Abstract: An image forming device includes an image carrier on the surface of which a toner image is formed, a cleaning member arranged in contact with, for cleaning, the surface of the image carrier, a charging member for electrostatically charging the image carrier, a bias applying device, and a control portion. The bias applying device applies a charging bias having DC and AC biases superimposed on each other to the charging member. The control portion controls the charging bias applied to the charging member by the bias applying device. As the AC bias applied to the charging member, the control portion uses, in a first period from the start of use of the image carrier to a predetermined time thereafter, a first AC bias and, in a second period subsequent to the first period, a second AC bias higher than the first AC bias.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a driving device, a charging member, a cleaning member, a voltage applying device, a torque detector for detecting the torque of the driving device, a storage for storing a predetermined torque value Tc, and a control portion. The control portion obtains as Ton the torque when the charging voltage is applied to the charging member and obtains as Toff the torque when no charging voltage is applied to the charging member. Let the torque observed when no charging voltage is applied at an early stage of use of the image carrying member be represented by Toff(0), then, when the relations Toff(0)<Toff and Tc<Ton/Toff hold, the control portion determines that the degree of smoothness of the surface of the image carrying member is equal to or higher than a predetermined degree of smoothness.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member, a driving device, a charging member, a cleaning member, a voltage applying device, a braking distance detector, a storage for storing a predetermined braking distance value Lc, and a control portion. The control portion obtains as Lon the braking distance when the charging voltage is applied to the charging member and obtains as Loff the braking distance when no charging voltage is applied to the charging member. Let the braking distance observed when no charging voltage is applied at an early stage of use of the image carrying member be represented by Loff(0), then, when the relations Loff<Loff(0) and Lc<Loff/Lon hold, the control portion determines that the degree of smoothness of the surface of the image carrying member is equal to or higher than a predetermined degree of smoothness.

Abstract: An image forming device includes an image carrier on the surface of which a toner image is formed, a cleaning member arranged in contact with, for cleaning, the surface of the image carrier, a charging member for electrostatically charging the image carrier, a bias applying device, and a control portion. The bias applying device applies a charging bias having DC and AC biases superimposed on each other to the charging member. The control portion controls the charging bias applied to the charging member by the bias applying device. As the AC bias applied to the charging member, the control portion uses, in a first period from the start of use of the image carrier to a predetermined time thereafter, a first AC bias and, in a second period subsequent to the first period, a second AC bias higher than the first AC bias.

Abstract: A laminated nonwoven fabric includes a first nonwoven fabric that comprises first fibers, and a second nonwoven fabric that comprises second fibers. The second nonwoven fabric is laminated on the first nonwoven fabric. An average fiber diameter D1 of the first fibers and an average fiber diameter D2 of the second fibers satisfy a relation of D1>D2. In viewed from a side of a principal surface of the second nonwoven fabric being not opposed to the first nonwoven fabric, a total area of first portions of the second fibers superimposed on the first fibers and existing on the nearer side than the first fibers is larger than a total area of second portions of the second fibers existing and superimposed on voids S of the first nonwoven fabric formed of the first fibers.

Abstract: Provided is a composition for maintaining a function of platelets, having as an active ingredient a pyridone derivative represented by the following general formula (I), or a salt thereof (in the formula, ring A, R1, R2, R3, and R4 represent the definitions given in the description).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming units, static eliminating sections, a mode switching section, and an exposure switching section. The static eliminating sections outputs first and second light. The mode switching section switches a state a between a first mode in which all of the image forming units are operated and a second mode in which only a first image forming unit is operated. In a second image forming unit located upstream next to the first image forming unit, the exposure switching section causes the image bearing member of the second image forming unit not to be irradiated with the first light and causes the image bearing member of the first image forming unit to be irradiated with the second light in the second mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image carrying body, a first electrically conductive member, a bias application device, and a controller. The first electrically conductive member makes contact with the photosensitive layer of the image carrying body The bias application device applies a bias containing an AC bias to the first electrically conductive member. The controller controls the bias application device. The image forming apparatus can execute, while no image formation is being performed, a temperature raising mode in which, with the first electrically conductive member in contact with the image carrying body outside the image formation region, an AC bias having a peak-to-peak value twice as high as the discharge start voltage between the first electrically conductive member and the image carrying body is applied to the first electrically conductive member to raise the temperature of the surface of the image carrying body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming units, static eliminating sections, a mode switching section, and an exposure switching section. The static eliminating sections outputs first and second light. The mode switching section switches a state a between a first mode in which all of the image forming units are operated and a second mode in which only a first image forming unit is operated. In a second image forming unit located upstream next to the first image forming unit, the exposure switching section causes the image bearing member of the second image forming unit not to be irradiated with the first light and causes the image bearing member of the first image forming unit to be irradiated with the second light in the second mode.

Abstract: A composition for maintaining a function of platelets, the composition comprising, as an active ingredient, a compound represented by the following general formula (I) or a salt thereof, or a solvate thereof: wherein X represents a phenylene group; Y represents any one of a hydrogen atom and —(CH2)mR1; wherein m represents an integer of any one of 0 to 4; and R1 is any one of —NR5COR2, —NR5SO2R2, and —NR3R4; wherein R2 represents any one of a C1 to C6 alkyl group, an aryl group, a C1 to C6 alkoxy group, and the like; R3 and R4 represent a C1 to C6 alkyl group or the like; and R5 represents any one of a hydrogen atom, a C1 to C6 alkyl group, and the like; and Z represents any one of a hydrogen atom and a C1 to C6 alkyl group.

