<p>While eye drops are a well-accepted and convenient method for ocular drug delivery, they exhibit significant limitations such as poor drug bioavailability, low ocular residence time, pulsatile delivery profiles in the tear fluid as well as the need for patient compliance. Silicone hydrogel (SH) contact lenses have been proposed as alternative ocular drug delivery systems due to their potential for targeted delivery to the corneal surface and high oxygen permeability. The ability of novel hyaluronic acid (HA)-containing silicone hydrogel materials to release timolol maleate (TM), an antiglaucoma drug, or ketotifen fumarate (KF), an anti-histamine administered for ocular allergies, was examined.</p> <p>The releasable wetting and the therapeutic agent were added to the pre-polymer mixture of the SH during synthesis through direct entrapment, while the reaction was performed by UV induced free-radical. The impact of the wetting agent on the swellability, surface wettability, optical transparency and <em>in vitro </em>drug release was studied.</p> <p>Simultaneous drug and wetting agent incorporation resulted in modified SH materials with slightly increased water content and significantly improved surface wettability. In addition, the optical transparency of these materials was not affected by drug loading. However, direct entrapment of HA decreased their optical clarity. <em>In vitro</em> release showed that TM was released over a 14 day period, whereas KF release lasted up to 36 days. For both therapeutic agents used in the current research, non-covalent entrapment of wetting agent and its MW did not significantly change the release kinetics, however the release rate of TM was slowed and controlled by the release of the HA, due to electrostatic interactions between the protonated TM and the anionic HA.</p> <p>The development of SH materials capable of simultaneously releasing a therapeutic and a wetting agent for an extended period of time and in a sustained manner can have a significant potential as extended drug delivery systems for the treatment of front of the eye diseases while also possibly providing comfort during wear.</p> / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Tesis por compendio / [ES] La capacidad de controlar y modificar los haces de energía ha sido motivo de investigación por parte de la comunidad científica desde largo tiempo atrás. En el campo de la acústica, este control energético de las ondas mecánicas tiene numerosas aplicaciones. Desde las aplicaciones industriales, alimentarias, farmacéuticas, etcétera hasta la biomedicina. Esta tesis se basa en la aplicación del control y modulación focal de los ultrasonidos para el uso en este último campo. Se puede modular y controlar los focos de ultrasonidos de diferentes formas. En este caso, se han desarrollado lentes planas que utilizan el principio de la difracción para lograr focalizar los haces. Las ventajas del uso de lentes planas de focalización permiten ser implementadas de forma sencilla en procesos de mecanización e incluso mediante impresión 3D. Se propone utilizar transductores planos que al emitir sobre una lente acústica, se produzca una conformación focal de características controladas. La lente conocida como lente de Fresnel (FZP) ha sido escogida como base de diseño en la implementación de las diferentes soluciones que logran cumplir con los objetivos marcados. Mediante la aplicación de modificaciones en una FZP se puede lograr pasar de una lente con capacidades extraordinarias de focalización a una lente capaz de controlar la resolución lateral y la profundidad de foco e incluso mejorar la ganancia. El objetivo final de aplicación es el uso en transductores de ultrasonidos de alta intensidad conocidos como HIFU. Mejorar la capacidad de resolución hace que se puedan desarrollar mejores terapias oncológicas que supongan un índice mayor de éxito en la lucha contra el cáncer. En la presente tesis se ha propuesto, además, una novedosa lente FZP basada en el cambio de fase que puede resultar un antes y un después en aplicaciones biomédicas. Se ha conseguido no solo mejorar la eficiencia de una FZP, sino que se ha conseguido implementar en materiales compatibles con resonancia magnética. Se han desarrollado modelos numéricos basados en el método de los elementos finitos que emulan la física involucrada. Las medidas han sido realizadas en condiciones controladas por un sistema robotizado de alta precisión. Todos los resultados obtenidos y publicados han sido desarrollados de