Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to adjust ink ejection amounts from nozzles in a downstream nozzle array on a basis of a bypassing air flow degree. The bypassing air flow degree is calculated based on an ejection density of ink ejected from nozzles in an upstream nozzle array on a recording medium and indicates a generation degree of a bypassing air flow generated when a transfer air flow generated by transfer of the recording medium bypasses a self-generated air flow generated by ink ejected from the nozzles in the upstream nozzle array. The downstream nozzle array is a nozzle array located downstream in a transfer direction among a plurality of nozzle arrays. The upstream nozzle array is a nozzle array located upstream in the transfer direction among the plurality of nozzle arrays.

Abstract: A method of producing a superconductive material involves the step (1) of applying a solution of an organic compound of metals, oxides of the metals forming a superconductive material, onto a support body to be subsequently dried, a provisional baking step (2) of causing organic components of the organic compound of the metals to undergo thermal decomposition, and a main baking process step (3) of causing transformation of the oxides of the metals into the superconductive material, thereby producing an epitaxially-grown superconductive coating material, wherein at the time of irradiation of a surface of the support body coated with the solution of the organic compound of the metals for forming the superconductive material, and/or of a surface of the support body, opposite to the surface coated with the solution of the organic compound of the metals, with the laser light, during a period between the steps (1) and (2).

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to adjust ink ejection amounts from nozzles in a downstream nozzle array on a basis of a bypassing air flow degree. The bypassing air flow degree is calculated based on an ejection density of ink ejected from nozzles in an upstream nozzle array on a recording medium and indicates a generation degree of a bypassing air flow generated when a transfer air flow generated by transfer of the recording medium bypasses a self-generated air flow generated by ink ejected from the nozzles in the upstream nozzle array. The downstream nozzle array is a nozzle array located downstream in a transfer direction among a plurality of nozzle arrays. The upstream nozzle array is a nozzle array located upstream in the transfer direction among the plurality of nozzle arrays.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one inkjet head which is disposed above a feed path of a print medium and on which plural nozzles are aligned along a primary sweeping direction perpendicular to a feed direction of the print medium fed along the feed path. The image forming apparatus forms images by ejecting ink droplets from the nozzles. The image forming apparatus includes a controller that is operable to compensate ejection timings of ink droplets to be ejected from the nozzles onto the print medium based on ejection density of the ink droplets. The image forming apparatus can form good images that are not affected by ink dot displacements caused by feed airflow even when the ink dot displacements are affected by self-induced airflow.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes nozzle rows aligned along a printing direction along which printing on a print medium is executed, and a controller configured to control ejection of the ink droplets from the nozzle rows. The nozzle rows include a pair of an upstream nozzle row and a downstream nozzle row. The upstream nozzle row is positioned just upstream from the downstream nozzle row along the printing direction. The controller controls ejection of the ink droplets from the upstream nozzle row and the downstream nozzle row so that propulsive forces applied to ink droplets ejected from the downstream nozzle row are made larger, based on image data associated with the upstream nozzle row, than propulsive forces applied to ink droplets ejected from the upstream nozzle row. The inkjet printer can restrict degradation of print quality by landing the ink droplets ejected from the downstream nozzle at their target positions.

Abstract: A specific gamut of colors extending a reproduction range of colors in a color space is set to make for any ink color belonging to the specific gamut a conversion from CMYK dot pattern data into numbers of ink drops to be discharged from an inkjet head, using as a lookup table an extended pattern table having a maximal drop number ‘7’. For ink colors belonging to a gamut of colors outside the specific gamut, a default pattern table having a maximal drop number ‘5’ is used as a lookup table for the conversion from CMYK dot pattern data into ink drop numbers.

Abstract: Displacement information indicating a displacement amount of landing position in a main scanning direction of ink droplets discharged respectively from the nozzle of the head module of the same array of the line head of each color is acquired for each head module of the same array (steps S5, S7). Based on the displacement information and concentration information for each array, a color degree of an image when the discharge amount of ink droplets discharged from a nozzle of a head module of each color is not adjusted is specified for each head module of each array (step S9). A correction voltage value of a drive signal for the discharge of the nozzle of the head module of each color, which is suitable to return the specified color degree to “0”, is calculated (step S11) and each corresponding nozzle is driven by the drive signal of the correction voltage value.

Abstract: When reading the first document sheet, light intensity reference data is acquired by sampling a white reference plate while acquiring light intensity reference auxiliary data indicative of the light intensity of a light source lamp by sampling an auxiliary white reference plate. Then, just before reading the second or subsequent sheet, the auxiliary white reference plate is sampled to acquire the latest light intensity auxiliary data, followed by calculating the change amount from the light intensity reference auxiliary data. The change amount is used to correct the light intensity reference data separately for each picture element by referring to the profile data in which is stored the change amount of the sample value of each picture element corresponding to the change amount of the light intensity, followed by performing the shading compensation. By this configuration, it is possible to perform shading compensation in correspondence with the actual light intensity reduction.