Abstract: Provided is a compound represented by the formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 are each independently a hydrogen atom or a straight chain alkyl group having a carbon number of 1-3, R3 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having a carbon number of 1-4, an alkoxyalkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom or a haloalkyl group, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which has, unlike known PGI2 analogs, a selective EP4 agonist action, and a medicament containing the compound, which is useful for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of immune diseases, diseases of the digestive tract, cardiovascular diseases, cardiac diseases, respiratory diseases, neurological diseases, ophthalmic diseases, renal diseases, hepatic diseases, bone diseases, skin diseases and the like.

Abstract: A solid-state image capturing element includes: a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, each of which outputs an electric signal corresponding to an amount of received light; a plurality of column signal lines each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of columns of the pixels and sequentially transfers the electric signal provided from the corresponding one of the columns of the pixels; and a plurality of holding circuits each of which is disposed for a corresponding one of the column signal lines and holds the electric signal transferred via the corresponding one of the column signal lines. Each of the holding circuits includes a circuit element including an input capacitance, and holds the electric signal in the input capacitance.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a conductive member, a bias application device, and a control portion. The image bearing member has a photosensitive layer formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The conductive member is disposed so as to make contact with an inner peripheral surface of the image bearing member and has a dielectric property. The bias application device applies a bias including an alternating current bias to the conductive member. The control portion controls the bias application device. The image forming apparatus is capable of executing a heating-up mode in which an alternating current bias having a peak-to-peak value twice or more as large as a discharge start voltage between the conductive member and the image bearing member is applied to the conductive member to cause the surface of the image bearing member to be heated up.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a first conductive member, a bias application device, and a control portion, and performs image formation on a surface of the image bearing member while making the image bearing member rotate. The image forming apparatus is capable of executing a heating-up mode in which, at the time of non-image formation, in a state where the image bearing member is made to rotate at a velocity lower than that used at the time of image formation, an alternating current bias having a frequency higher than that used at the time of image formation and a peak-to-peak value twice or more as large as a discharge start voltage between the first conductive member and the image bearing member is applied to the first conductive member to cause a surface of the image bearing member to be heated up.

Abstract: A charge applying member includes a conductive roller and a shaft. The conductive roller includes a first region in contact with a member to be charged and facing an image forming region of the member to be charged and a second region next to a longitudinal end of the first region and facing a region of the member to be charged outside the image forming region and is configured to apply a charge to the member to be charged. The shaft formed of a metallic material inserted into the conductive roller and configured to be given a voltage from a power supply. A region plated with a metal having a lower ionization tendency than the shaft is formed as a plated region on a surface portion of the shaft corresponding to the first and second regions and a non-plated region is formed on a surface portion of the shaft corresponding to the second region.

Abstract: Provided is a compound represented by the formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 are each independently a hydrogen atom or a straight chain alkyl group having a carbon number of 1-3, R3 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having a carbon number of 1-4, an alkoxyalkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom or a haloalkyl group, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which has, unlike known PGI2 analogs, a selective EP4 agonist action, and a medicament containing the compound, which is useful for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of immune diseases, diseases of the digestive tract, cardiovascular diseases, cardiac diseases, respiratory diseases, neurological diseases, ophthalmic diseases, renal diseases, hepatic diseases, bone diseases, skin diseases and the like.

Abstract: A cleaning device includes: a cleaning rotating body 160; a scraping member 130; a toner restriction face 141; and a downstream side restriction portion 140. The cleaning rotating body 160 is arranged in sliding contact with the surface of the image carrying body 2. A front end portion 131 of the scraping member 130 is arranged in contact with or in proximity to a surface of the cleaning rotating body 160. The scraping member 130 is a plate-like member and includes a toner receiving face 133 to which the toner is carried from the front end portion 131. The toner restriction face 141 is arranged to be orthogonal to the toner receiving face 133. The downstream side restriction portion 140 restricts movement of the toner to a downstream side in a rotational direction of the cleaning rotating body 166.

Abstract: Provided is a compound represented by the formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 are each independently a hydrogen atom or a straight chain alkyl group having a carbon number of 1-3, R3 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having a carbon number of 1-4, an alkoxyalkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom or a haloalkyl group, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which has, unlike known PGI2 analogs, a selective EP4 agonist action, and a medicament containing the compound, which is useful for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of immune diseases, diseases of the digestive tract, cardiovascular diseases, cardiac diseases, respiratory diseases, neurological diseases, ophthalmic diseases, renal diseases, hepatic diseases, bone diseases, skin diseases and the like.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device that is configurable into a small size appropriate for expanding dynamic range includes: a photodiode which is a photoelectric conversion unit that generates charge by incident light; a MOS transistor which is connected to the photodiode and transfers the charge; a floating diffusion region which is a first accumulation unit which accumulates the charge via the MOS transistor; a MOS transistor which is a second transfer unit connected to the floating diffusion region and connected in series to the MOS transistor; and a MOS transistor which is an output unit which outputs, via the MOS transistor, a signal voltage in accordance with an amount of the charge.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, a conductive member, a bias application device, and a control portion. The image bearing member has a photosensitive layer formed on an outer peripheral surface thereof. The conductive member is disposed so as to make contact with an inner peripheral surface of the image bearing member and has a dielectric property. The bias application device applies a bias including an alternating current bias to the conductive member. The control portion controls the bias application device. The image forming apparatus is capable of executing a heating-up mode in which an alternating current bias having a peak-to-peak value twice or more as large as a discharge start voltage between the conductive member and the image bearing member is applied to the conductive member to cause the surface of the image bearing member to be heated up.