Abstract: Provided herein is a test system comprising severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor binding domain (RBD) antigen, SARS-CoV-2 S2 antigen, and binding moieties that specifically bind to human IgG, human IgA, and human IgM. Also provided are methods of detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in a sample using the test system.

Abstract: A tire comprises a rubber composition based on at least an elastomer matrix comprising 20 to 70 phr of a first diene elastomer bearing at least one SiOR function, R being a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon radical, the SiOR function not located at the chain ends of the first diene elastomer, 20 to 70 phr of a second diene elastomer which is a polyisoprene, and optionally, 0 to 20 phr of a third diene elastomer; and a reinforcing filler comprising a reinforcing inorganic filler.

Abstract: A tire having a tread comprising at least two radially superposed portions which comprise a radially external portion intended to come into contact with ground during rolling, the radially external portion being made of a first rubber composition, and a radially internal portion made of a second rubber composition; wherein the first rubber composition is based on at least an elastomer matrix; and a reinforcing filler comprising between 40 and 200 phr of a reinforcing inorganic filler; wherein the second rubber composition is based on at least: an elastomer matrix comprising 20 to 70 phr of a first diene elastomer bearing at least one SiOR function, R being a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon radical, 20 to 70 phr of a second diene elastomer which is polyisoprene, and comprising no third diene elastomer or at most 20 phr; a reinforcing filler comprising a reinforcing inorganic filler.

Abstract: Provided herein is a test system comprising severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor binding domain (RBD) antigen, SARS-CoV-2 S2 antigen, and binding moieties that specifically bind to human IgG, human IgA, and human IgM. Also provided are methods of detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in a sample using the test system.

Abstract: A tire having a tread comprising at least two radially superposed portions which comprise a radially external portion intended to come into contact with ground during rolling, the radially external portion being made of a first rubber composition, and a radially internal portion made of a second rubber composition; wherein the first rubber composition is based on at least an elastomer matrix; and a reinforcing filler comprising between 40 and 200 phr of a reinforcing inorganic filler; wherein the second rubber composition is based on at least: an elastomer matrix comprising 20 to 70 phr of a first diene elastomer bearing at least one SiOR function, R being a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon radical, 20 to 70 phr of a second diene elastomer which is polyisoprene, and comprising no third diene elastomer or at most 20 phr; a reinforcing filler comprising a reinforcing inorganic filler.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a precoating layer forming unit that forms a precoating layer on a surface of a recording medium, an image forming unit that forms an image on the precoating layer with ink, and a light energy emitter that emits light energy for drying the ink to the recording medium. The precoating layer contains a reflective agent that reflects light energy.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a drying device that dries ink on a printing medium; a feeder that feeds, to the drying device, the printing medium on which an image is formed with ink; and a control device that controls the drying device and the feeder. The control device causes the drying device to perform: a first drying process of drying the image on the printing medium fed to the drying device; and, after the first drying process, a second drying process of applying vibrations to ink that forms the image.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: an endless intermediate transfer belt; and a secondary transferrer, wherein the secondary transferrer includes a secondary transfer roller and a counter roller, a value calculated from w/Vsys is defined as a nip time N [sec], when the secondary transferrer is deemed as an equivalent circuit including a resistance R1 [?·m2] of the secondary transfer roller, a resistance R2 [?·m2] of the intermediate transfer belt, a resistance R3 [?·m2] of the counter roller, and capacitance Cmed [F/m2] of a recording medium, in a case where a combined resistance in the equivalent circuit is defined as Rtotal [?·m2], and combined capacitance in the equivalent circuit is defined as Ctotal [F/m2], a value calculated from Rtotal×Ctotal is defined as a time constant ? [sec], and the image forming device further includes: a sheet detector; and a hardware processor.

Abstract: Prevention of an image defect due to discharging in a transfer portion and ensured transfer efficiency are both achieved. A control electrode is in contact with an outer circumferential surface of a secondary transfer roller on an upstream side of a position of contact between the secondary transfer roller and a recording medium in a direction of rotation of the secondary transfer roller. The control electrode has a potential set to a repel a toner image with respect to the secondary transfer roller. The control electrode is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the secondary transfer roller under such a condition that discharging occurs in a gap between the secondary transfer roller and the intermediate transfer belt and a discharging current flows through the recording medium.

Abstract: A tire comprises a rubber composition based on at least an elastomer matrix comprising 20 to 70 phr of a first diene elastomer bearing at least one SiOR function, R being a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon radical, the SiOR function not located at the chain ends of the first diene elastomer, 20 to 70 phr of a second diene elastomer which is a polyisoprene, and optionally, 0 to 20 phr of a third diene elastomer; and a reinforcing filler comprising a reinforcing inorganic filler.

Abstract: Prevention of an image defect due to discharging in a transfer portion and ensured transfer efficiency are both achieved. A control electrode is in contact with an outer circumferential surface of a secondary transfer roller on an upstream side of a position of contact between the secondary transfer roller and a recording medium in a direction of rotation of the secondary transfer roller. The control electrode has a potential set to a repel a toner image with respect to the secondary transfer roller. The control electrode is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the secondary transfer roller under such a condition that discharging occurs in a gap between the secondary transfer roller and the intermediate transfer belt and a discharging current flows through the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: an endless intermediate transfer belt; and a secondary transferrer, wherein the secondary transferrer includes a secondary transfer roller and a counter roller, a value calculated from w/Vsys is defined as a nip time N [sec], when the secondary transferrer is deemed as an equivalent circuit including a resistance R1 [?·m2] of the secondary transfer roller, a resistance R2 [?·m2] of the intermediate transfer belt, a resistance R3 [?·m2] of the counter roller, and capacitance Cmed [F/m2] of a recording medium, in a case where a combined resistance in the equivalent circuit is defined as Rtotal [?·m2], and combined capacitance in the equivalent circuit is defined as Ctotal [F/m2], a value calculated from Rtotal×Ctotal is defined as a time constant ? [sec], and the image forming device further includes: a sheet detector; and a hardware processor.

