Abstract: A developing roll for use in an image-forming apparatus using electrophotography includes a cylindrical core made of metal; an annular elastic layer made of rubber and arranged around the core; and an annular surface layer arranged around the elastic layer. The surface layer includes a central portion and end portions. The central portion is located at the center of the developing roll in the longitudinal direction, the end portions are located at opposite end portions of the developing roll in the longitudinal direction. A coefficient of kinetic friction of the outer peripheral surface of each end portion of the surface layer is less than or equal to 0.1, and a ten-point average roughness Rz of the outer peripheral surface of each end portion of the surface layer is less than or equal to 1.8 ?m.

Abstract: The airflow controlling device includes a bacteria counting portion counting bacteria of a controlled space; a first smoothing processing portion performing a first smoothing process on the bacteria count; a second smoothing processing portion performing a second smoothing process on the bacteria count; a bacteria reducing capability storing portion storing a bacteria reducing capability relative to each flow rate; a first flow rate evaluating portion selecting a flow rate matching a bacteria reducing capability compatible with an increase in a bacteria count forecasted from the processing result of the first smoothing processing portion; a second flow rate evaluating portion selecting a flow rate matching a bacteria reducing capability compatible with an increase in a bacteria count forecasted from the processing result of the second smoothing processing portion; and a flow rate determining portion selecting a flow rate into the controlled space based on the flow rates selected by the first and second flow r

Abstract: The airflow controlling device includes a bacteria counting portion counting bacteria of a controlled space; a first smoothing processing portion performing a first smoothing process on the bacteria count; a second smoothing processing portion performing a second smoothing process on the bacteria count; a bacteria reducing capability storing portion storing a bacteria reducing capability relative to each flow rate; a first flow rate evaluating portion selecting a flow rate matching a bacteria reducing capability compatible with an increase in a bacteria count forecasted from the processing result of the first smoothing processing portion; a second flow rate evaluating portion selecting a flow rate matching a bacteria reducing capability compatible with an increase in a bacteria count forecasted from the processing result of the second smoothing processing portion; and a flow rate determining portion selecting a flow rate into the controlled space based on the flow rates selected by the first and second flow r

Abstract: In a measurement method for measuring the epitaxial film thickness of a multilayer epitaxial wafer, a reflectivity spectrum of a multilayer epitaxial wafer having at least two epitaxial layers of different electric characteristics is measured by using infrared radiation in a far infrared region of at least 500 cm.sup.-1 or less, and frequency-analysis is performed on the reflection spectrum thus obtained by a maximum entropy method, and the film thickness of each epitaxial layer is calculated on the basis of the analysis spectrum thus obtained.