Abstract: An electrophotographic member including an electrically conductive substrate and an electrically conductive resin layer corresponding to a surface layer. The resin layer includes electrically conductive particles and a binder resin.

Abstract: There is provided a toner for electrophotography containing at least a binder resin, a colorant and a barium compound, and having a relaxation modulus G(t) of from about 2.0×102 Pa to about 3.0×103 Pa in a relaxation time of t=10×Dt (wherein Dt is the heating time taken during fixing) as determined by the measurement of dynamic viscoelasticity, and a barium content of from about 0.1% to about 0.5% with respect to the total amount of constituent atoms in the toner as determined by X-ray fluorescence.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developer includes a toner containing an external additive and a carrier comprising a resin-coated layer formed on a surface of a core material. The average shape factor SF1 of the toner is from 125 to 135, the number of particles having shape factor SF1 of less than 125 is from 5% to 30% by number with respect to the total number of toner particles, the number of particles having shape factor SF1 of greater than 135 is from 5% to 30% by number with respect to the total number of toner particles, the scratch line width in a scratch strength test of the resin used in the resin-coated layer is from 80 ?m to 200 ?m, and the scratch depth is from 60 ?m to 150 ?m.

Abstract: A toner including a colorant and a first binder resin is provided. The first binder resin has first and second glass transition points at a temperature Tg1 of ?20 to 20° C. and a temperature Tg2 of 35 to 65° C., respectively, measured by a differential scanning calorimeter at a heating rate of 5° C./min. A ratio h1/h2 of a baseline displacement h1 observed in the first glass transition point to a baseline displacement h2 observed in the second glass transition point is less than 1.0. The first binder resin has a structure in which a first phase is dispersed in a second phase. The first and second phases consist of portions having larger and smaller phase difference values, respectively, than an intermediate value between maximum and minimum phase difference values in a binarized phase image obtained by an atomic force microscope with a tapping mode method.

Abstract: Toners containing encapsulated crystalline resin have lower minimum fix temperatures without charge degradation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a toner for electrostatic image development that satisfies both low-temperature fixing ability and excellent high-temperature storage stability, achieves excellent charge property and shatter resistance, and consequently can form a high-quality image even by a high-performance machine such as a high-speed machine. The toner is composed of toner particles obtained by forming a shell layer containing a styrene-acryl-modified polyester resin on the surface of each of core particles comprising a binder resin containing at least a styrene-acrylic resin. The styrene-acryl-modified polyester resin is obtained bonding a styrene-acrylic polymer segment to a terminal of a polyester segment, and the content of the styrene-acrylic polymer segment in the styrene-acryl-modified polyester resin is 5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less.

Abstract: The continuous process for manufacturing toners disclosed herein includes continuously feeding components of a toner composition into a feed section of a screw extruder at a controlled rate. The continuous process for manufacturing toners may include feeding the components of a toner composition into the feed section of a screw extruder without performing an external or secondary dispersion step. That is to say, the components of the toner composition may be fed directly into the extruder without using dispersions of individual components as used in batch processes. Rather, the toner components are added to the extruder in dry form, melt-mixed, and may be dispersed in aqueous form in the extruder. The process may produce micron-sized toner particles, thus no further size reduction may be necessary.

Abstract: A two-component developer includes: a toner; a carrier having a surface energy of from about 23 dyne/cm to about 37 dyne/cm; and an external additive having a shape factor SF1 of from about 130 to about 150 and a number-average particle diameter of from about 80 nm to about 1 ?m; and an existence ratio A of the external additive on a surface of the toner and an existence ratio B of the external additive on a surface of the carrier satisfying the relationship of the following Expression 1: 0.04?B/A?0.4.

