Abstract: According to one embodiment, a developing agent includes a binder resin and a coloring agent, wherein when the developing agent is subjected to methanol extraction, and a filtrate of the resulting extract is subjected to HPLC measurement, the ratio of a peak area at a retention time of 10 minutes or less to the total peak area is 15.0% or less.

Abstract: There is provided a developer that has excellent positive charging characteristics and charging stability, and which is compatible with high-speed developing. The developer of the invention contains toner particles and an insulating liquid, wherein a fatty acid ester is contained as the insulating liquid, a substance A expressed by the following formula (1) and/or a substance B expressed by the following formula (2) is further contained, and the total percentage in which substance A and substance B are contained is at least 0.1 wt % and no more than 3.0 wt %.

Abstract: This invention provides a binder for a fuel cell which has high adhesion, low methanol solubility, high methanol permeability and high proton conductivity, a composition for electrode formation, an electrode for a fuel cell, and a fuel cell using them. The binder is particularly suitable for a binder for a direct methanol type fuel cell which requires high proton conductivity. The binder for a fuel cell comprises a block copolymer which comprises a block having a repeating structural unit of a divalent aromatic group that contains a protonic acid group and a block having a repeating structural unit of a divalent aromatic group that does not contain a protonic acid group, and which has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 180° C. or less. In particular, it is preferable that the block copolymer has an ion exchange group equivalent of from 200 to 1,000 g/mole and a weight retention ratio of 90% or more as measured by immersion in a 64 weight % aqueous methanol solution at 25° C. for 24 hours.

Abstract: A vehicle presence notification apparatus may include a dynamic speaker for radiating a notification sound from a vehicle in an audible frequency, and a sound pressure supplement unit is provided to control a sound pressure of the notification sound. The apparatus may further include a parametric speaker for generating a supersonic sound of the notification sound from a supersonic sound generation unit. The supersonic sound is emitted from a sound emission opening. The parametric speaker may further include a reflected sound pressure detecting unit for detecting a sound pressure generated by a reflection of the supersonic sound from the sound emission opening. The sound pressure supplement unit increases the sound pressure of the notification sound radiated by the dynamic speaker based on the sound pressure detected by the reflected sound pressure detecting unit.

Abstract: A compound depicted by the formula below, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof. wherein, R1 represents (1) a C3-6 alkyl group, (2) a C1-6 alkyl group substituted with one or more substituent group(s) selected from those consisting a halogen atom, etc., (3) a C3-10 non-aromatic cyclic hydrocarbon group or a 5- to 6-membered non-aromatic heterocyclic group which respectively is optionally substituted with one or more substituent group(s) selected from those consisting an oxo group, etc., (4) an aromatic cyclic hydrocarbon group substituted with one or more substituent selected from the group consisting halogen atom and C1-4 alkoxy group; X represents NH, O, or S; Y represents CH or N; Z represents N or a C—R2; R2 represents (1) hydrogen atom, (2) a C1-6 alkyl group, a C2-6 alkenyl group or a C2-6 alkynyl group that respectively is optionally substituted with one or more substituent group(s) selected from among those consisting (a) a halogen atom, etc.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electrophotographic toner, comprising: toner base particles having a volume average particle diameter of 3 ?m or more and 7 ?m or less; OTES-treated silica particles which are treated with octyltriethoxysilane (OTES) and are externally added to the toner base particles; and silica-coated titanium oxide particles which are coated with silica and are externally added to the toner base particles along with the OTES-treated silica particles, wherein the ratio (A) of the amount of the OTES-treated silica particles to the amount of the toner base particles, the ratio (B) of the amount of the silica-coated titanium oxide particles to the amount of the toner base particles, and the ratio (C) of the amount of particles to be externally added to the toner base particles to the amount of the toner base particles satisfy the following relations: 1% by mass?(A)?6.9% by mass; 0.1% by mass?(B)?2% by mass; 3% by mass?(C)?7% by mass; and 0.15?(A)/(C)<1.

Abstract: Disclosed is a decolorable toner containing a binder resin and a coloring agent which contains a color former compound and a color developing agent and has a capsule structure such that it is covered with an outer shell, and having a volume average particle diameter of from 5.0 to 15.0 ?m and a number-based particle size distribution CV of 35% or less.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for producing a developing agent including aggregating fine particles of a toner material containing a binder resin and a coloring agent in a dispersion liquid in which the fine particles are dispersed in an aqueous medium to form aggregated particles, and washing the aggregated particles and drying the washed aggregated particles, forming toner particles is provided. An electrical conductivity of the toner particles is measured by a toner electrical conductivity evaluation method. A sample toner is prepared by adhering an additive to surfaces of the toner particles, and a content ratio of a sodium element to a carbon element in a region to which the additive is not adhered of the toner is measured. The washing of the toner particles is repeated until each of the measurement values becomes a predetermined reference value or less.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for producing a developing agent includes pulverizing a mixture in the form of coarse particles of a toner material including a coloring agent and a binder resin by mechanical shearing, aggregating and fusing the resulting fine particles. The solid content concentration in a dispersion liquid including the aggregated particles is from 5.0% to 40.0%, the volume average particle diameter of the aggregated particles is from 1.0 ?m to 10.0 ?m, and the ratio of the standard deviation to the volume average particle diameter is 30.0% or less.