forma numérica y experimental, validándose el método de trabajo y dando consistencia a las soluciones propuestas. / [CA] La capacitat de controlar i modificar els feixos d'energia ha sigut motiu d'investigació per part de la comunitat científica des de llarg temps arrere. En el camp de l'acústica, este control energètic de les ones mecàniques té nombroses aplicacions. Des de les aplicacions industrials, alimentàries, farmacèutiques, etcètera fins la biomedicina. Esta tesi es basa en l'aplicació del control i modulació focal dels ultrasons per a l'ús en este últim camp. Es pot modular i controlar els focus d'ultrasons de diferents formes. En este cas, s'han desenvolupat lents planes que utilitzen el principi de la difracció per a aconseguir focalitzar els feixos. Els avantatges de l'ús de lents planes de focalització permeten ser implementades de forma senzilla en processos de mecanització i inclús per mitjà d'impressió 3D. Es proposa utilitzar transductores plans que a l'emetre sobre una lent acústica, es produïsca una conformació focal de característiques controlades. La lent coneguda com a lent de Fresnel (FZP) ha sigut triada com a base de disseny en la implementació de les diferents solucions que aconseguixen complir amb els objectius marcats. Per mitjà de l'aplicació de modificacions en una FZP es pot aconseguir passar d'una lent amb capacitats extraordinàries de focalització a una lent capaç de controlar la resolució lateral i la profunditat de focus i inclús millorar el guany. L'objectiu final d'aplicació és l'ús en transductores d'ultrasons d'alta intensitat coneguts com HIFU. Millorar la capacitat de resolució fa que es puguen desenvolupar millors teràpies oncològiques que suposen un índex major d'èxit en la lluita contra el càncer. En la present tesi s'ha proposat, a més, una nova lent FZP basada en el canvi de fase que pot resultar un abans i un després en aplicacions biomèdiques. S'ha aconseguit no sols millorar l'eficiència d'una FZP, sinó que s'ha aconseguit implementar en materials compatibles amb ressonància magnètica. S'han desenvolupat models numèrics basats en el mètode dels elements finits que emulen la física involucrada. Les mesures han sigut realitzades en condicions controlades per un sistema robotitzat d'alta precisió. Tots els resultats obtinguts i publicats han sigut desenvolupats de forma numèrica i experimental, validant-se el mètode de treball i donant consistència a les solucions proposades. / [EN] The ability to control and modify energy beams has been the subject of research by the scientific community for a long time. In the acoustic field, this energetic control of mechanical waves has numerous applications. From industrial, food, pharmaceutical applications, et cetera, to biomedicine. This thesis is based on the ultrasound control and focal modulation applications. It is possible to modulate and control the ultrasound focii in different ways. In this case, flat lenses were developed based on the principle of diffraction to focus the beams. The advantages of using flat focusing lenses allow them to be easily implemented in machining and drilling processes and even through 3D printing. It was proposed to use planar transducers that when emitting on an acoustic lens, controlled characteristics of focal conformation were produced. The lens known as Fresnel Zone Plane (FZP) was chosen as the implementation design basis for the different solutions that manage to fulfill the objectives set. By applying modifications to an FZP it was possible to go from a lens with extraordinary focusing capabilities to a lens that was capable to control lateral resolution, depth of focus and even improving the gain. The final objective application was the use in high intensity ultrasound transducers known as HIFU. Improving the ability to resolve makes it possible to develop better cancer therapies that represent a higher rate of success in the fight against cancer. In the present thesis, a novel FZP lens based on phase change has also been proposed that can be a before and after in biomedical applications. It has not only been possible to improve the efficiency of an FZP, but it has also been possible to implement it in materials compatible with magnetic resonance imaging. Numerical models based on the finite element method were developed for emulating the involved physics. Measurements were carried out under controlled conditions by a high precision robotic system. All the results obtained and published were developed numerically and experimentally, validating the working method and giving consistency to the proposed solutions. / I want to acknowledge the following public funding sources that have made possible this research: Grant BES-2016-077133 (Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades de España) Project TEC2015-70939-R (MINECO/FEDER). Tomsk Polytechnic University within the framework of Tomsk Polytechnic University Competitiveness Enhancement Program. / Tarrazó Serrano, D. (2020). Design, modelling, characterization and implementation of acoustic lenses for modulation of ultrasound beams [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/159895 / Compendio