Abstract: A marking agent concentration method includes concentrating the marking agent by removing at least some liquid carrier between particles without substantially removing retained liquid carrier within the particles and without substantially modifying the particle structure, which is supported by the retained liquid carrier. The concentrated marking agent is supplied to distributors or end users of liquid marking agent. A concentrated marking agent includes solid clumps of agglomerated particles and a liquid carrier retained within the particles' individual structure. The clumps exhibit a median size greater than 90 ?m. The concentrated marking agent exhibiting a solids content of from 40 wt % to less than 90 wt %. A hard imaging method includes combining a concentrated marking agent with additional liquid carrier, applying a shear force, dispersing particles from clumps, forming a liquid marking agent, and forming a hard image using the liquid marking agent.

Abstract: A printing method comprising: forming a first image utilizing a liquid toner comprising carrier liquid and pigmented polymer particles having a first color; transferring the first image to an intermediate transfer member; forming at least one additional image utilizing a liquid toner comprising at least one carrier liquid and pigmented polymer particles having a second color, different from the first color; transferring the at least one additional image to the intermediate transfer member overlaid on the first image, to form a composite image on the intermediate transfer member; and further transferring the composite image to a further substrate, wherein said polymer particles in said first liquid toner and in at least one of said additional liquid toners have different compositions, aside from colorants, the differences in composition including at least one of different polymers or blends of polymers, different amounts or types of placticizers, different amounts of solvated liquid and different compositions

Abstract: In an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photoconductive layer and, provided on the photoconductive layer, a surface layer constituted of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide, the ratio of the number of atoms of carbon atoms (C) to the sum of the number of atoms of silicon atoms (Si) and number of atoms of carbon atoms (C), C/(Si+C), in the surface layer is from 0.61 or more to 0.75 or less, and the sum of atom density of the silicon atoms and atom density of the carbon atoms in the surface layer is 6.60×1022atom/cm3 or more.

Abstract: A continuous emulsion aggregation process for the production of particles is presented including a plurality of continuous stirred-tank reactors (CSTR). The plurality of continuous stirred-tank reactors includes a first reactor and a second reactor for facilitating an aggregation process; a third reactor for facilitating a shell addition process; a fourth reactor for facilitating a freeze process; a fifth reactor for facilitating a chelating process; a sixth reactor for facilitating a ramp-up process; and a seventh reactor for facilitating a coalescence process. The reactors are sequentially assembled in a series configuration, each of the reactors cooperating with an overhead stirrer. In other embodiments, a CSTR system of the present disclosure possesses five reactors sequentially assembled in a series configuration to form toner particles.

Abstract: A method of producing an electrostatic latent image developing toner that includes the steps of producing a resin particle dispersion by polymerizing, in a water-based solvent, a polymerizable monomer that includes a polymerizable monomer having a vinyl-based double bond, and washing the resin particle dispersion through contact with an organic solvent, wherein the washed resin particle dispersion, a colorant particle dispersion produced by dispersing a colorant, and a release agent particle dispersion produced by dispersing a release agent are mixed together, and following formation of aggregate particles by aggregation of the resin particles, the colorant particles and the release agent particles, heating is conducted to fuse the aggregate particles and produce the electrostatic latent image developing toner.

Abstract: A positive photosensitive composition comprises a compound capable of generating a specified sulfonic acid upon irradiation with one of an actinic ray and radiation and (B) a resin capable of decomposing under the action of an acid to increase the solubility in an alkali developer.

Abstract: A resist underlayer film forming composition used in a lithography process includes: a polymer (A) containing a unit structure having a hydroxy group, a unit structure having a carboxy group, or combination thereof; a crosslinkable compound (B) having at least two vinyl ether groups; a photoacid generator (C); a C4-20 fluoroalkylcarboxylic acid or a salt of the fluoroalkylcarboxylic acid (D); and a solvent (E).

Abstract: The present invention provides photoacid generators for use in chemically amplified resists and lithographic processes using the same.

Abstract: A salt represented by the formula (I): wherein Q1, Q2, L1, L2, ring W, s, t, R1, R2 and Z+ are defined in the specification.

