Abstract: This application provides a substance containing disrupted cells of an anti-inflammatory lactic acid bacterium and having an effect of preventing or improving arthritis in a subject, a composition containing the substance and the preparation method thereof, and a method for enhancing the effect of preventing and improving arthritis with the use of the substance.

Abstract: This invention provides an effective means or method for improving lipid metabolism, and a means or method for treatment or prevention of diseases or disorders associated with the lipid metabolism disorder. Specifically, this invention relates to an agent for improving the lipid metabolism comprising, as active ingredients, broken cells of a lactic acid bacterium, and to a method for enhancing an effect of a lactic acid bacterium for improving the lipid metabolism comprising a step of breaking the lactic acid bacterium.

Abstract: Methods for lowering serum triglycerides use pharmaceutical agents and food products that have no side effects, are easy to ingest continuously, and have a serum triglyceride-lowering effect are provided. The pharmaceutical agents and food products are lipid metabolism-ameliorating agents and serum triglyceride-lowering agents, which include as an active ingredient a culture of a bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus. The bacterium belongs to the genus Bacillus is preferably Bacillus subtilis, and more preferably Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (FERM BP-1096). The lipid metabolism-ameliorating agent and the serum triglyceride-lowering agent are useful for treating and preventing diseases such as arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: A fixing device of an embodiment is configured to fix an unfixed toner image formed of a decolorable toner on a sheet of paper. The fixing device includes: a fixing unit including a fixing member heated by a first heat source and a pressure member heated by a second heat source; a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor; and a temperature controller configured to control the first heat source and the second heat source separately for temperature control based on detected temperature information acquired by the temperature sensors, wherein the temperature controller controls the surface temperatures of the fixing member and the pressure member to set equal or above the temperature at which fixing is started fixing starting temperature and to set below the temperature at which decolorization is started, and such that the surface temperatures of the fixing member and the pressure member become substantially the same temperature.

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: The present invention provides Lactobacillus bacteria which enhance the functional of Peyer's patch and promote IgA production and which have a characteristics of localizing on human intestine as well as an agent for promoting IgA production. The present invention is directed to an agent for promoting IgA production containing Lactobacillus amylovorus cells, especially Lactobacillus amylovorus CP1750 (FERM BP-10532) as an active ingredient.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fuser includes a heating roller, an endless belt, and a pressing roller. The heating roller rotates and comes into contact with a toner surface side of a sheet to heat the sheet. The endless belt has hardness lower than the hardness of the heating roller. The pressing roller is an only rotating body provided in a space formed by the endless belt and having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the endless belt. The pressing roller has hardness lower than the hardness of the heating roller and presses the heating roller via a part of the endless belt.

