Abstract: Highly dispersible inorganic compound nanoparticles modified by functional molecules include the functional molecules; a high molecular nitrogen compound having at least two amino groups selected from primary amino groups, secondary amino groups and tertiary amino groups; and inorganic compound nanoparticles bonded to at least one amino group of the at least two amino groups. The high molecular nitrogen compound is modified by the functional molecules, and the inorganic compound nanoparticles are covered with the high molecular nitrogen compound modified by the functional molecules.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device including a substrate having a first face and a second face which serves as an opposite face of the first face; a solid-state image pickup element having a plurality of electrodes and a light sensing part, an opposite face of the light sensing part being bonded to the first face via a bonding agent; a plurality of wires formed over the face, first ends of the wires serving as external electrode terminals; and a connection part for electrically connecting the electrodes to the wires, wherein an endless-shaped contraction frame formed of resin larger in thermal expansion coefficient than the substrate and image pickup element is bonded to and formed on surface of the substrate located outside the light sensing part so as to surround the light sensing part, and a light sensing face of the light sensing part is warped.

Abstract: An image surface illuminance varying apparatus includes a variable power optical system in which the optical power thereof can be varied by changing a relative position of a plurality of optical elements thereof; and a light-quantity ratio varying optical element whose transmittance varies in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the variable power optical system, the light-quantity ratio varying optical element being located in a light path of the variable power optical system to reduce an illuminance difference of an imaging surface. A distance from the light-quantity ratio varying optical element, which is moved along the optical axis, to a diaphragm or a shutter is varied in accordance with the power varying operation.

Abstract: A method for producing a porous body comprising apatite/collagen composite fibers comprising the steps of gelling a dispersion comprising long apatite/collagen composite fibers having an average length of 10-75 mm, short apatite/collagen composite fibers having an average length of 0.05-1 mm, and a liquid; freezing and drying the resultant gel to form a porous body; and cross-linking collagen in the porous body.