Abstract: A transfer belt includes: an elastic layer, wherein the transfer belt is used to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium, the toner image being carried on a first main surface which is one of a pair of main exposed surfaces including the first main surface and a second main surface, when, using a lower block and an upper block, the transfer belt is placed on an upper surface of the lower block, a part of the transfer belt is interposed between a curved convex surface and a curved concave surface, and a pressed region reaches a pressing force of 200 [kPa] and is constantly pressed by the pressing force, if “a” represents a maximum value of displacement of a measurement region, and “b” represents displacement of the measurement region after convergence, E [?] calculated by (a?b)/b satisfies a condition of 0.2?E?3.

Abstract: A transfer belt transfers a toner image carried on a first main surface to a recording medium. When the transfer belt is pressed by using a lower block provided with a hole and an upper block with pressurization force increased at a prescribed rate and thereafter kept constant, E [-] and t0 are curve-fitted to a function E=?×exp(?t0/?) defined by a time constant ? [s] with respect to an amount of displacement of the transfer belt and a constant ? [-], where E [-] is calculated as (a?b)/b, a [?m] represents a maximum value of an amount of displacement of a measurement region, b [?m] represents an amount of displacement of the measurement region after converged, and t0 [s] represents a time period from start of pressurization until the maximum pressurization force, and time constant ? satisfies a condition of 0.015???0.1.

Abstract: A transfer belt is configured to transfer a toner image carried on a first main surface of the transfer belt to a recording medium. When the transfer belt is pressed with pressure application three increased at a predetermined pressure application rate and is then pressed with certain pressure application force by using a lower block provided with a hole and an upper block, k2 [?m/s] satisfies 6?k2?30, k2 [?m/s] being determined by (a?b)/{2×(t2?t1)}, where a [?m/s] represents a maximum value of a displacement amount of a measurement region that is a portion of the first main surface corresponding to the hole, b [?m] represents a convergence value thereof, t1 [s] represents a time when the maximum value is observed, and t2 [s] represents a time when the displacement amount reaches (a+b)/2 again after the maximum value is observed.

Abstract: A transfer belt transfers a toner image carried on a first main surface to a recording medium. When the transfer belt is pressed by using a lower block provided with a hole and an upper block with pressurization force increased at a prescribed rate and thereafter kept constant, E [-] and t0 are curve-fitted to a function E=?×exp(?t0/?) defined by a time constant ? [s] with respect to an amount of displacement of the transfer belt and a constant ? [-], where E [-] is calculated as (a?b)/b, a [?m] represents a maximum value of an amount of displacement of a measurement region, b [?m] represents an amount of displacement of the measurement region after converged, and t0 [s] represents a time period from start of pressurization until the maximum pressurization force, and time constant ? satisfies a condition of 0.015???0.1.

Abstract: A transfer belt includes: an elastic layer, wherein the transfer belt is used to transfer a toner image onto a recording medium, the toner image being carried on a first main surface which is one of a pair of main exposed surfaces including the first main surface and a second main surface, when, using a lower block and an upper block, the transfer belt is placed on an upper surface of the lower block, a part of the transfer belt is interposed between a curved convex surface and a curved concave surface, and a pressed region reaches a pressing force of 200 [kPa] and is constantly pressed by the pressing force, if “a” represents a maximum value of displacement of a measurement region, and “b” represents displacement of the measurement region after convergence, E [?] calculated by (a?b)/b satisfies a condition of 0.2?E?3.

Abstract: A transfer belt is configured to transfer a toner image carried on a first main surface of the transfer belt to a recording medium. When the transfer belt is pressed with pressure application three increased at a predetermined pressure application rate and is then pressed with certain pressure application force by using a lower block provided with a hole and an upper block, k2[?m/s] satisfies 6?k2?30, k2[?m/s] being determined by (a?b)/{2×(t2?t1)}, where a [?m/s] represents a maximum value of a displacement amount of a measurement region that is a portion of the first main surface corresponding to the hole, b [?m] represents a convergence value thereof, t1 [s] represents a time when the maximum value is observed, and t2 [s] represents a time when the displacement amount reaches (a+b)/2 again after the maximum value is observed.

Abstract: In the present wet-type image formation apparatus, when setting a standard image formation condition, a control unit adjusts both a conveyance amount of toner and a charge amount of the toner in order to obtain a predetermined developing characteristic. During normal image formation, the control unit obtains the image density of a patch image formed at a high contrast potential and the image density of a patch image formed at a low contrast potential, adjusts the conveyance amount of the toner when the image density of the patch image formed at the high contrast potential is varied from the developing characteristic for the standard image formation condition, and adjusts the charge amount of the toner when the image density of the patch image formed at the low contrast potential is varied from the developing characteristic for the standard image formation condition.

Abstract: When a toner charging amount for toner in a liquid developer conveyed to a development portion is set, a wet-type image formation apparatus performs a sensing operation in which a sensing unit senses image densities of a plurality of patch images formed at different development biases with the toner charging amount being set to a constant value, and a setting operation in which, in a case where a control unit calculates current development characteristics based on the image densities of the plurality of patch images sensed by the sensing unit, and determines that the current development characteristics are not included within a set target range, the control unit controls a charging unit to set the toner charging amount such that the development characteristics are included within the set target range.