No / To determine whether Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensing detects differences in optical performance in vivo between poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and foldable acrylic intraocular lenses (IOLs) and between clear corneal and scleral tunnel incisions and whether optical differences are manifested as differences in visual performance. SETTING: Department of Optometry, University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom. METHODS: This study comprised 74 subjects; 17 were phakic with no ocular pathology, 20 had implantation of a Pharmacia 722C PMMA IOL through a scleral tunnel, 21 had implantation of an Alcon AcrySof IOL through a scleral tunnel, and 16 had implantation of an AcrySof IOL through a corneal incision. Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity testing, ocular optical quality measurement using Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensing, and corneal surface measurement with a videokeratoscope were performed in all cases. RESULTS: There were significant differences between groups in the total root-mean-square (RMS) wavefront aberration over a 6.0 mm pupil (F=3.91; degrees of freedom=3,70; P<.05) mediated at the 4th-order RMS, specifically spherical and tetrafoil aberrations. The PMMA-scleral group had the least aberrations and the AcrySof-corneal group the most. For a 3.5 mm diameter pupil, the total higher-order RMS wavefront aberration was not significantly different between the groups (P>.05). There were no differences between groups in corneal shape, visual acuity, or contrast sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: Implantation of the spherical PMMA IOL led to a slight reduction in total wavefront aberration compared to phakic eyes. AcrySof IOLs induced more aberrations, especially spherical aberration. Corneal-based incisions for IOL implantation compounded this increase. Studies of the optical performance of IOLs in vivo should use wavefront sensing as the main outcome measure rather than visual measures, which are readily confounded by multiple factors.

Las lentes progresivas (LP) para gafas es una solución muy extendida para la presbicia, ya que proporcionan una visión continua a todas las distancias debido a un cambio progresivo de potencia. En este trabajo se han medido las aberraciones de frente de onda espacialmente resueltas y la calidad visual en estas lentes. Además del astigmatismo que aumenta periféricamente, también se han encontrado pequeños valores de aberraciones de tercer orden, coma y trefoil, que producen un bajo deterioro de la calidad óptica y visual. El logaritmo de métricas sobre la PSF del sistema lente con ojo son las que mejor predicen la agudeza visual. Durante la primera semana de adaptación, no se aprecia una mejora significativa de la agudeza visual a través de distintas zonas de las LPs. Al comparar diferentes LPs, las aberraciones, principalmente el astigmatismo, se comporta como un colchón de agua, que se puede mover pero no eliminar. / Progressive lenses (PL) are designed to provide continuous vision at all distances by means a progressive change in spherical power from upper to lower zones. In this thesis, we measure the spatially resolved aberrations and the visual quality of PLs. In addition to astigmatism, third order aberrations, coma and trefoil, are also found in the PLs, but the impact of these aberrations on visual performance is limited. The logarithm of metrics on the PSF of the entire system eye plus PL are the parameters that best predict the visual acuity. There is not a significant improvement of visual acuity through the different zones of the PLs during the first week of adaptation. The current designs of PLs are somehow similar to a waterbed, with the aberrations, mainly astigmatism, being the water: they can be moved but they cannot be eliminated.

