Abstract: Activated carbon (for example medicinal carbon), which has long been used for adsorbing and removing harmful substances from the digestive system, has the drawback of causing constipation, and the production of a spherical adsorbent carbon that is believed to overcome this drawback from a petroleum-based hydrocarbon requires a complicated production process. These issues can be addressed by an oral adsorbent, a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for kidney disease, and a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for liver disease, containing a fibrous carbonaceous substance obtained by carbonizing cotton fiber. The issues can also be addressed by an oral adsorbent, a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for kidney disease, and a therapeutic or prophylactic agent for liver disease, containing a fibrous carbonaceous substance having a twisted hollow ribbon-like structure.

Abstract: A picture element includes a 4-divided domain including first, second, third and fourth sub-domains which are arranged in this order in a predetermined direction and in each of which an orientation direction of liquid crystal molecules located in the vicinity of the center of a liquid crystal layer in the thickness direction is different from those of the other sub-domains. A first substrate includes two first regions having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a first direction and a second region provided between the two first regions and having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A picture element includes a 4-divided domain including first, second, third and fourth sub-domains which are arranged in this order in a predetermined direction and in each of which an orientation direction of liquid crystal molecules located in the vicinity of the center of a liquid crystal layer in the thickness direction is different from those of the other sub-domains. A first substrate includes two first regions having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a first direction and a second region provided between the two first regions and having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell having improved photoelectric conversion efficiency is provided. Furthermore, a solar cell employing such a photovoltaic cell is also provided. The photovoltaic cell is composed of a photoelectric conversion layer (31) made of a porous semiconductor layer (11) that has adsorbed a dye, a carrier transporting layer (4), and a pair of electrodes (3, 7). A total haze ratio of the porous semiconductor layer (11) of the photoelectric conversion layer (31) in a near infrared region is 60% or more to 95% or less. Especially when the porous semiconductor layer (11) is made of a plurality of layers, the haze ratio of the porous semiconductor layer in the near infrared region that is furthest from a light incident side is preferably 60% or more to 95% or less.

Abstract: A picture element includes a 4-divided domain including first, second, third and fourth sub-domains which are arranged in this order in a predetermined direction and in each of which an orientation direction of liquid crystal molecules located in the vicinity of the center of a liquid crystal layer in the thickness direction is different from those of the other sub-domains. A first substrate includes two first regions having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a first direction and a second region provided between the two first regions and having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A picture element includes a 4-divided domain including first, second, third and fourth sub-domains which are arranged in this order in a predetermined direction and in each of which an orientation direction of liquid crystal molecules located in the vicinity of the center of a liquid crystal layer in the thickness direction is different from those of the other sub-domains. A first substrate includes two first regions having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a first direction and a second region provided between the two first regions and having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A picture element includes a 4-divided domain including first, second, third and fourth sub-domains which are arranged in this order in a predetermined direction and in each of which an orientation direction of liquid crystal molecules located in the vicinity of the center of a liquid crystal layer in the thickness direction is different from those of the other sub-domains. A first substrate includes two first regions having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a first direction and a second region provided between the two first regions and having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A picture element includes a 4-divided domain including first, second, third and fourth sub-domains which are arranged in this order in a predetermined direction and in each of which an orientation direction of liquid crystal molecules located in the vicinity of the center of a liquid crystal layer in the thickness direction is different from those of the other sub-domains. A first substrate includes two first regions having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a first direction and a second region provided between the two first regions and having an orientation-regulating force for orienting the liquid crystal molecules in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: The liquid crystal display apparatus of the present invention includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer sandwiched by the first substrate and the second substrate,; a first electrode layer formed on a surface of the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer; a second electrode layer formed on a surface of the second substrate facing the liquid crystal layer; a third electrode layer electrically connected with the second electrode layer via a photoconductive layer; and a plurality of stripe-shaped light sources disposed outside the second substrate for irradiating at least a portion of the photoconductive layer with light, wherein the electrical conductivity of the photoconductive layer is changed by switching the plurality of light sources to switch electrical connection between the second electrode layer and the third electrode layer and thereby to realize optical addressing of the liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element includes the steps of (a) forming a spacer having a uniform height on a glass substrate having formed thereon scanning lines, a black matrix, an insulating layer and an alignment layer in an area to which the black matrix is projected in a direction perpendicular to a substrate surface; (b) forming an adhesive layer on a transfer substrate; (c) pressing an upper surface of the spacer against the adhesive layer on the transfer substrate; and (d) selectively applying an adhesive only onto the upper surface of the spacer by the step (c). In the step (a), it is preferable that the spacer be formed so as to have a trapezoidal cross section with respect to a plane perpendicular to the lengthwise direction.

