Abstract: An electric charging apparatus and an image forming apparatus using the electric charging apparatus, capable of stably discharging electrons and reducing deterioration in an electron discharging member, which includes an electric field forming device including two electrodes facing each other to form electric field therebetween including an electron discharging member provided at a portion of one of the electrodes, where the portion faces the other electrode, to discharge electrons into the electric field, and a voltage applying controller to control voltage applied to the electrodes, wherein the voltage applying controller selects two or more intensities of the electric field.

Abstract: A plant growth regulator and a method for preparation thereof are provided; the plant growth regulaor comprises cinnamic acid as an active component, wherein cinnamic acid is dissolved or dispersed in an aqueous medium in high concentrations. The regulator prevents useless growth of young plants such as seedlings or nursery plants, and useless growth of potted plants (Bonsai); namely it is effective for dwarfing a plant; it can improve the quality of gardening plants and horticultural or agricultural yields. Since cinnamic acid is a naturally occurring substance, the plant growth regulator comprising the acid has high concern for environment and no problems in safety and health of human bodies.

Abstract: An electron emission element according to the present invention is compact, thin and low cost, and has a structure and constitution in which deterioration of the electron emission material itself is low. In the electron emission element, boron nitride material is used as the electron emission material, and a metal material or a semiconductor material is used as a substrate for forming the boron nitride material. In this way it is possible to obtain good quality boron nitride material on the substrate. Also, a voltage can be applied to the material to emit electrons, also electrons can be supplied. Moreover, by using Sp3-bonded boron nitride as the boron nitride material, and using Sp3-bonded 5H—BN material or Sp3-bonded 6H—BN material as the Sp3-bonded boron nitride, a field electron emission element can be achieved for which high efficiency electron emission characteristics unprecedented in conventional art can be obtained.

Abstract: A plant growth regulator and a method for preparation thereof are provided; the plant growth regulaor comprises cinnamic acid as an active component, wherein cinnamic acid is dissolved or dispersed in an aqueous medium in high concentrations. The regulator prevents useless growth of young plants such as seedlings or nursery plants, and useless growth of potted plants (Bonsai); namely it is effective for dwarfing a plant; it can improve the quality of gardening plants and horticultural or agricultural yields. Since cinnamic acid is a naturally occurring substance, the plant growth regulator comprising the acid has high concern for environment and no problems in safety and health of human bodies.

Abstract: A freshness-retaining agent for an agricultural or horticultural product comprises an organic acid and a hydrgencarbonate. The organic acid may preferably be an organic acid which in the presence of water given off from the agricultural or horticultural product, reacts with the hydrogencarbonate such that carbon dioxide gas is gradually generated, for example, cinnamic acid, benzoic acid or citric acid or a derivative thereof. The hydrgencarbonate may preferably be sodium hydrogencarbonate. The freshness of the agricultural or horticultural product can be retained by causing the freshness-retaining agent to exist in the same atmosphere as the agricultural or horticultural product such that the freshness-retaining agent is allowed to gradually generate carbon dioxide gas in the presence of water given off from the agricultural or horticultural product.