Abstract: A developing device includes an accommodating portion for accommodating toner, a developing roller and a stirring member. The developing device is for use with an image forming apparatus and detachably mounts a replenishing container for replenishing the toner. The accommodating portion includes a receiving opening through which the toner replenished from the accommodating portion is received in the accommodating portion, the receiving opening being provide on a first end side of the accommodating portion with respect to a rotational axis direction of the developing roller. An opening area of the receiving opening when the developing device is viewed in the rotational direction is wider than the opening area of the receiving opening when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis direction.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a substrate; and a first electrode, a first piezoelectric film, a second electrode, a second piezoelectric film, and a third electrode which are provided on the substrate in this order, in which both the first piezoelectric film and the second piezoelectric film contain a perovskite-type oxide containing Pb at an A site and containing Zr, Ti, and M at a B site as a main component, an M composition ratio in the first piezoelectric film is different from an M composition ratio in the second piezoelectric film, and polarization-electric field hysteresis measured for the first piezoelectric film with the first electrode grounded and the second electrode as a drive electrode, and polarization-electric field hysteresis measured for the second piezoelectric film with the second electrode grounded and the third electrode as a drive electrode are shifted in the same electric field direction with respect to origins thereof.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a substrate; and a first electrode, a first piezoelectric film, a second electrode, a second piezoelectric film, and a third electrode which are provided on the substrate in this order, in which both the first piezoelectric film and the second piezoelectric film contain PZT having a metal element M doped thereto, as a main component, one piezoelectric film of the first piezoelectric film and the second piezoelectric film has a spontaneous polarization aligned in a film thickness direction, and in a case where in a hysteresis curve showing polarization-voltage characteristics of the one piezoelectric film, a coercive voltage Vcf+ on a positive side and a coercive voltage Vcf? on a negative side, and in polarization-voltage characteristics of the other piezoelectric film, a coercive voltage Vcr+ on a positive side and a coercive voltage Vcr? on a negative sid, |Vcr++Vcr?|<|Vcf++Vcf?|?0.2 is satisfied.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a substrate, a first electrode, a first piezoelectric film, a second electrode, a second piezoelectric film, and a third electrode, in which both the first piezoelectric film and the second piezoelectric film have spontaneous polarizations aligned in a film thickness direction and directions of the spontaneous polarizations are the same, and in a case where in a hysteresis curve of one piezoelectric film, a coercive voltage Vcf+, a coercive voltage Vcf?, |Vcf+?Vcf?|=?Vcf, and the larger of an absolute value of Vcf+ and an absolute value of Vcf? is denoted by Vcf, and in a hysteresis curve of the other piezoelectric film, a coercive voltage Vcr+, a coercive voltage Vcr?, |Vcr+?Vcr?|=?Vcr, and the larger of an absolute value of Vcr+ and an absolute value Vcr? is denoted by Vcr, ?Vcr<?Vcf?0.2 and Vcr<Vcf?0.2 are satisfied.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a substrate; and a first electrode, a first piezoelectric film, a second electrode, a second piezoelectric film, and a third electrode which are provided on the substrate in this order, in which both the first piezoelectric film and the second piezoelectric film contain a perovskite-type oxide containing Pb Zr, Ti, and M, as a main component, Pb composition ratios in the perovskite-type oxides contained in the first piezoelectric film and the second piezoelectric film are different from each other, and polarization-electric field hysteresis measured for the first piezoelectric film with the first electrode grounded and the second electrode as a drive electrode, and polarization-electric field hysteresis measured for the second piezoelectric film with the second electrode grounded and the third electrode as a drive electrode are shifted in the same electric field direction with respect to origins thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antibody that binds to an NTCP, capable of inhibiting infection of human hepatocytes with hepatitis B virus (HBV) particles. The present invention also provides an antibody that binds to an NTCP, capable of inhibiting infection of human hepatocytes with hepatitis B virus (HBV) particles, the antibody having a reduced effect on bile acid transport by NTCP.

Abstract: A method for dispersing conductive particles includes: forming an electric field between a first electrode and a second electrode of an electrostatic adsorption device including the first electrode including a disposition part having electrostatic diffusivity or conductivity on which particles are disposed and the second electrode including an adsorption part having electrostatic diffusivity or conductivity and facing the disposition part, to cause a blend particle in which the conductive particles each having a particle size smaller than a particle size of an intermediate particle are attached to the intermediate particle and which is disposed on the disposition part, to reciprocate between the disposition part and the adsorption part, and to cause the conductive particles to be adsorbed onto the adsorption part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first unit including an image bearing member and a second unit. The second unit includes a developing roller to supply the toner to the image bearing member, a mounting portion in which the replenishing container is dismountably mounted and an accommodating portion to accommodate the toner replenished from the replenishing container. The second unit is movable between a first position where the developing roller contacts the image bearing member and a second position where the developing roller separates from the image bearing member. When a moving direction in which the second unit moves from the first position toward the second position is defined as a separating direction, the second unit is urged in the separating direction by a force which the mounting portion receives from the replenishing container when the replenishing container is mounted to the mounting portion.

Abstract: A circulation device includes first and second valves, first and second pressure measuring portions, a detection unit, and a controller. The first valve controls the flow rate of a liquid from a storage to a droplet discharge unit. The second valve controls the flow rate of the liquid from the droplet discharge unit to the storage. The first pressure measuring portion measures the fluid pressure of the liquid flowing between the first valve and the droplet discharge unit as a supply pressure. The second pressure measuring portion measures the fluid pressure of the liquid flowing between the second valve and the droplet discharge unit as a recovery pressure. The detection unit detects information related to the droplet discharge unit. The controller controls the first and second valves in accordance with the information detected by the detection unit and adjusts the supply pressure and the recovery pressure.

Abstract: A circulation device according to an aspect includes a storage unit for storing liquid and a liquid droplet discharge unit for discharging liquid, and controls circulation of liquid flowing through a channel communicating the storage unit and the liquid droplet discharge unit with each other. Such a circulation device includes a robotic portion, a first pressure portion, a second pressure portion, a first valve portion, and a second valve portion. The robotic portion is mounted with the liquid droplet discharge unit. The first pressure portion feeds the liquid stored in the storage unit to the liquid droplet discharge unit through a first channel communicating the storage unit and the liquid droplet discharge unit with each other. The second pressure portion feeds the liquid recovered in the liquid droplet discharge unit to the storage unit through a second channel communicating the storage unit and the liquid droplet discharge unit with each other.

Abstract: A circulation device includes first and second valves, first and second pressure measuring portions, a detection unit, and a controller. The first valve controls the flow rate of a liquid from a storage to a droplet discharge unit. The second valve controls the flow rate of the liquid from the droplet discharge unit to the storage. The first pressure measuring portion measures the fluid pressure of the liquid flowing between the first valve and the droplet discharge unit as a supply pressure. The second pressure measuring portion measures the fluid pressure of the liquid flowing between the second valve and the droplet discharge unit as a recovery pressure. The detection unit detects information related to the droplet discharge unit. The controller controls the first and second valves in accordance with the information detected by the detection unit and adjusts the supply pressure and the recovery pressure.