Chronological Bible storying generally assumes a universality of the story teller's theological perspective in selecting and shaping Bible stories interculturally. This paper argues against this approach and proposes a method of crafting contextualized Bible stories which resonate with the worldview of a receptor culture. The influence of the theological and cultural presuppositions of the story teller is reduced through the utilization of the receptor culture's worldview assumptions - those values and beliefs through which the impact of scripture is experienced. The empirical research consisted of observing the responses of Sindhi Muslim men to a reading of John 13:1-10 and then interviewing them to generate cultural expressions which revealed a relationship between their culture and the scripture passage. Analysis of the data disclosed themes which have scriptural referents and can be used as the basis for selecting and crafting Bible stories that resonate with worldview assumptions. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Résumé : L'étude du couvert nival est essentielle afin de mieux comprendre les processus climatiques et hydrologiques. De plus, avec les changements climatiques observés dans l'hémisphère nord, des événements de dégel-regel ou de pluie hivernale sont de plus en plus courants et produisent des croutes de glace dans le couvert nival affectant les moeurs des communautés arctiques en plus de menacer la survie de la faune arctique. La télédétection micro-ondes passives (MOP) démontre un grand potentiel de caractérisation du couvert nival. Toutefois, a fin de bien comprendre les mesures satellitaires, une modélisation adéquate du signal est nécessaire. L'objectif principal de cette thèse est d'analyser le transfert radiatif (TR) MOP des sols, de la neige et de la glace a fin de mieux caractériser les propriétés géophysiques du couvert nival par télédétection. De plus, un indice de détection des croutes de glace par télédétection MOP a été développé. Pour ce faire, le modèle Microwave Emission Model of Layered Snowpacks (MEMLS) a été étudié et calibré afin de minimiser les erreurs des températures de brillance simulées en présences de croutes de glace. La première amélioration faite à la modélisation du TR MOP de la neige a été la caractérisation de la taille des grains de neige. Deux nouveaux instruments, utilisant la réflectance dans le proche infrarouge, ont été développés afin de mesurer la surface spécifique de la neige (SSA). Il a été démontré que la SSA est un paramètre plus précis et plus objectif pour caractériser la taille des grains de neige. Les deux instruments ont démontré une incertitude de 10% sur la mesure de la SSA. De plus, la SSA a été calibré pour la modélisation MOP a n de minimiser l'erreur sur la modélisation de la température de brillance. Il a été démontré qu'un facteur multiplicatif [phi] = 1.3 appliqué au paramètre de taille des grains de neige dans MEMLS, paramètre dérivé de la SSA, est nécessaire afin de minimiser l'erreur des simulations. La deuxième amélioration apportée à la modélisation du TR MOP a été l'estimation de l'émission du sol. Des mesures radiométriques MOP in-situ ainsi que des profils de températures de sols organiques arctiques gelés ont été acquis et caractérisés a fin de simuler l'émission MOP de ces sols. Des constantes diélectriques effectives à 10.7, 19 et 37 GHz ainsi qu'une rugosité de surface effective des sols ont été déterminés pour simuler l'émission des sols. Une erreur quadratique moyenne (RMSE) de 4.65 K entre les simulations et les mesures MOP a été obtenue. Suite à la calibration du TR MOP du sol et de la neige, un module de TR de la glace a été implémenté dans MEMLS. Avec ce nouveau module, il a été possible de démontré que l'approximation de Born améliorée, déjà implémenté dans MEMLS, pouvait être utilisé pour simuler des croutes de glace pure à condition que la couche de glace soit caractérisée par une densité de 917 kg m[indice supérieur _􀀀3] et une taille des grains de neige de 0 mm. Il a aussi été démontré que, pour des sites caractérisés par des croutes de glace, les températures de brillances simulées des couverts de neige avec des croutes de glace ayant les propriétés mesurées in-situ (RMSE=11.3 K), avaient une erreur similaire aux températures de brillances simulées des couverts de neige pour des sites n'ayant pas de croutes de glace (RMSE=11.5 K). Avec le modèle MEMLS validé pour la simulation du TR MOP du sol, de la neige et de la glace, un indice de détection des croutes de glace par télédétection MOP a été développé. Il a été démontré que le ratio de polarisation (PR) était très affecté par la présence de croutes de glace dans le couvert de neige. Avec des simulations des PR à 10.7, 19 et 37 GHz sur des sites mesurés à Churchill (Manitoba, Canada), il a été possible de déterminer des seuils entre la moyenne hivernale des PR et les valeurs des PR mesurés indiquant la présence de croutes de glace. Ces seuils ont été appliqués sur une série temporelle de PR de 33 hivers d'un pixel du Nunavik (Québec, Canada) où les conditions de sols étaient similaires à ceux observés à Churchill. Plusieurs croutes de glace ont été détectées depuis 1995 et les mêmes événements entre 2002 et 2009 que (Roy, 2014) ont été détectés. Avec une validation in-situ, il serait possible de confirmer ces