Abstract: A developing device for a toner powder cloud development system, which can achieve high image quality and can be made compact. The developing device has a two-component development unit, a toner carrier, and an alternating current power source. The toner carrier, which is arranged opposing a latent image carrier, has a plurality of electrodes disposed in a line in a prescribed direction on the surface thereof, and mutually insulated. The alternating current power source supplies a voltage such that an electric field across the plurality of electrodes is temporally switched. The inter-electrode electric field causes the toner being carried on the surface of the toner carrier to carry out hopping, thereby forming a toner powder cloud and carrying out development. The movement speed of the latent image carrier and the linear velocity of the toner carrier are set at approximately equivalent speeds.

Abstract: A disclosed developing apparatus employs a flare roller that is a toner carrier in which electrodes of two different phases are provided at fine intervals. Density irregularities or scumming in a developed image due to a potential difference between the flare roller and a latent image carrier are prevented by maintaining a constant potential on the flare roller surface. A voltage is applied to the electrodes on the flare roller such that an electric field that varies with time is generated between the electrodes, whereby a toner cloud is produced by the movement or hopping of toner over the flare roller. Thereby the toner attaches to a latent image on the latent image carrier, thus developing the latent image. In one embodiment, a bias with an average potential equal to an average potential of the bias applied to the electrodes is applied to a toner layer thickness regulating member.

Abstract: Compounds represented by the general formula (I): wherein Ar1 and Ar2 are each aryl or heteroaryl; R1 is lower cycloalkyl, —Ar3, or a group of the general formula (a), (b) or (c): and R2 and R3are each hydrogen, lower cycloalkyl, lower alkenyl, or optionally substituted lower alkyl (with the proviso that when R2 and R3 are simultaneously hydrogen, Ar1, Ar2 and R1 do not simultaneously represent unsubstituted phenyl).

Abstract: A development unit includes a toner carrying device, a regulating member, and a toner leak protection member. The toner carrying device having a first electrode and a second electrode arrayed with an interval. The first and second electrodes are supplied with a given voltage to set an electric field, changing in a time cycle, between the first and second electrodes. The electric field is used to hop toner over the toner carrying device to form a toner cloud for developing a latent image. The regulating member regulates an amount of toner on the toner carrying device. The toner leak protection member, made from a conductive material, prevents leakage of toner, and is supplied with a bias voltage.

Abstract: A developing device comprises a latent image carrier that carries a latent image, a toner carrier opposing the latent image carrier while carrying toner to develop the latent image, and plural electrodes arranged in a prescribed direction insulated from each other on the surface of the toner carrier to create an electric field therebetween. An alternating voltage supplying device is provided to supply n number of phases (n?2) of an alternating voltage to the plural electrodes, respectively. The alternating voltage changes the electric field to cause the toner to hop and form toner cloud on the surface of the toner carrier. The toner hopping is halted at a prescribed time period during the toner cloud formation.

Abstract: The development device includes a toner carrier, a toner supplier, and a surface electrical potential controller. When the toner supplier supplies toner particles to the toner carrier, the toner carrier carries toner particles to adhere to a latent image formed on the latent image carrier and has a time constant ?1 of a surface electrical potential change of the toner carrier. The surface electrical potential controller has a time constant ?2 of a surface electrical potential change of the toner carrier smaller than the time constant ?1. The toner carrier includes a plurality of electrodes aligned in parallel and electrically insulated from each other on the surface thereof, and a voltage supplier for supplying each of the plurality of electrodes with a voltage to periodically switch electrical fields therebetween, so that the toner particles form a cloud on the surface of the toner carrier while hopping.

Abstract: A method for judging the presence or absence of a mutation in a nucleic acid sequence, the method includes utilizing a single-stranded DNA-binding protein; the aforementioned method for judging the presence or absence of a mutation in a nucleic acid sequence, wherein the aforementioned presence or absence of a mutation in a nucleic acid sequence is judged by a product formed by a nucleic acid amplification reaction utilizing the single-stranded DNA-binding protein; and a kit for judging the presence or absence of the aforementioned mutation in a nucleic acid sequence.

Abstract: A developing unit for transferring toner onto a latent image on an image carrier to develop the latent image including a toner carrier, an electric field generator and a separating force applicator. The toner carrier includes a plurality of electrodes disposed along the surface thereof and insulated from each other. The electric field generator applies a periodic voltage to the plurality of electrodes of the toner carrier to generate an electric field i on the toner carrier surface to cause the toner charged to a given polarity and borne on the surface of the toner carrier to hop. The separating force applicator applies a separating force to separate the toner on the toner carrier from the surface thereof outside the developing area.

Abstract: ABSTRACT The present invention relates to a human modified thioredoxin composed of any of the following polypeptides:(a) a polypeptide modified by alteration or chemical modification of a cysteine residue at position 35 with another amino acid in an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; and (b) a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence having one or more substituted, deleted, inserted or added amino acids in positions except for positions 32 and 35, preferably positions 32 to 35 in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, and having an apoptosis-inducing activity.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus using a hopping method is disclosed. Toner provided on a moving surface of a toner supporting object is conveyed, while the toner is hopping on the surface due to an electric field, to a position that counters a latent image supporting object by movement of the surface, and is adhered to a latent image formed on the latent image supporting object. The image formation apparatus includes a supply member for scooping up the toner in a toner container by plural hollows formed on a surface of the supply member with endless movement of the surface of the supply member, for conveying the toner to a position where the supply member contacts the toner supporting object, and for providing the toner to the surface of the toner supporting object.

