Abstract: SCCA1 and SCCA2 genes, whose expression were greatly changed in a plurality of cells by stimulating respiratory tract epithelial cells with IL-4 or IL-13, were obtained as allergy related genes. Furthermore, elevation of blood level of expression products of these genes accompanying bronchial asthmatic attack was elucidated. This invention provides a method of testing for bronchial asthmatic attack that uses as indicators, expression levels of these genes in biological samples.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a method of testing for bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a method of screening for candidate compounds for treating bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and a pharmaceutical agent for treating bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The present invention identified genes whose expression levels varied between respiratory epithelial cells that had been stimulated by IL-13 to induce the goblet cell differentiation, and unstimulated respiratory epithelial cells. The respiratory epithelial cells were cultured according to the air interface method. The genes were revealed to be useful as markers for testing for bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and screening for therapeutic agents for such diseases.

Abstract: Six genes, whose expressions were greatly changed in a plurality of cells by stimulating respiratory tract epithelial cells with IL-4 or IL-13, were obtained as allergy related genes. This invention provides a method of testing for allergic diseases, and method of screening for compounds useful in treating such diseases, that use as indicators, expression levels of these genes in biological samples.

Abstract: SCCA1 and SCCA2 genes, whose expression were greatly changed in a plurality of cells by stimulating respiratory tract epithelial cells with IL-4 or IL-13, were obtained as allergy related genes. Furthermore, elevation of blood level of expression products of these genes accompanying bronchial asthmatic attack was elucidated. This invention provides a method of testing for bronchial asthmatic attack that uses as indicators, expression levels of these genes in biological samples.

Abstract: Sequentially input new document information is sorted and retained in a proper folder to facilitate search and retrieval of a desired document to follow. To this end, a list of proper candidate folders is presented to a user to support user saving works. Discrimination between proper folders is made precise by using a search condition, to thereby make search of a desired document easy and reliable.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member has an electroconductive support and a photosensitive layer thereon which contains a compound of Formula 3, 5-11, 13 or 14 as follows: ##STR1##

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member, has an electroconductive support, an interlayer, and a photosensitive layer provided in the order named. The interlayer contains a polyamide having a structural unit represented by the formula (I) below: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, R.sub.2 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group, and n is an integer of one or more.

Abstract: There is provided a transfer material carrying member and an image forming apparatus using it. The transfer material carrying member comprises a metal oxide and a polycarbonate resin having a repeating unit represented by the following formula: ##STR1## The transfer medium carrying member of the present invention has superior surface electrical characteristics, mechanical strength and transparency. The image forming apparatus making use of the transfer medium carrying member enables consistently good transfer even when copies are repeatedly taken and makes it possible to obtain consistently stable, good images.

Abstract: A transfer material carrying member has a copolymer and conductive particles; the copolymer has a component unit represented by the Formula (I) and a component unit represented by the Formula (II), and the component unit represented by Formula (II) is in an amount of from 0.1% by weight to 50% by weight based on the total weight of the copolymer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member of the present invention has a photosensitive lazer containing a compound represented by the formula (1): ##STR1## The electrophotographic photosensitive member has a high sensitivity and can maintain stable and excellent electrophotographic characteristics even when repeatedly used.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member, has an electroconductive support, an interlayer, and a photosensitive layer provided in the order named. The interlayer contains a polyamide having a structural unit represented by the formula (I) below: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, R.sub.2 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group, and n is an integer of one or more.

Abstract: There is disclosed an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a conductive support and a photosensitive layer provided thereon, wherein the photosensitive layer contains a random copolymer having a structural unit represented by the following Formula (I): ##STR1## and a structural unit represented by the following Formula (II): ##STR2##

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member is formed by disposing a photosensitive layer and a protective layer in this order on an electroconductive support. The protective layer is formed from a resin obtained by polymerization of a curable acrylic monomer having at least three acrylic groups, i.e., acryloyl and/or methacryloyl groups. The protective layer not only shows a good durability against wearing but also can contain fine electroconductive particles therein with a good dispersibility because of the presence of the acrylic groups aiding the dispersion.