événements de croutes de glace mais (Roy, 2014) a démontré que ces événements ne pouvaient être expliqués que par la présence de croutes de glace dans le couvert de neige. Ces mêmes seuils sur les PR ont été appliqués sur un pixel de l'Île Banks (Territoires du Nord-Ouest, Canada). L'événement répertorié par (Grenfell et Putkonen, 2008) a été détecté. Plusieurs autres événements de croutes de glace ont été détectés dans les années 1990 et 2000 avec ces seuils. Tous ces événements ont suivi une période où les températures de l'air étaient près ou supérieures au point de congélation et sont rapidement retombées sous le point de congélation. Les températures de l'air peuvent être utilisées pour confirmer la possibilité de présence de croutes de glace mais seul la validation in-situ peut définitivement confirmer la présence de ces croutes. / Abstract : Snow cover studies are essential to better understand climatic and hydrologic processes. With recent climate change observed in the northern hemisphere, more frequent rain-on-snow and meltrefreeze events have been reported, which affect the habits of the northern comunities and the survival of arctique wildlife. Passive microwave remote sensing has proven to be a great tool to characterize the state of snow cover. Nonetheless, proper modeling of the microwave signal is needed in order to understand how the parameters of the snowpack affect the measured signal. The main objective of this study is to analyze the soil, snow and ice radiative transfer in order to better characterize snow cover properties and develop an ice lens detection index with satellite passive microwave brightness temperatures. To do so, the passive microwave radiative transfer modeling of the Microwave Emission Model of Layered Snowpacks (MEMLS) was improved in order to minimize the errors on the brightness temperature simulations in the presence of ice lenses. The first improvement to passive microwave radiative transfer modeling of snow made was the snow grain size parameterization. Two new instruments, based on short wave infrared reflectance to measure the snow specific surface area (SSA) were developed. This parameter was shown to be a more accurate and objective to characterize snow grain size. The instruments showed an uncertainty of 10% to measure the SSA of snow. Also, the SSA of snow was calibrated for passive microwave modeling in order to reduce the errors on the simulated brightness temperatures. It was showed that a correction factor of φ = 1.3 needed to be applied to the grain size parameter of MEMLS, obtain through the SSA measurements, to minimize the simulation error. The second improvement to passive microwave radiative transfer modeling was the estimation of passive microwave soil emission. In-situ microwave measurements and physical temperature profiles of frozen organic arctic soils were acquired and characterized to improve the modeling of the soil emission. Effective permittivities at 10.7, 19 and 37 GHz and effective surface roughness were determined for this type of soil and the soil brightness temperature simulations were obtain with a minimal root mean square error (RMSE) of 4.65K. With the snow grain size and soil contributions to the emitted brightness temperature optimized, it was then possible to implement a passive microwave radiative transfer module of ice into MEMLS. With this module, it was possible to demonstrate that the improved Born approximation already implemented in MEMLS was equivalent to simulating a pure ice lens when the density of the layer was set to 917 kg m−3 and the grain size to 0 mm. This study also showed that by simulating ice lenses within the snow with there measured properties, the RMSE of the simulations (RMSE= 11.3 K) was similar to the RMSE for simulations of snowpacks where no ice lenses were measured (only snow, RMSE= 11.5 K). With the validated MEMLS model for snowpacks with ice lenses, an ice index was created. It is shown here that the polarization ratio (PR) was strongly affected by the presence of ice lenses within the snowpack. With simulations of the PR at 10.7, 19 and 37 GHz from measured snowpack properties in Chucrhill (Manitoba, Canada), thresholds between the measured PR and the mean winter PR were determined to detect the presence of ice within the snowpack. These thresholds were applied to a timeseries of nearly 34 years for a pixel in Nunavik (Quebec, Canada) where the soil surface is similar to that of the Churchill site. Many ice lenses are detected since 1995 with these thresholds and the same events as Roy (2014) were detected. With in-situ validation, it would be possible to confirm the precision of these thresholds but Roy (2014) showed that these events can not be explained by anything else than the presence of an ice layer within the snowpack. The same thresholds were applied to a pixel on Banks island (North-West Territories, Canada). The 2003 event that was reported by Grenfell et Putkonen (2008) was detected by the thresholds. Other events in the years 1990 and 2000’s were detected with these thresholds. These events all follow periods where the air temperature were warm and were followed by a quick drop in air temperature which could be used to validate the presence of ice layer within the snowpack. Nonetheless, without in-situ validation, these events can not be confirmed.