Abstract: A development apparatus using a hopping method and an image formation apparatus including the development apparatus are disclosed. The development apparatus includes a toner supporting object for supporting and conveying a toner by a movement of the toner supporting object, while the toner is hopping on a surface of the toner supporting object by an electric field; a regulating member made of a flexible material for constituting a toner thickness regulation position; a latent image supporting object for supporting a latent image; and a development position, which is a position of the toner supporting object, that counters the latent image supporting object; wherein the toner is conveyed through the regulation position to the development position where the toner is adhered to the latent image, and wherein one end of the regulating member is supported, and the other end contacts the toner supporting object.

Abstract: A developing apparatus including: a developer carrying member carrying a developer with which an electrostatic image on an image bearing member is developed; a developer supplying/removing member having a conductive member and an insulating member on the surface thereof, and provided apart from the developer carrying member to supply and remove the developer to and from the developer carrying member, and moving directions of the developer carrying member and the developer supplying/removing member being opposed in a developer supplying position; and an electric field producing device producing between the developer carrying member and the developer supplying/removing member an oscillating electric field, in which direct potentials of the conductive member and the developer carrying member are the same, or the direct potential of the conductive member, with respect to the direct potential of the developer carrying member, is on the opposite side to a normal charging polarity of the developer.

Abstract: Compounds represented by the general formula (I) wherein Ar1 represents an aryl or heteroaryl which may be substituted; n represents 0 or 1; T, U, V and W each independently represent a nitrogen atom or a methine group which may have a substituent selected from the group consisting of halogen, lower alkyl, hydroxy and lower alkoxy, wherein at least two of which represent said methine group; X represents methine, hydroxy substituted methine or nitrogen atom; Y represents an imino which may be substituted with lower alkyl, or oxygen; and a salt, ester or N-oxide derivative thereof. The compounds exhibit NPY antagonistic activities and are useful as agents for the treatment of various diseases related to NPY, for example, cardiovascular disorders, central nervous system disorders, metabolic diseases, sexual and reproductive dysfunctions, gastro-intestinal disorders, respiratory disorders, inflammation or glaucoma, and the like.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer carrying member for carrying a developer to develop an electrostatic image formed on an image bearing member with a developer, wherein an oscillating electric field is formed between the developer carrying member and the image bearing member; a jumping developer blocking member, provided between the image bearing member and the developer carrying member, for blocking a part of a region in which the developer jumps from the developer carrying member to the image bearing member, the jumping developer blocking member including an insulative portion and an electrically floating electroconductive portion opposed to the developer carrying member.

Abstract: A disclosed development device includes: a latent image carrier; a conveying member disposed so as to face the latent image carrier, the conveying member having plural electrodes insulated from one another and arranged at predetermined intervals so as to generate an electric field for moving toner on the conveying member; a voltage application unit applying a voltage of n phases (n is a positive integer not less than one) to the electrodes so as to form a cloud of the toner and the toner is adhered to the latent image carrier so as to form a visualized toner image; a toner supply unit supplying the toner to the conveying member; and a height adjusting member adjusting a uniform height for a toner layer of the toner immediately before a development area on the conveying member in which development is performed.

Abstract: A developer regulation member includes developer regulation device for regulating an amount of developer carried on a developer carrying member. The developer regulation device includes a first regulation portion formed of a first material which has a Shore D hardness of not less than 70 degrees or is metal, and a second regulation portion which is disposed opposite to the developer carrying member and is formed of a material different from the first material for the first regulation portion. The second regulation portion has an edge which is in contact with the developer carrying member.

Abstract: A liposome containing a regulatory cell ligand such as ?-galactosyl ceramide or ?-galactosyl ceramide is employed as the active ingredient of a drug for preventing or treating immune diseases etc.

Abstract: An apparatus for developing a latent image on a latent image carrier includes a toner carrier and multiple electrodes arranged at intervals on a surface of the toner carrier. A potential difference is formed between even-numbered electrodes and odd-numbered electrodes of the electrodes by applying a first pulse voltage to the even-numbered electrodes and a second pulse voltage to the odd-numbered electrodes so that toner on the surface of the toner carrier moves back and forth between the electrodes, where the first and second pulse voltages are in different phases, and the toner moving back and forth between the electrodes is conveyed to a position facing the latent image carrier by movement of the surface of the toner carrier and thereby caused to adhere to the latent image on the latent image carrier.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, process cartridge, and storage medium, if an image forming stop factor occurs in a cartridge of a certain color, image forming using a cartridge of another color is enabled to increase the utilization efficiency and operability of the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus has a plurality of detachable process cartridges including image carriers (photosensitive drums) on which latent images are to be formed and developing units which develop the latent images. When a replacement timing for at least one of the process cartridges has arrived, only the developing unit of the process cartridge whose replacement timing has not arrived is driven in accordance with the state of the cartridge whose replacement timing has arrived to perform image forming.

Abstract: Compounds represented by the general formula (I): wherein Ar1 and Ar2 are each aryl or heteroaryl; R1 is lower cycloalkyl, —Ar3, or a group of the general formula (a), (b) or (c): and R2 and R3are each hydrogen, lower cycloalkyl, lower alkenyl, or optionally substituted lower alkyl (with the proviso that when R2 and R3 are simultaneously hydrogen, Ar1, Ar2 and R1 do not simultaneously represent unsubstituted phenyl).