Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes an image forming unit, a heating unit, a fan, a guide, and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium. The heating unit is disposed on a downstream side of the image forming unit in a transport direction of the recording medium. The heating unit is driven with at least two temperatures, a first temperature and a second temperature lower than the first temperature. The fan generates wind. The guide guides the wind generated from the fan to the heating unit. The control unit controls the fan and the guide when the control unit controls the heating unit by switching between driving the heating unit at the first temperature and at the second temperature.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for screening for iPS cells exhibiting differentiation resistance using a marker identified as lincRNA or mRNA that is specifically expressed in an iPS cell line exhibiting differentiation resistance, and such markers.

Abstract: A fixing device according to an embodiment includes a first rotating body, a pressing unit, an urging member, a base body section, a screw shaft section, and a rotation regulating section. The pressing unit includes a belt, a second rotating body, and a supporting frame. The supporting frame supports the second rotating body. The urging member urges the pressing unit in a direction in which the second rotating body approaches the first rotating body. The base body section is rotatable around an axis. The shape of a cross section of the base body section orthogonal to an axial direction is a noncircular shape. The screw shaft section projects from the base body section and regulates a movement of the pressing unit in a direction in which the pressing unit approaches the first rotating body. The rotation regulating section comes into contact with the outer surface of the base body section to regulate the rotation of the base body section.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for screening for iPS cells exhibiting differentiation resistance using a marker identified as lincRNA or mRNA that is specifically expressed in an iPS cell line exhibiting differentiation resistance, and such markers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for screening for iPS cells exhibiting differentiation resistance using a marker identified as lincRNA or mRNA that is specifically expressed in an iPS cell line exhibiting differentiation resistance, and such markers.

Abstract: Provided is a method of improving the efficiency of iPS cell establishment, comprising bringing one or more factors selected from the group consisting of proteins belonging to cyclin D family and nucleic acids that encode the same into contact with a somatic cell, in the step of nuclear reprogramming of the somatic cell. Also provided are a method of producing an iPS cell comprising the step of bringing the factor(s) and nuclear reprogramming substance(s) into contact with a somatic cell, an iPS cell comprising a nucleic acid that encodes a protein belonging to cyclin D family that can be obtained by the method of producing an iPS cell, and a method of somatic cell production by forcing the iPS cell to differentiate.

Abstract: A method for forming a positive electrode for a thin film lithium-ion rechargeable battery includes forming a positive electrode power collection layer, forming a first positive electrode active material layer by covering the positive electrode power collection layer with a first positive electrode active material that contains lithium cobalt oxide, forming a second positive electrode active material layer that has a thickness of 20 nm or greater and 60 nm or less by covering the first positive electrode active material layer with a second positive electrode active material that contains aluminum and lithium cobalt oxide, and heating a lamination body that includes the positive electrode power collection layer, the first positive electrode active material layer, and the second positive electrode active material layer.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of improving the efficiency of establishment of induced pluripotent stem cells by increasing, in a nuclear reprogramming step of somatic cell, the level of activated form of one or more proteins selected from the group consisting of Ras family members, PI3 kinase, RalGEF, Raf, AKT family members, Rheb, TCL1 and S6K. The invention also provides a method of producing induced pluripotent stem cells by contacting a somatic cell with a nuclear reprogramming substance and one or more of such proteins and nucleic acids that encode such proteins. The invention further provides an induced pluripotent stem cell that has an exogenous nucleic acid encoding such a protein, as well as agents for use in the aforesaid methods.