Abstract: For a liquid crystal display apparatus, an orientating film of an electrode substrate including more signal electrodes than scanning electrodes in a predetermined range receives a uniaxial orientation treatment parallelly or almost parallelly to a lengthwise direction of the signal electrodes. Besides, an orientating film of an electrode substrate including the scanning electrodes receives a uniaxial orientation treatment perpendicularly or almost perpendicularly to a lengthwise direction of the scanning electrodes. The electrode substrates are combined so that the directions of the uniaxial orientation treatment of the orientation films become parallel to each other. This enables growth of a smectic layer to be less frequently hindered by differences in level caused by the electrodes. Thus a uniform C2U orientation can be obtained easily. Consequently, the liquid crystal display apparatus realizes a uniform orientational state with no defects and uniform and high-contrast display properties.

Abstract: In a ferroelectric liquid crystal element, in order to excite a reverse electric field within the element in response to a waveform of a non-rewriting voltage, properties of the ferroelectric liquid crystal material, an element structure, driving waveforms, or other factors are adjusted so that molecules of the ferroelectric liquid crystal are allowed to switch between bistable states in response to a waveform of a rewriting voltage, while the ferroelectric liquid crystal exerts an anti-memory phenomenon in response to a waveform of a non-rewriting voltage.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition is realized, which composition simultaneously exhibits a negatively large .DELTA..di-elect cons. value suitable to .tau.-Vmin, and SA phase within a sufficient temperature range for realizing a good alignment.A smectic liquid crystal composition containing component (AI), component (B) and/or component (C), expressed by the following formulas: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group of 1 to 9 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group of 1 to 9 carbon atoms, R.sup.3 represents an alkyl group of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, R.sup.4 represents an alkyl group of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, X represents H or F, R.sup.5 represents an alkyl group of 6 to 15 carbon atoms and R.sup.6 represents an alkyl group of 6 to 15 carbon atoms.Ferroelectric liquid crystal material having a negative dielectric anisotropy is applicable to display element utilizing AC-stabilizing effect and .tau.-Vmin.

Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal device includes: a pair of insulating substrates having alignment films and electrodes thereon; and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of insulating substrates, the liquid crystal layer including a ferroelectric liquid crystal material being capable of exhibiting at least the smectic A phase and the chiral smectic C phase in its phase sequence, and the ferroelectric liquid crystal device being driven by switching an optic axis of the liquid crystal layer by selectively applying a driving voltage to at least one of the electrodes, wherein ferroelectric liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer have a tilt angle of 8.degree. or less at a (Tc-1).degree.C. where Tc.degree.C. is an uppermost temperature limit of the chiral smectic C phase of the ferroelectric liquid crystal material.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprises a pair of substrates, a transparent electrode formed on each of the substrates, an orientation film covering the transparent electrode and a liquid crystal sealedly sandwiched between the pair of substrates, wherein the orientation film comprises a polyimide which is formed by a condensation polymerization of 2,2-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]propane as an amine component and 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic dianhydride as an carboxylic acid component, and is subjected to a uniaxial orientation treatment, and the liquid crystal has a smectic layer structure with its bending direction which is aligned with the direction of the uniaxial orientation treatment.