Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light source that emits a laser beam, a separating unit that separates the laser beam emitted from the light source into a first laser beam, and a second laser beam. a first photoelectric converting unit, a second photoelectric converting unit, and a control unit that executes a first light-intensity correction for correcting the light intensity of the second laser beam per scan by each scanning line, and a second light-intensity correction for adjusting a performance in forming the image data based on a current correction value for correcting a light intensity of the laser beam based on a first voltage and a second voltage and a drive current preliminarily-set with respect to the laser beam to cause the light source to emit the laser beam.

Abstract: A compact image forming apparatus is provided in which stains on the back of a transfer material can be prevented. In particular, in a marginless print mode in which a toner image can be formed to the edge of a transfer material, a large amount of toner adheres to a transfer-material bearing member. The image forming apparatus includes a collecting member that can temporarily collect the toner adhering to the transfer-material bearing member. The toner that is temporarily collected by the collecting member is transferred to an intermediate transfer member and is cleaned by a cleaning unit.

Abstract: An optical device includes: a light source including a plurality of light emitting spots that output laser beams, respectively; a separating unit that separates each of the laser beams output from the plurality of light emitting spots into a monitor beam and a scanning beam; a light-quantity measuring unit that measures a light quantity of the monitor beam; a storage unit in which respective drive currents with which the plurality of light emitting spots of the light source output a prescribed light quantity of laser beams are stored in advance; a light-source control unit that drives the light source with the drive currents stored in the storage unit and causes the plurality of light emitting spots to output the laser beams; and a determining unit that determines whether the light source operates properly on the basis of the light quantity measured by the light-quantity measuring unit.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a separating unit separates each laser beam into a first laser beam used for measuring light intensity and a second laser beam used for scanning a photosensitive element, a photoelectric converting unit measures a light intensity of each of the first laser beams and outputs a voltage indicative of the light intensity. A control unit controls a light intensity of each of the laser beams based on a common drive current and a corresponding one of a current correction value, which is set by each of the laser beams to correct a light intensity of a corresponding one of the laser beams based on a corresponding one of the voltages output by the photoelectric converting unit.

Abstract: A new receptor family has been identified, of activin-like kinases. Novel proteins have activin/TGF-?-type I receptor functionality, and have consequential diagnostic/therapeutic utility. They may have a serine/threonine kinase domain, a DFKSRN or DLKSKN sequence in subdomain VIB and/or a GTKRYM sequence in subdomain VIII.

Abstract: A novel image processing system includes a pixel position indicator and a pixel inserting unit. The pixel position indicator is configured to indicate insertion positions in the image data. The pixel inserting unit is configured to enlarge a size of the image data by inserting an additional pixel at each of the insertion positions and accordingly shifting the original pixels in a given direction. The additional pixel has a value lower than a given threshold. Each insertion position is at an approximate center of an area formed of pixels having values higher than the given threshold. A novel image forming apparatus incorporates such an image processing system and an electrophotographic system. The electrophotographic system is configured to form an image by irradiating a photoconductive surface with a laser beam according to the processed image data.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an eye drop for treating macular edema. The present invention provides an eye drop for treating macular edema, which contains difluprednate as an active ingredient. The eye drop can afford effects such as improvement of visual acuity and decreased foveal retinal thickness in macular edema.

Abstract: A new receptor family has been identified, of activin-like kinases. Novel proteins have activin/TGF-beta-type I receptor functionality, and have consequential diagnostic/therapeutic utility. They may have a serine/threonine kinase domain, a DFKSRN or DLKSKN sequence in subdomain VIB and/or a GTKRYM sequence in subdomain VIII.

Abstract: An optical writing device includes a light source that emits multiple laser beams; a separating unit that separates each of the multiple laser beams into a monitor beam and a scanning beam; a photoelectric converting element 218 that outputs a monitor voltage depending on a quantity of the monitor beam; a memory that stores an initial correction value for correcting a set common current; and a microcontroller that calculates a reference current, which is produced by correcting the common current updated on the basis of the monitor voltages with the initial correction values, obtains corrected currents by correcting the common current with the calculated correction values, controls each quantity of the laser beam on the basis of the corrected currents, and determines that the light source is degraded if a ratio of the corrected current to the reference current is larger than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light source that emits light beam; an illumination-current generating unit that generates an illumination current that causes the light source to emit the light beam; a deflecting optical unit, thereby forming a light spot and scanning the scanned surface; a detecting unit that detects a scanning position of the light spot on the scanned surface; a control unit that calculates a relation between a value of the illumination current and an intensity of light based on a plurality of intensities of emitted light, each intensity of the plurality of intensities being close to or equal to a prescribed light intensity, and causes the illumination-current generating unit to generate the illumination current based on the relation.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light source that outputs a plurality of laser beams and a control unit that adjusts the light intensity of each of the laser beams. The control unit calculates a correction value so that, when the laser beam is driven by a control value calculated by correcting a common control value using the correction value and adding a threshold to the corrected control value, the light intensity of the laser beam is equal to a target light intensity. The threshold is calculated so that, when the laser beam is driven by a control value calculated by multiplying the corrected control value by a predetermined factor, and adding the threshold to the multiplied control value, the light intensity of the laser beam is equal to the target light intensity multiplied by the predetermined factor.

