the second end. The wound closure dressing can further include a skin-contact adhesive on the first major surface of the viscoelastic backing adjacent the first end and the second end. A majority of the first major surface of the middle section can be free of the skin-contact adhesive. The viscoelastic backing can recover, at room temperature: (i) no more than 40% of its deformation after 10 seconds, after being strained to 50% elongation for 30 minutes, and (ii) at least 70% of its deformation after 48 hours, after being strained to 50% elongation for 30 minutes.

Abstract: A viscoelastic wound closure dressing. The dressing can include a viscoelastic backing having a first major surface configured to face skin when in use, a first end, a second end, and a middle section located between the first end and the second end. The wound closure dressing can further include a skin-contact adhesive on the first major surface of the viscoelastic backing adjacent the first end and the second end. A majority of the first major surface of the middle section can be free of the skin-contact adhesive. The viscoelastic backing can recover, at room temperature: (i) no more than 40% of its deformation after 10 seconds, after being strained to 50% elongation for 30 minutes, and (ii) at least 70% of its deformation after 48 hours, after being strained to 50% elongation for 30 minutes.

Abstract: Thermoplastic elastomer compositions having a desirable soft touch feel to skin, and in particular grip, especially during wet, soapy and humid conditions. In one embodiment, the composition is part of a composite system, wherein the composition is connected, for example molded, overmolded or co-extruded to a substrate, such as a thermoplastic, glass or metal. The compositions and composites are suitable for use wherever desirable feel and grip are needed, such as handles or grips of household or industrial items.

Abstract: An apparatus for debriding a wound is provided. The apparatus comprises a curette head having a plurality of blades extending from a base. Each blade of the plurality of blades comprises a debridement edge and a longitudinal dimension. At least one first hollow channel extends through the first blade along the longitudinal dimension from a first opening proximate the base to at least one second opening that is integrated in the debridement edge of the first blade or that is disposed in a major surface of the first blade proximate the debridement edge. Methods of using the apparatus are also provided.

Abstract: A discontinuous hydrocolloid article is disclosed that provides for a high rate of water absorption and a high rate of water vapor transmission. Also, disclosed is a method of making a discontinuous hydrocolloid article. In one embodiment, the discontinuous hydrocolloid article comprises a plurality of cross-linked polymer strands comprising a hydrophobic polymer and a hydrocolloid dispersed throughout the hydrophobic polymer and a plurality of joining strands. Each polymer strand repeatedly contacts an adjacent joining strand at bond regions.

Abstract: A decorative article (100) comprises a first member (110) and a second member (120). The first member comprises a conformable opaque color film (117) backed by a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (115). The second member comprises a semi-rigid sheet (124) backed by a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer (127), with the semi-rigid sheet having first (162) and second (164) opposed edges and a major surface contacting the first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer. The first member extends beyond the first and second opposed edges, and at least one of the first and second opposed edges of the semi-rigid sheet is a rounded edge.

Abstract: Thermoplastic elastomer compositions having a desirable soft touch feel to skin, and in particular grip, especially during wet, soapy and humid conditions. In one embodiment, the composition is part of a composite system, wherein the composition is connected, for example molded, overmolded or co-extruded to a substrate, such as a thermoplastic, glass or metal. The compositions and composites are suitable for use wherever desirable feel and grip are needed, such as handles or grips of household or industrial items.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and compositions that make it possible to form high resolution, pressure sensitive adhesive patterns or films on a wide range of substrates. The compositions generally incorporate a curable, fluid composition (i.e., pressure sensitive adhesive precursor). When cured, a pressure sensitive adhesive is formed. Ink jet printing and subsequent curing allows pressure sensitive adhesive features to be formed with high resolution and tremendous flexibility in the patterns by which adhesive features may be formed. Preferred embodiments of the invention incorporate rheology modifying agents that can be used to promote favorable dot gain and other printing characteristics, the ability to build print thickness, and mechanical properties of resultant cured adhesives.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and compositions that make it possible to form high resolution, pressure sensitive adhesive patterns or films on a wide range of substrates. The compositions generally incorporate a curable, fluid composition (i.e., pressure sensitive adhesive precursor). When cured, a pressure sensitive adhesive is formed. Ink jet printing and subsequent curing allows pressure sensitive adhesive features to be formed with high resolution and tremendous flexibility in the patterns by which adhesive features may be formed. Preferred embodiments of the invention incorporate rheology modifying agents that can be used to promote favorable dot gain and other printing characteristics, the ability to build print thickness, and mechanical properties of resultant cured adhesives.

Abstract: This invention relates to a polyimide hybrid adhesive comprised of an epoxy component, an epoxy curing agent, and a polyimide oligomer of molecular weight of up to about 8,000 (Mn) having repeating units of Formula (1): The adhesives are particularly useful in applications where thermal stability and high adhesive strength are required.

Abstract: Hot melt adhesive compositions combining the characteristics of thermoplastic hot melt adhesives and reactive adhesives can be prepared by blending a polyester polyether thermoplastic elastomer having the formula ##STR1## wherein Nu is a predominately cyclic nucleus and R.sub.1 is randomly selected from either a C.sub.2-6 alkylene or an amorphous polyether subunit comprising a polyoxyalkylene group with a polyisocyanate prepolymer. The resulting composition is flexible and may be used as an adhesive or as a sealant.

Abstract: Isomaleimides and polyisomaleimides can be prepared by a method comprising the steps in sequence: admixing a maleamic acid or polymaleamic acid with an acid halide, reacting the admixture with a tertiary amine at a temperature sufficiently low to suppress the formation of a maleimide, and isolating the resulting isomaleimide or polyisomaleimide. Polymerization of a polyisomaleimide with a polynucleophilic monomer (polythiol, polyol, polyamine) produces novel polymers.

Abstract: Hot melt adhesive compositions combining the characteristics of thermoplastic hot melt adhesives and reactive adhesives can be prepared by blending a polyester polyether thermoplastic elastomer having the formula ##STR1## wherein Nu is a predominately cyclic nucleus and R.sub.1 is randomly selected from either a C.sub.2-6 alkylene or an amorphous polyether subunit comprising a polyoxyalkylene group with a polyisocyanate prepolymer. The resulting composition is flexible and may be used as an adhesive or as a sealant.

Abstract: Packaging, particularly for medical supplies and devices, is made from spunbonded olefin sheet material. At least a portion of the olefin sheet material is deformed to increase its surface area by between 4 and 60 percent, so as to create a pocket of a dimension sufficient to envelope the medical supply or device. After the medical supply is placed within the pocket, it is covered and sealed by another sheet having microbial barrier characteristics. Even though deformed, the spunbonded olefin packaging possesses the ability to allow quick passage of sterilizing gas, yet is resistant to penetration by contaminating microorganisms.