Abstract: A melt of a hydrogen storage alloy having an arbitrary composition is cooled gradually at a cooling rate of 5° C./min or less and solidified. Alternatively an alloy having an arbitrary composition, after heating to a temperature equal to or more than a melting point thereof, is cooled gradually at a cooling rate of 5° C./min or less and solidified. Thereby a homogeneous alloy reduced in segregation, precipitates, or inclusions is obtained. The homogeneous alloy is excellent in the hydrogen storage amount, in the plateau property and in durability.

Abstract: A controller reads out image data of an area frame that a user has drawn on an original and accurately extracts the area frame by removing noise from the read-out image data to divide image data of an area outside the area frame and image data of an area inside the area frame into separate stencils, according to a separation program. It is therefore possible to execute a separation process desired by the user without increasing costs and man-hours and with easy operations not making the user feel troublesome.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of efficiently producing a superconductive material more excellent in properties without the occurrence of ablation and so forth, and large in area when executing thermal decomposition of an organic compound of metals, and formation of a superconductive material with heat treatment.

Abstract: When reading the first document sheet, light intensity reference data is acquired by sampling a white reference plate while acquiring light intensity reference auxiliary data indicative of the light intensity of a light source lamp by sampling an auxiliary white reference plate. Then, just before reading the second or subsequent sheet, the auxiliary white reference plate is sampled to acquire the latest light intensity auxiliary data, followed by calculating the change amount from the light intensity reference auxiliary data. The change amount is used to correct the light intensity reference data separately for each picture element by referring to the profile data in which is stored the change amount of the sample value of each picture element corresponding to the change amount of the light intensity, followed by performing the shading compensation. By this configuration, it is possible to perform shading compensation in correspondence with the actual light intensity reduction.

Abstract: There is provided a method of efficiently producing a superconductive material more excellent in properties, and large in area when executing thermal decomposition of a metalorganic compound, and formation of a superconductive material with heat treatment.

Abstract: In an image processing system, whether relevant pixels in the character image information obtained by reading an original on which characters have been recorded are object pixels to be subjected to enhancement processing is determined. The relevant pixel is determined to be an object pixel when the density of the relevant pixel is not lower than a first threshold value higher than the density of the background of the border of the original and not higher than the density of a thinnest line in lines which form the characters and is not higher than a second threshold value not lower than the density of a thinnest line in lines which form the characters and the relevant pixel is determined to be a thin line pixel forming a part of a thin line image.

Abstract: A controller reads out image data of an area frame that a user has drawn on an original and accurately extracts the area frame by removing noise from the read-out image data to divide image data of an area outside the area frame and image data of an area inside the area frame into separate stencils, according to a separation program. It is therefore possible to execute a separation process desired by the user without increasing costs and man-hours and with easy operations not making the user feel troublesome.

Abstract: A melt of a hydrogen storage alloy having an arbitrary composition is cooled gradually at a cooling rate of 5° C./min or less and solidified. Alternatively an alloy having an arbitrary composition, after heating to a temperature equal to or more than a melting point thereof, is cooled gradually at a cooling rate of 5° C./min or less and solidified. Thereby a homogeneous alloy reduced in segregation, precipitates, or inclusions is obtained. The homogeneous alloy is excellent in the hydrogen storage amount, in the plateau property and in durability.

Abstract: A controller reads out image data of an area frame that a user has drawn on an original and accurately extracts the area frame by removing noise from the read-out image data to divide image data of an area outside the area frame and image data of an area inside the area frame into separate stencils, according to a separation program. It is therefore possible to execute a separation process desired by the user without increasing costs and man-hours and with easy operations not making the user feel troublesome.

Abstract: Disclosed are cDNAs and DNAs encoding high-affinity melatonin 1a and 1b receptors and the recombinant polypeptides expressed from such cDNAs. The recombinant receptor polypeptides, receptor fragments and analogs expressed on the surface of cells are used in methods of screening candidate compounds for their ability to act as agonists or antagonists to the effects of interaction between melatonin and high-affinity melatonin receptor. Agonists are used as therapeutics to reentrain endogenous melatonin rhythms as a means of treating circadian rhythm disorders in humans and control reproductive cycles in seasonally breeding animals. Antagonists are used as therapeutics to control the initiation or timing of puberty in humans. Antibodies specific for a high-affinity melatonin receptor (or receptor fragment or analog) and their use as a therapeutic are also disclosed.

Abstract: A melt of a hydrogen storage alloy having an arbitrary composition is cooled gradually at a cooling rate of 5° C./min or less and solidified. Alternatively an alloy having an arbitrary composition, after heating to a temperature equal to or more than a melting point thereof, is cooled gradually at a cooling rate of 5° C./min or less and solidified. Thereby a homogeneous alloy reduced in segregation, precipitates, or inclusions is obtained. The homogeneous alloy is excellent in the hydrogen storage amount, in the plateau property and in durability.

Abstract: A controller reads out image data of an area frame that a user has drawn on an original and accurately extracts the area frame by removing noise from the read-out image data to divide image data of an area outside the area frame and image data of an area inside the area frame into separate stencils, according to a separation program. It is therefore possible to execute a separation process desired by the user without increasing costs and man-hours and with easy operations not making the user feel troublesome.