We demonstrate 10 fs pulse generation from a diode-pumped Kerr-lens mode-locked Cr:LiSAF laser without chirped mirrors on the basis of an improved estimation of intracavity dispersion compensation. This is, to our knowledge, the shortest pulse ever produced from a mode-locked Cr:LiSAF laser.

We demonstrate 12-fs-pulse generation from a diode-pumped Kerr-lens mode-locked Cr:LiSAF laser. This is to our knowledge the shortest pulse ever produced from a mode-locked Cr:LiSAF laser. Based on an improved estimation of the intracavity dispersions, we utilized BK7 glass for the Brewster-prism-pair material.

Boron toxicity tolerance of rice plants was studied. Modern japonica subspecies such as Koshihikari, Nipponbare, and Sasanishiki were tolerant, whereas indica subspecies such as Kasalath and IR36 were intolerant to excessive application of boron (B), even though their shoot B contents under B toxicity were not significantly different. Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of japonica Nekken-1 and indica IR36 were used for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis to identify the gene responsible for B toxicity tolerance. A major QTL that could explain 45% of the phenotypic variation was detected in chromosome 4. The QTL was confirmed using a population derived from a recombinant inbred line which is heterogenic at the QTL region. The QTL was also confirmed in other chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs).

Certain types of physical problems can be modelled by a parabolic partial differential equation with temperature overspecification. In this work, the Adomian decomposition method is used to solve the two-dimensional (or three-dimensional) parabolic partial differential equation subject to the overspecification at a point in the spatial domain. This analytic technique can also be used to provide a numerical approximation for the problem without linearization or discretization. The Adomian decomposition procedure does not need to solve any linear or nonlinear system of algebraic equations. It finds the solution in a rapid convergent series. Some theoretical behaviours of the method are investigated. To support the theoretical discussion and show the superiority of the method, two test problems are given and the numerical results are presented.

We have developed a Kerr-lens mode-locked diode-pumped Yb:YAG laser in which the transverse mode is passively stabilized. The modelocking scheme can be used for various diode-pumped Yb-doped bulk lasers. The pulse duration is as short as 100 fs, which is to our knowledge the shortest pulse ever produced from an Yb:YAG laser. The center wavelength and laser output power are 1051 nm and 151 mW, respectively. #