Abstract: A renal function-ameliorating agent and a serum creatinine-lowering agent, each comprising as an active ingredient a culture of a bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus, are disclosed. The bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus is preferably Bacillus subtilis, and more preferably Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (FERM BP-1096). The renal function-ameliorating agent and the serum creatinine-lowering agent are useful for treating and preventing diseases such as arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method producing a high protein content rapeseed meal from a rapeseed meal in a simply manner and at low cost, and producing no or less waste. Specifically disclosed is a method for producing a rapeseed meal, which comprises applying a rapeseed meal to a 32 to 60 mesh sieve to separate the rapeseed meal into a coarse rapeseed meal having such a grain size that grains of the meal remain on the 32 to 60 mesh sieve and a fine rapeseed meal having such a grain size that grains of the meal pass through the 32 to 60 mesh sieve.

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: Pharmaceutical agents and food products which have no side effects, are easy to ingest continuously, and have a serum triglyceride-lowering effect are provided. A lipid metabolism-ameliorating agent and a serum triglyceride-lowering agent, each comprising as an active ingredient a culture of a bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus, are disclosed. The bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus is preferably Bacillus subtilis, and more preferably Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (FERN BP-1096). The lipid metabolism-ameliorating agent and the serum triglyceride-lowering agent are useful for treating and preventing diseases such as arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing lactic acid bacteria having a high anti-allergic activity comprising culturing the lactic acid bacteria in a medium containing casein hydrolysate. The invention also provides an anti-allergic agent and a food/beverage product having anti-allergic activity comprising the lactic acid bacteria cultured in the method of the invention.

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 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: An image forming apparatus includes a pattern formation unit which forms a first gradation screen pattern on an image carrier unit at a non-image formation operation, a gradation characteristic determination unit which determines a gradation characteristic from the first gradation pattern formed by the pattern formation unit, a first gradation correction characteristic determination unit which determines a first gradation correction characteristic from the gradation characteristic determined by the gradation characteristic determination unit, a characteristic detection unit which detects a change characteristic in the image forming apparatus just before image formation, a pattern correlation characteristic correction unit which determines a pattern correlation characteristic corresponding to the change characteristic detected by the characteristic detection unit and a second gradation correction characteristic determination unit which determines a second gradation correction characteristic by performing an ar

Abstract: A load cell is attached between a fixed axis and an upper die assembly and arranged in a forming chamber. For this reason, the load cell is hardly influenced by reduction of pressure in the forming chamber. A cooling plate is arranged between the load cell and the upper die assembly. An interior of the forming chamber is sectioned into two zones by the cooling plate, a flange and an isolating plate. The upper die assembly and a lower die assembly are housed in the lower zone surrounded by a transparent quartz tube. The load cell is housed in the upper zone surrounded by a cooling chamber. Thus, temperature rise of the load cell can be prevented.

Abstract: A gradation pattern is printed, the gradation pattern is corrected with a gamma correction table TO based on a result in which the printed gradation pattern is read, the corrected gradation pattern is printed on a photosensitive drum or the like, and a measured density of the printed gradation pattern in S4 is stored as a reference value of density DR. Thereafter, without user's operation, at a set automatic timing, the read gradation pattern P is corrected with the gamma correction table TO and printed on the photosensitive drum or the like, density deviation ?D between a measured density D of the printed gradation pattern in S6 and the reference value of density DR is determined, and the latest gamma correction table T is generated and updated on the basis of the density deviation ?D. Consequently, high-quality image formation can be automatically performed.

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: A gradation pattern is printed, the gradation pattern is corrected with a gamma correction table TO based on a result in which the printed gradation pattern is read, the corrected gradation pattern is printed on a photosensitive drum or the like, and a measured density of the printed gradation pattern in S4 is stored as a reference value of density DR. Thereafter, without user's operation, at a set automatic timing, the read gradation pattern P is corrected with the gamma correction table TO and printed on the photosensitive drum or the like, density deviation ?D between a measured density D of the printed gradation pattern in S6 and the reference value of density DR is determined, and the latest gamma correction table T is generated and updated on the basis of the density deviation ?D. Consequently, high-quality image formation can be automatically performed.