Abstract: Provided is a lubricating oil composition for a differential gear unit that is effective in limiting the generation of noise and vibrations even when a limited-slip differential is operated. The lubricating oil composition contains (A) a mineral oil and/or (B) a synthetic oil and (C) a friction modifier selected from amide- and imide-based friction modifiers and derivatives thereof in an amount of 0.01 to 10 percent by mass on the basis of the total mass of the composition. Also provided is a differential gear unit that is lubricated with the lubricating oil composition.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of producing iPS cells, which comprises the steps of (i) introducing reprogramming factors into somatic cells; (ii) culturing the cells obtained in step (i) for more than 11 days and not more than 29 days; (iii) sorting TRA-1-60-positive cells from the cells obtained in step (ii); (iv) culturing the TRA-1-60-positive cells sorted in step (iii); (v) transferring a colony obtained in step (iv) to another culture vessel; and (vi) culturing the cells obtained in step (v), thereby obtaining iPS cells. The cells obtained in step (v) are preferably subcultured 10 times or more. The invention also provides a method of producing a population of differentiated cells that has a reduced rate of residual undifferentiated cells, which comprises inducing differentiation of the iPS cells obtained by the above-mentioned method.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel enzyme and methods of using the enzyme for measuring glycine concentration. Specifically, the present invention provides an enzyme in which at least one amino acid residue is mutated so as to improve a property of a glycine oxidase which is associated with the measurement of glycine (e.g., activity of glycine oxidase for glycine, thermal stability of glycine oxidase, and substrate specificity of glycine oxidase for glycine,); and a method of analyzing glycine, that includes measuring glycine contained in a test sample using the modified enzyme; and the like.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a paper detection mechanism configured to detect papers passing through a conveyance path. The paper detection mechanism includes a rotation shaft which extends in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the paper; a lever integrally arranged on the rotation shaft; a torsion coil spring which is arranged around the outer periphery of the rotation shaft to energize the front end of the lever so that the lever protrudes to the conveyance path; and a sensor which detects the conveyance of paper when the lever pressed by the paper pivots. The torsion coil spring integrally includes a main coil part which is composed of a plurality of turns of coil and has a preset diameter, and a large diameter coil part which is larger in diameter than the main coil part and less in the number of turns than the main body coil part.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises a heat roller configured to have a roller surface for contacting a medium on which the unfixed toner image is transferred; a press roller configured opposite to the heat roller; a guide configured along a conveyance space from an inlet arranged at the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the medium, which is conveyed and nipped by the heat roller and the press roller, to an outlet of the medium; a lever configured to be provided with a swing shaft with respect to the guide, a peeling claw arranged at the inlet side for scraping the toner off the roller surface, and a lever end positioned at the outlet side; and a swing section configured to swing and energize the lever to make the lever end protrude into the conveyance space, wherein the lever that is swung and energized by the swing section repeats the following operations: separating the peeling claw in a contacted state with the roller surface from the roller surface, and restoring the peeling claw to the c

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a paper detection mechanism configured to detect papers passing through a conveyance path. The paper detection mechanism includes a rotation shaft which extends in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the paper; a lever integrally arranged on the rotation shaft; a torsion coil spring which is arranged around the outer periphery of the rotation shaft to energize the front end of the lever so that the lever protrudes to the conveyance path; and a sensor which detects the conveyance of paper when the lever pressed by the paper pivots. The torsion coil spring integrally includes a main coil part which is composed of a plurality of turns of coil and has a preset diameter, and a large diameter coil part which is larger in diameter than the main coil part and less in the number of turns than the main body coil part.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a fixing belt including a conductive layer, an induction-current generating section to electromagnetically induction-heat the conductive layer, an opposed section to form a nip in cooperation with the fixing belt, an auxiliary heat generating section electromagnetically induction-heated by the induction-current generating section, and a moving section to move the auxiliary heat generating section with respect to the fixing belt.

Abstract: To provide a target device that can easily be reused in which the amount of gas discharge is small. The present invention is a target device including a backing plate and a target plate that is fixed to the backing plate with a metal brazing material, in which a protective film made of a TiN thin film in which a proportion of (111) plane is at a maximum is formed on an exposed portion of the backing plate. The discharge amount of gas is small, and the brazing material that adheres when fixing the target plate can be easily peeled off.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of improving iPS cell establishment efficiency, comprising contacting a protein involved in primitive streak (PrS) formation, preferably Foxh1, or a nucleic acid that encodes the same with a somatic cell in a nuclear reprogramming step. Also provided is a method of producing an iPS cell, comprising contacting the protein involved in PrS formation or a nucleic acid that encodes the same, and nuclear reprogramming substance(s) with a somatic cell.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises a heat roller configured to have a roller surface for contacting a medium on which the unfixed toner image is transferred; a press roller configured opposite to the heat roller; a guide configured along a conveyance space from an inlet arranged at the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the medium, which is conveyed and nipped by the heat roller and the press roller, to an outlet of the medium; a lever configured to be provided with a swing shaft with respect to the guide, a peeling claw arranged at the inlet side for scraping the toner off the roller surface, and a lever end positioned at the outlet side; and a swing section configured to swing and energize the lever to make the lever end protrude into the conveyance space, wherein the lever that is swung and energized by the swing section repeats the following operations: separating the peeling claw in a contacted state with the roller surface from the roller surface, and restoring the peeling claw to the c

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a heat roller, an endless belt, a first press roller and a second press roller. The heat roller rotates and contacts a toner surface side of a sheet, and heats the sheet. The endless belt contacts a part of an outer peripheral surface of the heat roller. The first press roller contacts a part of an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt, and is provided at an insertion part of the sheet in a nip portion where the heat roller contacts the endless belt. The second press roller contacts a part of the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt, is provided at an exit part of the sheet in the nip portion, and has a lower rotational resistance than the first press roller.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a heat roller, an endless belt, a first press roller and a second press roller. The heat roller rotates and contacts a toner surface side of a sheet, and heats the sheet. The endless belt contacts a part of an outer peripheral surface of the heat roller. The first press roller contacts a part of an inner peripheral surface of the endless belt, and is provided at an insertion part of the sheet in a nip portion where the heat roller contacts the endless belt. The second press roller contacts a part of the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt, is provided at an exit part of the sheet in the nip portion, and has a lower rotational resistance than the first press roller.