Abstract: A driving method for a liquid crystal device of the type comprising arranged picture elements each comprising oppositely spaced electrodes, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer and a dielectric layer disposed between the electrodes, the ferroelectric liquid crystal layer having a resistance R(.OMEGA.) and a capacitance C.sub.1 (F), the dielectric layer having a capacitance C.sub.2 (F); wherein a driving voltage having a pulse duration .DELTA.T(sec) set to satisfy the following formula (1) is applied to the picture elements: ##EQU1## wherein a is a coefficient satisfying the relationship of a<.vertline.-Va.vertline./.vertline.V.sub.ON .vertline., V.sub.ON is a value of voltage (volt) applied to a picture element at the time of writing, -Va is a value of voltage (volt) of a reverse polarity applied to the picture element after the application of the writing voltage V.sub.ON, b is a coefficient defined by the equation of b=.vertline.V.sub.1 .vertline./.vertline.V.sub.ON .vertline., and V.sub.

Abstract: A liquid crystal compound represented by the formula (I) below or a liquid crystal composition containing the compound is interposed between a pair of base plates. ##STR1## wherein R is an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1-18 carbon atoms; m is 0 or 1; R.sup.1 is an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms when m is 0 and is an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1-18 carbon atoms when m is 1. The liquid crystal compound or composition is in a chiral smectic phase formed through a phase transition from a higher temperature phase. At least one of the base plates has a face to which an orientation controlling function is imparted for preferentially orienting the liquid crystal molecules in contact with the face in one direction.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus, comprising: a liquid crystal cell comprising an electroconductive member, an electric charge-accepting member, and a ferroelectric liquid crystal interposed therebetween; charging means for imparting an electric charge to the electric charge-accepting member sufficient to form an electric field exceeding the threshold voltage of the ferroelectric liquid crystal; and a multi-color optical filter disposed in the neighborhood of the electroconductive member and comprising a plurality of filter elements of which adjacent ones have mutually different spectral characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method for controlling nematodes in plants by applying to the plants, pesticidally-effective amounts of dl or l-6-phenyl-2,3,5,6-tetrahydroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole, acylamino derivatives, or water-soluble acid salts thereof.