Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming images. The method includes the steps of forming electrostatic latent images on an electrostatic image carrier, forming toner images with a toner-containing developer by developing the electrostatic latent images on the electrostatic image carrier, transferring the toner images onto a transfer material, and thermally fixing the toner images, wherein an electrophotographic toner including containing at least a binder resin, a colorant, and a releasing agent in the range of 10 to 25% by mass relative to toner particles and having a shape factor SF1 of 140 or less is used as the toner, and the thermal fixing step is carried out so as to satisfy, at a process speed of at least 170 mm/sec., the relationship (A): 200<0.7×&agr;+2000×&bgr; wherein &agr; is a fixing temperature (° C.), &bgr; is a heating time (second), and &agr; is 160° C. or higher.

Abstract: Such a toner for developing an electrostatic image is to be provided that has a wide fixable temperature range, is excellent in development and transfer performance and excellent in releasing performance, realizes both glossiness and transparency, and is capable of providing an image (particularly a color image) of a wide color reproduction range having high quality and high durability, a developer for an electrostatic image, and a process for forming an image. The toner for developing an electrostatic image contains a binder resin, a colorant and an inorganic metallic salt, and an amount of a toluene insoluble component (provided that the colorant, a releasing agent and inorganic and organic insoluble particles are excluded therefrom) is from 0.5 to 10% by weight. The developer for an electrostatic image and the process for forming an image use the toner for developing an electrostatic image.

Abstract: Provided are a toner and its production, a developer, an image forming method and an image forming apparatus. The toner has excellent fixation characteristics of good releasability, hot offset resistance, folding resistance, surface glossiness, and OHP transparency. The toner contains a binder resin, a colorant, a release agent and an inorganic particles. The inorganic particles therein contain inorganic particles (A) having the mean primary particle size not less than approximately 5 nm and less than approximately 30 nm and inorganic particles (B) having the mean primary particle size not less than approximately 30 nm and less than approximately 200 nm.

Abstract: There is provided a composition comprising carnosine, in which said composition comprises carnosine so that the amount of carnosine per ingestion is 0.7 &mgr;g/kg to 0.09 mg/kg, and which may take the form of a tablet, a capsule, powders, granules, a drink, bread, biscuit, cake and the like. The composition preferably has an effect of controlling the autonomic nervous system, and more specifically it has an effect of preventing, improving or alleviating disturbances in the autonomic nervous system and disease conditions resulting therefrom.

Abstract: Provided is a resin powder for a dermatologic composition composed of resin particles having an average volume particle size of 2.0 to 20.0 &mgr;m, a shape factor SF1 of 110 to 140 and an average volume particle size distribution GSDv of 1.3 or less. Also disclosed are a skin cleansing composition and a cosmetic composition containing the resin powder, and a preparation process of the resin powder.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a tetracyclododecene composition having a regulated cyclopentadiene trimer content, whereby addition polymerization with the aid of a Ziegler catalyst can be carried out while preventing gelation caused by a cross-linking reaction. A tetracyclododecene composition regulated with respect to the content of a specific ingredient having a molecular weight of 188 is disclosed, whereby polymers having high glass transition temperatures can be obtained through various polymerizations. Further, the present invention is drawn to a method for producing tetracyclododecene in the presence of an aliphatic solvent having a boiling point close to that of norbornene, which solvent is effective in inhibiting the recovered norbornene from solidifying.

Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image, a developer for developing an electrostatic image, a process for producing them, and a process for forming an image that provide excellent developing and transferring performance and also provide excellent performance stability, as well as high image quality and reliability are provided. The problem can be solved by a toner for developing an electrostatic image having a particle size distribution index on a small particle side GSDpS in number distribution of a particle diameter of about 1.27 or less. GSDpS is D50p/D16p, D50p represents a particle diameter providing a particle diameter accumulation in number distribution of 50%, and D16p represents a particle diameter providing a particle diameter accumulation in number distribution of 16% from a small diameter side.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of tetracyclododecenes, which can be a raw material of cycloolefin (co)polymers possessing excellent characters concerning their optical property, high transparency, heat resistance, and oil absorbency, from an inexpensive raw material of crude DCPD in a stable, continuous, and longstanding process. In the continuous preparation of tetracyclododecenes described in the present invention, it is possible to produce the targeted product in high efficiencies in the effective utilization of the raw materials exemplified by the separation and recovery of 2-norbornenes after the reaction. It is also possible to maintain a stable, continuous, and longstanding operation based on the suppression of ill effects deriving from the accumulation of byproducts such as 2-methyl-2-norbornenes, which easily creep into the circulating 2-norbornenes, by removing at least a part of said products from the reaction system.

Abstract: An inexpensive method for producing trimethylhydroquinone free from the problem of the disposal of waste catalyst, which method comprises the steps of: (1) reacting isophorone in the presence of an acid catalyst and recovering &bgr;-isophorone by distiiulation, (2) oxidizing the &bgr;-isophorone in the presence of amorphous carbon and a base to obtain 4-oxoisophorone, (3) reacting the 4-oxoisophorone with an acid anhydride in a liquid phase or with a carboxylic acid in a vapor phase in the presence of a solid acid catalyst to obtain trimethylhydroquinones, and (4) hydrolyzing the trimethylhydroquinones to obtaining trimethylhydroquinone.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of highly purified tetracyclododecenes, which can be a raw material of cycloolefin (co)polymers possessing excellent characters concerning their optical property, high transparency, heat resistance, and oil absorbency, from an inexpensive raw material of crude DCPD in a stable, continuous, and longstanding process. In the continuous preparation of tetracyclododecenes described in the present invention, it is possible to employ crude dicyclopentadiene, that is, dicyclopentadiene having low purity, as a raw material. It is also possible to produce highly purified tetracyclododecenes by maintaining the ratios of one, two, or three compounds selected from the group comprising isoprene, piperylene, and 1-methyl-2-norbornenes shown by the general formula (4) against the sum of dicyclopentadiene and cyclopentadiene within the specified ranges, wherein all these substances are contained in the raw material that are fed into a reactor.

Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image excellent in fixing property and particularly in light transmissibility and coloring property and satisfying high image quality and high reliability, and a process for producing the same, as well as a developer for an electrostatic image and a process for forming an image are provided. The toner for developing an electrostatic image contains at least a resin component and colorant particles, and the colorant particles exhibit a dispersion state inside the toner observed by a transmission electron microscope. The dispersion state satisfies two conditions, where (1) the colorant particles have a dispersion average particle diameter of 100 nm or less, and (2) the colorant particles have a content of coarse particles of a diameter of 400 nm or more 5% by number or less of the total of the colorant particles.

Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image, a developer for developing an electrostatic image, a process for producing them, and a process for forming an image that provide excellent developing and transferring performance and also provide excellent performance stability, as well as high image quality and reliability are provided. The problem can be solved by a toner for developing an electrostatic image having a particle size distribution index on a small particle side GSDpS in number distribution of a particle diameter of about 1.27 or less, GSDpS is D50p/D16p, D50p represents a particle diameter providing, a particle diameter accumulation in number distribution of 50%, and D16p represents a particle diameter providing a particle diameter accumulation in number distribution of 16% from a small diameter side.

Abstract: The invention relates to a toner for developing an electrostatic latent image, a process for producing the same, a developer for an electrostatic latent image, and a process for forming an image, and the toner contains a binder resin and a coloring agent and has a molecular weight between crosslinking points Mc obtained by a measurement of temperature dispersion on dynamic viscoelasticity of from 3.6×106 to 7.5×108, and the molecular weight between crosslinking points Mc and a crosslinking density Me satisfying the relationship 14.0≦Log10(Mc/Me)≦16.5.

