Abstract: A polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by formula (I) is disclosed. R0 and R1 represent a hydrogen atom, or C1-4 alkyl; L0 and L1 represent a hydrogen atom, or C1-4 alkyl group; A0 and A1 represent a divalent linking group having a 5- to 12-membered cyclic structure; B0 and B1 represent a single bond or a divalent linking group having a 5- to 12-membered cyclic structure; D0 and D1 represent —O—, —S—, or —NR2—; X0 and X1 represent a hydrogen atom, acyl group or cyano; Y0 and Y1 represent a single bond or a divalent group; Q0 and Q1 represent a C1-20 divalent aliphatic group; Z0 and Z1 represent a hydrogen atom, cyano, halogen atom or polymerizable group; and n and m each independently represent an integer of from 0 to 2.

Abstract: A compound represented by formula (I) is disclosed. P1 and P2 represent a polymerizable group; m1 and m2 represent an integer of from 1 to 10, “A” represents a divalent group having a 5- to 18-membered aromatic hydrocarbon ring or a 5- to 18-membered aromatic hetero ring, L3 and L4 represent a C1-10 alkyl group or a C1-10 alkoxy group, k1 and k2 represent an integer of from 0 to 4, X1, X2, X3 and X4 represent —O—, —S—, —NH—, —NR— or —SiR0R00—, n1 and n2 represent 0 or 1, provided that at least one of them is 1; and L1a, L1b, L2a and L2b represent a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, —CN, —NC, —NCO, —NCS, or —OCN, provided that those in which both of X2 and X3 represent —O—, those in which one of X2 and X3 represents —O— and another represents —NH— or —NR— are excluded only when n1 is 1, both of L1a and L1b are hydrogen atoms, n2 is 1, and both of L2a and L2b are hydrogen atoms, or only when n1 is 1, both of L1a and L1b are hydrogen atoms, and n2 is 0.

Abstract: A novel optically anisotropic film useful for optical compensation of a liquid crystal display device is provided. The optically anisotropic film has a distorted twisted spiral structure, which is formed from a liquid-crystalline composition comprising a liquid-crystalline compound and at least one optically active compound the torsional force of which is changed by light. The optically anisotropic film is produced, for example by (1) heating a liquid-crystalline composition to temperature T1; and (2) irradiating the liquid-crystalline composition with polarized light at temperature T2, provided TNI<T1<150° C. (XI) and TCN<T2<TNI (XII), wherein TNI is the temperature at which the liquid-crystalline composition phase transitions from a cholesteric phase to an isotropic phase, and TCN is the temperature at which the liquid-crystalline composition phase transitions from a crystal phase to a cholesteric phase.

Abstract: System, method and computer program product for searching through multiple databases based on a search expression. Distribution of records corresponding to search keys in the database is defined. The search expression is divided into multiple search expressions based in part on the defined distribution of records. Respective, target search ranges are determined for the multiple search expressions such that a number of records to be searched with each of the multiple search expressions is approximately constant. The multiple search expressions are executed in their respective, target search ranges. The search ranges can also be determined for the multiple search expressions based in part on search rates through respective search ranges.