Abstract: A new receptor family has been identified, of activin-like kinases. Novel proteins have activin/TGF-?-type I receptor functionality, and have consequential diagnostic/therapeutic utility. They may have a serine/threonine kinase domain, a DFKSRN or DLKSKN sequence in subdomain VIB and/or a GTKRYM sequence in subdomain VIII.

Abstract: A first beam splitter splits each laser beam into a first beam and a second beam. A deflecting unit deflects a direction of the second beam. A second beam splitter splits the second beam into multiple split beams. A first photoelectric converting unit measures intensity of the first beam and outputs first voltage. A second photoelectric converting unit measures intensity of each split beam and outputs second voltage. A control unit updates a driving-current correction value using the first voltage and the second voltage, corrects a driving current, and controls intensity of the laser beam based on corrected driving current.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light source; a separating unit that separates a laser beam emitted from the light source into a first laser beam and a second laser beam; a first photoelectric converting unit that measures a light intensity of the first laser beam and outputs a first voltage depending on the light intensity of the first laser beam; a second photoelectric converting unit that measures a light intensity of the second laser beam, and outputs a second voltage depending on the light intensity of the second laser beam; and a control unit that executes a first light-intensity correction for correcting the light intensity of the second laser beam based on a current correction value and a drive current. The current correction value being a value used for correcting a light intensity of the laser beam based on the first voltage and the second voltage, and the drive current being a current preliminarily-set with respect to the laser beam to cause the light source to emit the laser beam.

Abstract: A compact image forming apparatus is provided in which stains on the back of a transfer material can be prevented. In particular, in a marginless print mode in which a toner image can be formed to the edge of a transfer material, a large amount of toner adheres to a transfer-material bearing member. The image forming apparatus includes a collecting member that can temporarily collect the toner adhering to the transfer-material bearing member. The toner that is temporarily collected by the collecting member is transferred to an intermediate transfer member and is cleaned by a cleaning unit.

Abstract: A new receptor family has been identified, of activin-like kinases. Novel proteins have activin/TGF-?-type I receptor functionality, and have consequential diagnostic/therapeutic utility. They may have a serine/threonine kinase domain, a DFKSRN or DLKSKN sequence in subdomain VIB and/or a GTKRYM sequence in subdomain VIII.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light source that emits a laser beam; a separating unit that separates the laser beam emitted from the light source into a first laser beam for measuring a light intensity and a second laser beam for scanning a photosensitive element to form image data; a first photoelectric converting unit that measures a light intensity of the first laser beam, and outputs a first voltage depending on the light intensity of the first laser beam; a second photoelectric converting unit that measures a light intensity of the second laser beam, and outputs a second voltage depending on the light intensity of the second laser beam; and a control unit that executes a first light-intensity correction for correcting the light intensity of the second laser beam per scan by each scanning line and a second light-intensity correction for adjusting a performance in forming the image data based on a current correction value for correcting a light intensity of the laser beam based on the first voltage

Abstract: The present invention provides a vitreous cell line capable of expressing an exogenous immortalizing gene, and a production method thereof. Since the vitreous cell line of the present invention can produce a sufficient number of cells and has constant and continuous proliferative capacity, it can be advantageously utilized for the elucidation of the pathogenesis of retinal vitreous diseases, and the development of a drug for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of retinal vitreous diseases. Moreover, the cell line is not only highly useful for the biochemical-physiological studies of the vitreous body, and further for the study of cell differentiation mechanisms, but also possibly usable as a biological material of an artificial vitreous body.

Abstract: The present invention provides a scleral cell strain capable of expressing an exogenous immortalizing gene, and a production method thereof. Since the scleral cell strain of the present invention can produce a sufficient number of cells and has constant and continuous proliferative capacity, it can be advantageously utilized for the elucidation of the pathogenesis of ophthalmic diseases such as scleral inflammation, and the development of a drug for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of said diseases. Moreover, the cell strain is not only highly useful for the biochemical-physiological studies of the sclera, and further for the study of cell differentiation mechanisms, but also possibly usable as a biological material of an artificial sclera.

Abstract: A toner image formed on an image bearing member is transferred onto a recording material so as to overflow from an edge portion of the recording material, thereby enabling the toner image to be formed so as to extend to the edge portion of the recording material. To suppress the deposition of the toner in the edge portion of the recording material, a cleaning member for cleaning the edge portion of the recording material obtained after the fixing is provided. In order to make a trailing edge of the recording material come into contact with the cleaning member, the recording material which has passed through a fixing apparatus is temporarily switched back, thereby allowing the trailing edge portion of the recording material to collide with the cleaning member.