Abstract: An image holding member rich in durability and suitably used as an electrophotographic photosensitive member or an electrostatic image-holding dielectric member is prepared by coating a support with a resinous layer formed by polymerization of a phosphazene polyene represented by the following formida: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 denotes an ethylenically unsaturated group, preferably an acrylic group represented by --R.sub.2 --OCO--C(R.sub.3)=CH.sub.2, wherein R.sub.2 denotes an alkylene group, arylene group, alkyl-substituted arylene group, alkylamide group or arylamide group, and R.sub.3 denotes a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. The resinous layer may constitute a photosensitive layer, a dielectric layer, or a protective layer covering these layers.

Abstract: An image-bearing member suitable for carrying an electrostatic image and/or a toner image is formed by forming a surface layer on a substrate or a photosensitive layer. The surface layer comprises a polymerized and cured product of a photoionically polymerizable compound having two or more functional groups, and shows excellent mechanical and electrical resistance as well as excellent charge-retaining characteristic. As a result, the surface layer provides an image-bearing surface suitable for electrophotography. The surface layer may be a protective layer or a photoconductive layer when it constitutes a photosensitive member.

Abstract: A transfer sheet-carrying member for use in a transfer-type electrophotographic image forming apparatus is characterized by having a surface sheet showing a downwardly convex current-voltage characteristic across its thickness such that when a first test current I.sub.10 is passed at an applied voltage of 10 volts, a second test current I.sub.50 is passed at an applied voltage of 50 volts and a third test current I.sub.4000 is passed at an applied voltage of 4000 volts, the current-voltage characteristic satisfies the relationships of: I.sub.50 <5.times.I.sub.10 and I.sub.50 .ltoreq.I.sub.4000 /100. The current-voltage characteristic may be regarded as downwardly convex, and the current passage is suppressed at a low voltage level. As a result, a certain amount of transfer charge is provided to the surface sheet at a single charging operation to suppress transfer irregularities.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image-holding member which comprises an electroconductive support and a resin layer formed on the support, wherein the surface layer of the image-holding member contains a copolymer having the structure units represented by the formulas [I] and [II]: ##STR1## where A is a linear, branched or cyclic alkylidene group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an aryl-substituted alkylidene group, arylene-dialkylidene group, --O--, --S--, --CO--, --SO--, or --SO.sub.2 --; and R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 are respectively hydrogen, halogen, or an alkyl or alkenyl group of 1 to 4 carbons; ##STR2## where R.sub.5 is an alkylene or alkylidene group of 2 to 6 carbons; R.sub.6 and R.sub.7 are respectively an alkyl group of 1 to 3 carbons, a phenyl or substituted phenyl group; and n is an integer of from 1 to 200, and the copolymer containing the structure unit of the formula [II] in an amount of from 0.1 to 50% by weight Of the total weight of the copolymer.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a drum-shaped or endless-sheet-shaped light-transmissive carrier made of a light-transmissive resin, at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of which has maximum and mean roughness both ranging from 0.3 .mu.m to 4.0 .mu.m, and a photosensitive layer is formed on one of the surfaces of the carrier. The photosensitive layer has a laminate structure composed of a charge generating layer and a charge transporting layer. A light-transmissive layer containing fine particles dispersed in a binder resin may be provided between the light-transmissive carrier and the photosensitive member. An electrophotographic apparatus incorporating this electrophotographic photosensitive member has an image exposure light source such as a laser or an LED array disposed at the side of the photosensitive member adjacent the carrier so as to apply an exposure light to the photosensitive member through the light-transmissive carrier.

Abstract: The present invention provides an excellent image-holding member, comprising an electroconductive support, a resin layer formed on the support, and an interlayer provided between the support and the resin layer, said interlayer containing a reaction product of an acetal resin and an organometallic complex compound.