Abstract: There is provided an article alignment apparatus 10 including an article alignment device for aligning orientations of articles by arranging two aligners 21, 21 having cylindrical surfaces, rotating each of the aligners 21 while keeping it at a predetermined inclination with respect to a horizontal direction, placing the articles on cylindrical outer surfaces of the two aligners 21, and carrying the articles from one side to the other side, in which protrusions 22 are provided on the surfaces of the aligners 21.

Abstract: A raindrop detecting device for detecting a raindrop amount on a windshield of a vehicle and selecting a wiping mode of a wiper based on the detected raindrop amount includes a controller for lowering the wiping mode when the detected raindrop amount is kept to be smaller than a mode-keep threshold while the wiper performs a predetermined number of wiping operations. The controller changes the predetermined number of wiping operations based on at least one of a sensitivity data of a user of the vehicle and a rainfall block data relative to the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solvent composition for removing radioactive substance, characterized by comprising at least one selected from hydrofluorocarbon, hydrofluoroether, and perfluoroketone as a medium for transporting the radioactive substance, and a method for removing a radioactive substance characterized by using the solvent composition for removing.

Abstract: A raindrop detection apparatus includes a light emitting unit for emitting light to an inner side of a windshield, a light receiving unit for receiving the light reflected by an outer surface of the windshield, a first lens unit which is arranged between the windshield and the light emitting unit to convert the light from the light emitting unit into parallel light, and a second lens unit which is arranged between the windshield and the light receiving unit to converge the reflected light at the light receiving unit. The second lens unit is larger than a radial cross section of the reflected light. An amount of raindrop landed on the outer surface of the windshield is detected based on an intensity of the light received by the light receiving unit.

Abstract: A raindrop detection device includes a first fixing member which is fixed to a windshield and has a first engagement portion, an inner housing in which a detection unit is accommodated, an outer housing in which the inner housing is accommodated and which is fixed to the inner housing, a second fixing member having a second engagement portion which is detachably engaged with the first engagement portion of the first fixing member, and a leaf spring which is engaged with the inner housing to press and bias the inner housing toward the windshield. The second fixing member has a leaf-spring biasing portion, which contacts the leaf spring to elastically bias the leaf spring toward the windshield at a predetermined pressing force.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a unit-piece printing sheet which gives unit pieces having a smooth cut on the periphery thereof and can be subjected to printing on both front and back of the unit pieces, as well as a process for producing the unit-piece printing sheet. The unit-piece printing sheet comprises both front and back printing base materials laminated via a thermoplastic resin film adhesive layer, wherein each of the printing base materials is divided into sections by forming a slit at each facing position of the front and back printing base materials to form unit pieces, and the portion of the thermoplastic resin film adhesive layer at the slit-forming position is made a breakable connecting portion.

Abstract: A wiper control device for a vehicle with a wiper includes a day/night detecting device for detecting whether the vehicle is in day-like or night-like conditions. The device also includes a moisture detection device that detects a quantity of moisture on the vehicle and a controlling device that controls the wiping action of the wiper based on a wiping sensitivity to the quantity of moisture detected. The controlling device adjusts the wiping sensitivity between night-like wiping sensitivity and day-like wiping sensitivity. The controlling device adjusts wiping sensitivity to night-like wiping sensitivity when the day/night detecting device detects night-like conditions and to day-like wiping sensitivity when the day/night detecting device detects day-like conditions. Additionally, when the day/night detecting device detects a change between day-like and night-like conditions, the controlling device delays switching between night-like and day-like wiping sensitivity for a predetermined delay time.

Abstract: A raindrop detection apparatus includes a light emitting unit for emitting light to an inner side of a windshield, a light receiving unit for receiving the light reflected by an outer surface of the windshield, a first lens unit which is arranged between the windshield and the light emitting unit to convert the light from the light emitting unit into parallel light, and a second lens unit which is arranged between the windshield and the light receiving unit to converge the reflected light at the light receiving unit. The second lens unit is larger than a radial cross section of the reflected light. An amount of raindrop landed on the outer surface of the windshield is detected based on an intensity of the light received by the light receiving unit.

Abstract: A raindrop detection apparatus includes a light emitting unit for emitting light to an inner side of a windshield, a light receiving unit for receiving the light reflected by an outer surface of the windshield, a first lens unit which is arranged between the windshield and the light emitting unit to convert the light from the light emitting unit into parallel light, and a second lens unit which is arranged between the windshield and the light receiving unit to converge the reflected light at the light receiving unit. The second lens unit is larger than a radial cross section of the reflected light. An amount of raindrop landed on the outer surface of the windshield is detected based on an intensity of the light received by the light receiving unit.

Abstract: A sensor device for detecting wetting on a windshield includes a light emission element for emitting a light, a first light reception element for receiving the light in a first light path that includes reflective redirection by the windshield, and a second light reception element for receiving the light in a second light path that does not include reflective redirection by the windshield. The sensor device uses a ratio of the amount of the received light by the first light reception element and the amount of the received light by the second light reception element to determine wetting on the windshield.

Abstract: A raindrop detecting device for detecting a raindrop amount on a windshield of a vehicle and selecting a wiping mode of a wiper based on the detected raindrop amount includes a controller for lowering the wiping mode when the detected raindrop amount is kept to be smaller than a mode-keep threshold while the wiper performs a predetermined number of wiping operations. The controller changes the predetermined number of wiping operations based on at least one of a sensitivity data of a user of the vehicle and a rainfall block data relative to the vehicle.