Abstract: A resist composition having; (A1) a resin having a structural unit represented by the formula (I), (A2) a resin having a structural unit represented by the formula (II) and being insoluble or poorly soluble in alkali aqueous solution, but becoming soluble in an alkali aqueous solution by the action of an acid and not including the structural unit represented by the formula (I) and (B) an acid generator. wherein R1, A1, A13, X12, A14, R3 and ring X1 are defined in the specification.

Abstract: A resist composition having a resin having a structural unit represented by the formula (I), a resin being insoluble or poorly soluble in alkali aqueous solution, but becoming soluble in an alkali aqueous solution by the action of an acid and not including the structural unit represented by the formula (I), and an acid generator represented by the formula (II), wherein R1, A1, A13, A14, X12, R23, R24, R25, X21 and Z1+ are defined in the specification.

Abstract: A resist composition including a base component (A) which exhibits changed solubility in a developing solution under action of acid and an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure, the base component (A) containing a polymeric compound (A1) having a structural unit (a5) represented by general formula (a5-0) shown below (R1 represents a sulfur atom or an oxygen atom; R2 represents a single bond or a divalent linking group; and Y represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having a polycyclic group, provided that the aromatic hydrocarbon group or the aliphatic hydrocarbon may have a carbon atom or a hydrogen atom thereof substituted with a substituent.

Abstract: An optical data storage disk includes a central substrate and on each side of the substrate a pair of metal/alloy recording layers separated by a transparent layer.

Abstract: a method for preparing a lithographic printing plate that includes imagewise exposing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising a coating provided on a support having a hydrophilic surface, the coating containing thermoplastic polymer particles and an infrared radiation absorbing dye characterized in that the coating further comprises a phenolic stabilizer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention involve three-layer printing members having a central layer that is non-conductive yet abalatable at commercially realistic fluence levels. In various embodiments, the central layer is polymeric with a dispersion of nonconductive carbon black particles therein at a loading level sufficient to provide at least partial layer ablatability and water compatibility of the resulting ablation debris.

Abstract: Photopolymerizable flexographic printing elements which contain cyclohexanepolycarboxylic esters as plasticizers and also their use for producing flexographic printing forms for printing with UV inks, in particular for UV narrow web printing.

Abstract: A photoresist processing method includes treating a substrate with a sulfur-containing substance. A positive-tone photoresist is applied on and in contact with the treated substrate. The method includes selectively exposing a portion of the photoresist to actinic energy and developing the photoresist to remove the exposed portion and to form a photoresist pattern on the substrate. The treating with a sulfur-containing substance reduces an amount of residual photoresist intended for removal compared to an amount of residual photoresist that remains without the treating.

Abstract: During a multiple patterning process every nth element of the pattern is removed. The removal of the elements of the patterns happens after the pattern has been printed into the radiation sensitive material or etched into substrate. Advantageously, the original mask is not varied, and another exposure step is used to remove the elements of the pattern.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an etch-target layer over a semiconductor substrate having a lower structure, forming a first mask pattern over the etch-target layer, forming a spacer material layer with a uniform thickness over the etch-target layer including the first mask pattern, forming a second mask pattern on an indented region of the space material layer, and etching the etch-target layer with the first mask pattern and the second mask pattern as an etch mask to form a fine pattern.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide methods for patterning large areas, beyond those accessible with the limited single-area exposure techniques, with nanometer scale features. The methods can include forming a grating pattern to make a first interferometric exposure of a first portion of a photosensitive material disposed over a substrate by interfering two or more laser beams, wherein the two or more laser beams comprise an apodized intensity profile having a continuous intensity variation. The method can further include aligning and overlapping the grating pattern to expose a second portion of the photosensitive material such that the first portion and the second portion form a continuous grating pattern.

Abstract: A resist pattern is formed by coating a chemically amplified positive resist composition onto a substrate and prebaking to form a resist film, exposing to high-energy radiation, baking and developing with a developer to form a resist pattern, and heating the pattern for profile correction to such an extent that the line width may not undergo a change of at least 10%. An amount of a softening accelerator having a molecular weight of up to 800 is added to the resist composition comprising (A) a base resin, (B) an acid generator, (C) a nitrogen-containing compound, and (D) an organic solvent.