Abstract: Provided are a toner and its production, a developer, an image forming method and an image forming apparatus. The toner has excellent fixation characteristics of good releasability, hot offset resistance, folding resistance, surface glossiness, and OHP transparency. The toner contains a binder resin, a colorant, a release agent and an inorganic particles. The inorganic particles therein contain inorganic particles (A) having the mean primary particle size not less than approximately 5 nm and less than approximately 30 nm and inorganic particles (B) having the mean primary particle size not less than approximately 30 nm and less than approximately 200 nm.

Abstract: A toner for developing an electrostatic image, a process for producing the same, a developer for developing an electrostatic image and a process for forming an image are disclosed. The toner contains a resin, a colorant and a releasing agent, in which the toner has protrusions having a height of about from 0.05 to 2 &mgr;m, a part of the protrusions encompasses the releasing agent, and a proportion of elements derived from the releasing agent is about 10% by atom or less based on elements on a surface of the toner that is quantitatively determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Abstract: Tetrahydroindene is dehydrogenated in a vapor phase in the presence of a metallic catalyst, e.g., a nickel-molybdenum catalyst, to produce indene, which is industrially useful in high yield while inhibiting the catalyst from suffering a decrease in activity. In particular, a higher yield can be attained by a method in which tetrahydroindene is dehydrogenated to first convert it into indane, which is further dehydrogenated to obtain indene.

Abstract: The foregoing problem is solved with a toner for the development of an electrostatic image obtained by externally adding agglomerated particles to toner particles containing a binder resin and a colorant, characterized in that the agglomerated particles are made of (i) a particulate resin alone, (ii) a particulate lubricant alone or (iii) at least two particulate materials selected from the group consisting of particulate resin, particulate lubricant and inorganic particulate material and have a shape factor of 130 or more and a volume-average particle diameter of from 0.5 &mgr;m to 10 &mgr;m.

Abstract: An electrostatic image developing toner wherein in the dynamic viscoelasticity of the toner, the lowest temperature at which the value of the storage elastic modulus (G′) of the toner coincides with the value of the loss elastic modulus (G″) of the toner obtained under a frequency of 6.28 rad/second in a temperature dispersion measurement at a temperature of at least 0° C. is in the range of from 60 to 75° C., or the weight average molecular weight of the toner obtained by a GPC measurement is in the range of from 20,000 to 65,000 and the peak area that the molecular weight of the toner obtained by the GPC measurement is not larger than 1,000 is 3.0% or lower. The toner is excellent in the document offset property, the bending resistance of the fixed image, the releasing property of the fixing sheet, and transparency of as optically projected image, has charging uniformity and a high stability, gives no fog and toner scattering, and can form images of excellent quality.

Abstract: An inexpensive method for producing trimethylhydroquinone free from the problem of the disposal of waste catalyst, which method comprises the steps of: (1) reacting isophorone in the presence of an acid catalyst and recovering &bgr;-isophorone by distillation, (2) oxidizing the &bgr;-isophorone in the presence of amorphous carbon and a base to obtain 4-oxoisophorone, (3) reacting the 4-oxoisophorone with an acid anhydride in a liquid phase or with a carboxylic acid in a vapor phase in the presence of a solid acid catalyst to obtain trimethylhydroquinones, and (4) hydrolyzing the trimethylhydroquinones to obtaining trimethylhydroquinone.

Abstract: An inexpensive method for producing trimethylhydroquinone free from the problem of the disposal of waste catalyst, which method comprises the steps of: (1) reacting isophorone in the presence of an acid catalyst and recovering &bgr;-isophorone by distiiulation, (2) oxidizing the &bgr;-isophorone in the presence of amorphous carbon and a base to obtain 4-oxoisophorone, (3) reacting the 4-oxoisophorone with an acid anhydride in a liquid phase or with a carboxylic acid in a vapor phase in the presence of a solid acid catalyst to obtain trimethylhydroquinones, and (4) hydrolyzing the trimethylhydroquinones to obtaining trimethylhydroquinone.