Abstract: A method for improving glomerular filtration rate includes administering to a subject in need thereof an agent containing a culture of a bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus. A method for ameliorating renal failure includes administering to a subject in need thereof an agent with a serum creatinine-lowering effect containing as an active ingredient a culture of a genus Bacillus bacterium. A method for improving glomerular filtration rate or ameliorating renal failure includes administering to a subject in need thereof an agent containing spores of a bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes: an image erasing section including a first member which has an elastic layer and heats a recording medium having a thermally decolorizable toner image on the toner image side and a second member which erases the toner image by allowing the recording medium in cooperation with the first member; an image forming section which transfers a thermally decolorizable toner image onto the recording medium on which the toner image is erased to form an unfixed toner image; and an image fixing section including a third member which does not have an elastic layer and heats the recording medium on the unfixed toner image side and a fourth member which fixes the unfixed toner image by allowing the recording medium in cooperation with the third member.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a cleaning device having a cleaning blade arranged so as to make contact with and separate from a cleaned surface, an occurrence of excessive cutting when the cleaning blade makes contact with the cleaned surface is prevented. The image forming apparatus includes the cleaning blade for making contact with and separating from the cleaned surface and scraping off toner adhered onto the cleaned surface and a regulation member for regulating a movement of the cleaning blade in a direction of contact with the cleaned surface by a regulation member using a regulating force, the regulating force larger than the pressing force.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, there are provided a developing section storing a color erasable developing agent that includes capsule colorant particles with a core in which a color developable compound, a color developing agent, and a color erasing agent are contained, and a developing section storing a binder resin-containing transparent developing agent. A transparent developing agent image is transferred to a region capable of covering a color erasable developing agent image and the resulting image is fixed.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a medium holding apparatus includes an endless device configured to rotate at a predetermined circumferential speed, a charging member arranged to be opposed to the surface of the endless device and configured to apply a voltage to a medium and attract the medium to the endless device using electrostatic force, a charge removing member arranged to be opposed to the surface of the endless device and configured to discharge charges in the medium using an alternating voltage, and a controller configured to offset a reference voltage of the alternating voltage to a polarity opposite to the polarity of the voltage applied during the attraction.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an effective means and method for activating vagal afferent nerve. The present invention provides a vagus nerve activator comprising bacterial cells and/or a treated product of a lactic acid bacteria as active ingredient(s).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrostatic latent image forming unit, a developing unit, an apparatus information acquisition unit to acquire apparatus information relating to the image forming apparatus, a toner image condition information acquisition unit using the apparatus information and acquiring toner image condition information relating to a condition at a time of toner image formation by the electrostatic latent image forming unit and the developing unit, a reference toner image forming unit controlling the electrostatic latent image forming unit and the developing unit based on the toner image condition information and forming a reference toner image on the image carrier, a toner adhesion amount information acquisition unit to acquire information relating to a toner adhesion amount in the reference toner image, and a supply amount correction unit using the information relating to the toner adhesion amount and correcting a toner supply amount to the developing unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides Lactobacillus bacteria which enhance the functional of Peyer's patch and promote IgA production and which have a characteristics of localizing on human intestine as well as an agent for promoting IgA production.

Abstract: An inducer of T cell apoptosis and a health food for inducing T cell apoptosis comprising as an active ingredient of a lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus Lactobacillus or the genus Bifidobacterium are disclosed. Particularly preferred lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus or the genus Bifidobacterium are Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 (FERM BP-4981), Lactobacillus amylovorus CP1750 (FERM BP-10532), Bifidobacterium catenulatum CP2829 (FERM BP-10533) and Bifidobacterium longum CP760 (FERM BP-10531). The inducer of T cell apoptosis of the invention is useful in the prevention and cure of a disease such as an organ-specific autoimmune disease or type I allergy.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a cleaning device having a cleaning blade arranged so as to make contact with and separate from a cleaned surface, an occurrence of excessive cutting when the cleaning blade makes contact with the cleaned surface is prevented. The image forming apparatus includes the cleaning blade for making contact with and separating from the cleaned surface and scraping off toner adhered onto the cleaned surface and a regulation unit for regulating a movement of the cleaning blade in the direction of contact with the cleaned surface up to a position where a pressing force to the cleaned surface by the cleaning blade does not exceed a predetermined pressing force.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a cleaning device having a cleaning blade arranged so as to make contact with and separate from a cleaned surface, an occurrence of excessive cutting when the cleaning blade makes contact with the cleaned surface is prevented. The image forming apparatus includes the cleaning blade for making contact with and separating from the cleaned surface and scraping off toner adhered onto the cleaned surface and a regulation member for regulating a movement of the cleaning blade in the direction of contact with the cleaned surface up to a position where a pressing force to the cleaned surface by the cleaning blade does not exceed a predetermined pressing force.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus including a cleaning device having a cleaning blade arranged so as to make contact with and separate from a cleaned surface, an occurrence of excessive cutting when the cleaning blade makes contact with the cleaned surface is prevented. The image forming apparatus includes the cleaning blade for making contact with and separating from the cleaned surface and scraping off toner adhered onto the cleaned surface and a regulation unit for regulating a movement of the cleaning blade in the direction of contact with the cleaned surface up to a position where a pressing force to the cleaned surface by the cleaning blade does not exceed a predetermined pressing force.

Abstract: The present invention provides Lactobacillus bacteria which enhance the functional of Peyer's patch and promote IgA production and which have a characteristics of localizing on human intestine as well as an agent for promoting IgA production.