Abstract: Methods of forming a pattern in a material and methods of forming openings in a material to be patterned are disclosed, such as a method that includes exposing first portions of a first material to radiation through at least two apertures of a mask arranged over the first material, shifting the mask so that the at least two apertures overlap a portion of the first portions of the first material, and exposing second portions of the first material to radiation through the at least two apertures. The first portions and the second portions will overlap in such a way that non-exposed portions of the first material are arranged between the first portions and second portions. The non-exposed or exposed portions of the first material may then be removed. The remaining first material may be used as a photoresist mask to form vias in an integrated circuit. The pattern of vias produced have the capability to exceed the current imaging resolution of a single exposure treatment.

Abstract: A nozzle is moved while supplying a photoresist liquid from a slit. A photoresist layer is formed on a film. A resist pattern which covers a portion of the film is formed from the photoresist layer by photolithography. Inspection of the resist pattern is performed. The photolithography includes an exposure which is performed so as to transfer a latent image to the photoresist layer, and a development of the photoresist layer which is performed so as to leave the latent image. The latent image contains a dummy latent image which extends in an unbroken manner parallel to the longitudinal direction of the slit. The resist pattern contains a dummy resist formed correspondingly to the dummy latent image. The inspection of the resist pattern includes the detection of the presence or non-presence of a cut in the dummy resist in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a source configured to generate a radiation beam comprising desired radiation and undesired radiation using a plasma, an illumination system configured to condition the radiation beam and to receive hydrogen gas during operation of the lithographic apparatus, and a support structure constructed to hold a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. A substrate table is constructed to hold a substrate, and a projection system is configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The lithographic apparatus is configured such that the radiation beam on entering the projection system includes at least 50% of the undesired radiation that is generated by the plasma and includes wavelengths of radiation that interact with the hydrogen gas to generate hydrogen radicals.

Abstract: A method of printing an image on a wafer. The method includes the steps of printing a main image, wherein the main image includes fields which are fully on the wafer, and printing an alternate image, wherein the alternate image includes fields which are only partially on the wafer. The alternate image could be placed on a separate mask which is loaded onto the exposure tool after the mask with the main image has completed printing. Alternatively, it could be an extra image specially inserted on the mask with the main image for that layer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and methods useful for preparing neural scaffolds. The scaffolds comprise tissue taken from the spinal cord and/or dura mater of vertebrate and can be processed to form gels or sheets. Methods of treating patient with CNS injury are also presented.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide Dermal Micro-organs (DMOs), methods and apparatuses for producing the same. Some embodiments of the invention provide a DMO including a plurality of dermal components, which substantially retain the micro-architecture and three dimensional structure of the dermal tissue from which they are derived, having dimensions selected so as to allow passive diffusion of adequate nutrients and gases to cells of the DMO and diffusion of cellular waste out of the cells so as to minimize cellular toxicity and concomitant death due to insufficient nutrition and accumulation of waste in the DMO. Some embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatuses for harvesting the DMO. An apparatus for harvesting the DMO may include, according to some exemplary embodiments, a support configuration to support a skin-related tissue structure from which the DMO is to be harvested, and a cutting tool able to separate the DMO from the skin-related tissue structure.

Abstract: The invention is in the field of coagulation diagnostics and relates to a heparin-insensitive method for determining direct coagulation factor inhibitors in a sample, in particular direct thrombin and factor Xa inhibitors.

Abstract: Described herein are kits for use in cryopreserving mammalian sperm including a composition that comprises a cryoprotectant; a membrane protectant that stabilizes or assists in stabilization of membranes of sperm; and monothioglycerol.

Abstract: Provided is a microarray platform for the culture of cells atop combinatorial matrix mixtures; enabling the study of differentiation in response to a multitude of microenvironments in parallel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the diagnosis, prognosis and/or treatment of wound infection by testing wound fluid for the presence of a marker which is present in an amount which is indicative of infection. The marker may be high molecular weight phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) or a marker which is correlated with cPLA2.

