We report a study of the effect of postgrowth treatment of ZnGeP2 single crystals (low-temperature annealing, irradiation with fast electrons, polishing of working surfaces) and the conditions of exposure to repetitively pulsed laser radiation [wavelength (2091 or 1064 nm), pulse repetition rate, beam diameter, exposure time, sample temperature] on the laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of the surfaces of these crystals. It is found that thermal annealing of ZnGeP2 single crystals and their irradiation with a flux of fast electrons, which increase the LIDT at a wavelength of λ = 1064 nm, do not lead to a change in this threshold at λ = 2091 nm. It is shown that ZnGeP2 elements with lower optical losses in the spectral range 0.7 – 2.5 μm have a higher LIDT at λ = 2091 nm both immediately after fabrication and after postgrowth processing. An increase in the threshold energy density of laser radiation by a factor of 1.5 – 3 at λ = 2091 nm is revealed with a decrease in the crystal temperature from zero to –60 °C. The fact of reversible photodarkening of the propagation channel of laser radiation in ZnGeP2 in the predamage region of parameters is established by the method of digital holography.

Background In clinical trials for rare diseases, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, clinical outcome assessments (COA) used to assess treatment benefit are often generic and may not be sensitive enough to detect change in specific patient populations. Thus, there is a need for disease specific COAs that track meaningful change among individuals. When developing such measures, input from clinicians, caregivers and patients is critical for assessing clinically relevant concepts and ensuring validity of the measure. Method The aim of this study was to develop two Duchenne-specific global impression items for use in clinical trials. The development of the Duchenne Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGI-C) and Caregiver Global Impression of Change (CaGI-C) was informed by findings from concept elicitation (CE) interviews with clinicians, caregivers and individuals with Duchenne. Through cognitive debriefing (CD) interviews, clinicians and caregivers evaluated draft CGI-C and CaGI-C items to ensure relevance and understanding of the items and instructions. Suggestions made during the CD interviews were incorporated into the finalized CGI-C and CaGI-C measures. Results The symptoms most frequently reported by clinicians, caregivers and individuals with Duchenne were muscle weakness, fatigue, cardiac difficulties and pain. Regarding physical functioning, all three populations noted that small changes in functional ability were meaningful, particularly when independence was impacted. Caregivers and clinicians reported that changes in speed, endurance and quality of movement were important, as was improvement in the ability of individuals to keep up with their peers. A change in the ability to complete everyday activities was also significant to families. These results were used to create two global impression of change items and instruction documents for use by clinicians (CGI-C) and caregivers (CaGI-C). Overall, both items were well understood by participants. The descriptions and examples developed from the CE interviews were reported to be relevant and appropriate for illustrating different levels of meaningful change in patients with Duchenne. Modifications were made based on caregiver and clinician CD feedback . Conclusions As part of a holistic measurement strategy, such COA can be incorporated into the clinical trial setting to assess global changes in relevant symptoms and functional impacts associated with Duchenne.

No abstract

A b s t r a c tThe purpose of this interdisciplinary research is to analyze the available data on the domestic market of bakery products, assess the factors resulting in increase of the bread consumption, and opportunities of improvement of technological properties of flour and dough through the realization of the genetic potential of bread wheat varieties, taking into account environmental factors. In modern conditions, in the bakery products market of such negative tendencies are observed as decrease in volumes of bread production and deterioration of quality of the products. Among the various factors influencing the formation of these trends, one can point out the poor quality of flour, accompanied by deterioration in the rheological properties of the dough. In the practice, the correction of flour of inadequate quality is increasingly being made through the introduction of chemical improvers, which contributes to improving the technological process. At the same time there is a loss of traditional taste and a change in the consumer characteristics of bread, which leads to the refusal or reduction of consumption of bread by a part of the population of our country. This review summarizes data on the dynamics of average per capita consumption of bread and bakery products and the change in the ratio of these indicators to the consumption of meat products. An alternative approach to solving the problems of flour quality can be attributed to the possibilities of natural improvement of its initial characteristics through the realization of the genetic potential of bread wheat varieties, taking into account environmental factors that ultimately influence the formation of technological properties of flour and dough. In recent years, data have been accumulated that have made significant progress in understanding the complex interaction of various genetic systems and biochemical processes underlying the formation of grain properties that affect the quantity and quality of the flour. Integral components in this complex interaction are the environmental factors, under the influence of which the physiological and biochemical processes are modulated, and the mode of realization of genetic information is changing. The article summarizes the data on the influence of various environmental factors on the technological properties of flour and dough and describes the possibilities of modern IT-support of the selection process, facilitating the evaluation of quantitative characteristics and taking into account the relationship between genotype, phenotype and environmental conditions. Advances in the identification of genetic factors affecting the technological properties of flour and dough are discussed and sources of useful variants of these genes are considered. The importance of the use of winter bread wheat for increasing the share of production of high-quality nutritive grains is emphasized, as well as the results of the search for donors of useful genes among the old varieties of spring bread wheat. Among the latter, varieti...

No abstract