Abstract: A gradation pattern is printed, the gradation pattern is corrected with a gamma correction table TO based on a result in which the printed gradation pattern is read, the corrected gradation pattern is printed on a photosensitive drum or the like, and a measured density of the printed gradation pattern in S4 is stored as a reference value of density DR. Thereafter, without user's operation, at a set automatic timing, the read gradation pattern P is corrected with the gamma correction table TO and printed on the photosensitive drum or the like, density deviation ?D between a measured density D of the printed gradation pattern in S6 and the reference value of density DR is determined, and the latest gamma correction table T is generated and updated on the basis of the density deviation ?D. Consequently, high-quality image formation can be automatically performed.

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: A load cell is attached between a fixed axis and an upper die assembly and arranged in a forming chamber. For this reason, the load cell is hardly influenced by reduction of pressure in the forming chamber. A cooling plate is arranged between the load cell and the upper die assembly. An interior of the forming chamber is sectioned into two zones by the cooling plate, a flange and an isolating pate. The upper die assembly and a lower die assembly are housed in the lower zone surrounded by a transparent quartz tube. The load cell is housed in the upper zone surrounded by a cooling chamber. Thus, temperature rise of the load cell can be prevented.

Abstract: Inert gas is supplied from a supply source to the interior of a forming chamber through lines and gas supply routes. Variable flow control valves are provided in the middle of the lines and are controlled by a command from a control unit. The variable flow control valves vary pressure or flow rate of the inert gas in accordance with a command value to be sent every moment from the control unit such that the pressure or flow rate gradually reach a target value. According to the present invention, the pressure in the forming chamber is not varied abruptly when supply of the inert gas is stopped or the setting of flow rate thereof is changed. As a result, fluctuation in output of a load cell 8b can be suppressed and high precision of pressing force can be secured.

Abstract: A gradation pattern is printed, the gradation pattern is corrected with a gamma correction table TO based on a result in which the printed gradation pattern is read, the corrected gradation pattern is printed on a photosensitive drum or the like, and a measured density of the printed gradation pattern in S4 is stored as a reference value of density DR. Thereafter, without user's operation, at a set automatic timing, the read gradation pattern P is corrected with the gamma correction table TO and printed on the photosensitive drum or the like, density deviation &Dgr;D between a measured density D of the printed gradation pattern in S6 and the reference value of density DR is determined, and the latest gamma correction table T is generated and updated on the basis of the density deviation &Dgr;D. Consequently, high-quality image formation can be automatically performed.

Abstract: There is disclosed an image forming apparatus in which photosensitive member properties including potential properties of an exposed portion and unexposed portion of the surface of a photosensitive member irradiated with a light beam are estimated. An appropriate contrast potential and a developing bias voltage and charging grid bias voltage suitable for forming a high-density image are determined by a feedback control based on the photosensitive member properties. A laser power is changed to form an intermediate-density image whose density agrees with an intermediate-density target value. When the laser power is changed, the photosensitive member property changes. Therefore, the photosensitive member property is re-estimated, and the developing bias voltage and charging grid bias voltage are set again while maintaining the appropriate contrast potential.

Abstract: A developing unit having a pair of semicircular first sealing members longitudinally formed on a cylindrical portion of both ends of a toner conveying roller along an outer peripheral surface of a toner conveying roller such that a gap is set between the sealing members and a toner layer thickness determining plate in a frictional state. A pair of second sealing members are provided close to a position where the toner layer thickness determining plate faces the roller and at a position, opposite to a side facing the toner conveying roller. Each of the first and second sealing members applies predetermined pressure to the toner conveying roller, and each of the sealing members includes lubricating fine grains.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus for forming an image, especially a halftone image, by using a photosensitive member, having a charging member for charging the photosensitive member, a mechanism for relatively moving the charging member and the photosensitive member, a voltage source for applying an oscillatory voltage to the charging member such that a Vp/f ratio is about from 0.08 to 0.42, wherein the Vp represents a relative moving speed between the charging member and the photosensitive member and the f represents a frequency of the oscillatory voltage, an exposing member for exposing the charged photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image, and a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image.