Abstract: The present invention provides an immunomodulatory agent for use in the local treatment of tumors, wherein the treatment comprises patient-specific optimization of the dose of the immunomodulatory agent to identify the maximum therapeutic dose that does not induce an increase in the number of local regulatory T cells (Treg cells) in the patient The invention further provides methods for the local treatment of tumors as well as methods for optimising treatments for the same.

Abstract: Objective methods for detecting and diagnosing bladder cancer (BLC) are described herein. In one embodiment, the diagnostic method involves determining the expression level of a BLC-associated gene that discriminates between BLC cells and normal cells. The present invention further provides means for predicting and preventing bladder cancer metastasis using BLC-associated genes having unique altered expression patterns in bladder cancer cells with lymph-node metastasis. The present invention provides methods of screening for therapeutic agents useful in the treatment of bladder cancer, methods of treating bladder cancer and method for vaccinating a subject against bladder cancer. Specifically, the present application provides novel human genes C2093, B5860Ns and C6055s whose expression is markedly elevated in bladder cancers.

Abstract: Methods and systems for allelic detection and allele-specific copy number are provided herein. The described methods use identification of single nucleotide polymorphism using restriction enzymes and CGH analysis. Microarrays comprising probes designed by the described methods are provided. Also included are methods for identifying SNP sites and copy number in samples obtained from patient populations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a concentration of ligands in an analyzed sample. The inventive method consists in immobilizing receptors specifically boundable with said ligands on a support. At least one measured value of the occupation of the support surface by the receptors is determined by means of a sensor for the surface occupation. Afterwards, the sample is put in contact with the receptors. At least one measured value of the frequency of liaisons between the ligands and the receptors is determined by means of at least one detector. The concentration of ligands in the sample can be determined with the aid of the measured values of the occupation of the surface and frequency of ligands/receptors liaisons.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of screening an enhancer and/or a promoter, includes culturing a host cell into which an amplifiable vector is introduced, extracting the vector from the host cell and obtaining the DNA fragment from the extracted vector, wherein the vector includes a DNA fragment to be determined, a gene that is functionally linked downstream of the DNA fragment and encodes a protein to initiate self-replication, and a gene that encodes a replication origin sequence.

Abstract: The methods and reagents described herein can be used to shorten incubation times in hybridization assays. As demonstrated in the examples, we have identified specific sulfonic acid polymers and hybridization conditions that lead to significantly shorter incubation times (e.g., signals after three hours that are comparable to signals that could traditionally only be obtained after overnight incubation). In some embodiments, shorter incubation times are achieved by adding the sulfonic acid polymer(s) during the hybridization process. Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, shorter incubation times are achieved via changes to the hybridizing conditions, e.g., by reducing the hybridization volume, increasing the salt concentration, andor increasing the probe concentration (capture extender probe andor label extender probe).

Abstract: The present invention discloses SNP markers associated with PCOS and provides probes, chips, primers, kits and methods for detecting the SNP markers. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of SNPs in predicting or diagnosing the risk of PCOS.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for enhancing the speed and sensitivity of helicase-dependent amplification through the use of an endonuclease.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the detection of dengue virus. The assay is capable of simultaneous detection of dengue 1-4 serotypes in a single reaction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high throughput method for the identification and detection of molecular markers wherein restriction fragments are generated and suitable adaptors comprising (sample-specific) identifiers are ligated. The adapter-ligated restriction fragments may be selectively amplified with adaptor compatible primers carrying selective nucleotides at their 3? end. The amplified adapter-ligated restriction fragments are, at least partly, sequenced using high throughput sequencing methods and the sequence parts of the restriction fragments together with the sample-specific identifiers serve as molecular markers.

Abstract: A humanized antibody derived from mouse monoclonal anti-CD4 antibody B-F5 is able to activate CD25+CD4+ regulatory T cells and is useful for preparing immunosuppressive compositions.