Despite the many successes of the current standard model of cosmology on the largest physical scales, it relies on two phenomenologically motivated constituents, cold dark matter and dark energy, which account for approximately 95% of the energy-matter content of the universe. From a more fundamental point of view, however, the introduction of a dark energy (DE) component is theoretically challenging and extremely fine-tuned, despite the many proposals for its dynamics. On the other hand, the concept of cold dark matter (CDM) also suffers from several issues such as the lack of direct experimental detection, the question of its cosmological abundance and problems related to the formation of structure on small scales. A perhaps more natural solution might be that the gravitational interaction genuinely differs from that of general relativity, which expresses itself as either one or even both of the above dark components. Here we consider different possibilities on how to constrain hypothetical modifications to the gravitational sector, focusing on the subset of tensor-vector-scalar (TeVeS) theory as an alternative to CDM on galactic scales and a particular class of chameleon models which aim at explaining the coincidences of DE. Developing an analytic model for nonspherical lenses, we begin our analysis with testing TeVeS against observations of multiple-image systems. We then approach the role of low-density objects such as cosmic filaments in this framework and discuss potentially observable signatures. Along these lines, we also consider the possibility of massive neutrinos in TeVeS theory and outline a general approach for constraining this hypothesis with the help of cluster lenses. This approach is then demonstrated using the cluster lens A2390 with its remarkable straight arc. Presenting a general framework to explore the nonlinear clustering of density perturbations in coupled scalar field models, we then consider a particular chameleon model and highlight the possibility of measurable effects on intermediate scales, i.e. those relevant for galaxy clusters. Finally, we discuss the prospects of applying similar methods in the context of TeVeS and present an ansatz which allows to cast the linear perturbation equations into a more convenient form.

Les écrans d'ordinateurs sont de très petite taille comparés à celles des jeux de donnés dans de nombreux domaines. Pour pallier au problème de visualisation de grandes quantités de données, les interfaces de navigation multi-échelles rendent possible l'exploration interactive des données, en facilitant la transition entre vues zoomées et dé-zoomées afin de permettre à l'utilisateur d'examiner les informations en détail ou de pouvoir les interpréter dans un contexte plus global. L'étude de ces interfaces est un domaine important de la recherche en Interaction Homme-Machine, et de nombreuses techniques de navigation ont été proposées lors des vingt dernières années. Nous proposons une nouvelle approche de conception pour les interfaces de navigation multi-échelles dîtes content-aware. Cette approche est basée sur l'adaptation dynamique d'éléments de l'interface au contenu de la scène que l'utilisateur est en train de visualiser, permettant ainsi de proposer des représentations plus pertinentes. Nous présentons trois nouvelles techniques de navigation basées sur cette approche de conception, qui montrent comment appliquer celle-ci pour traiter différents problèmes de navigation, aussi bien en 2D qu'en 3D. Nous présentons dans un premier temps Arealens et Pathlens, deux lentilles de grossissement 2D dont la forme va s'adapter à la géométrie des objets d'intérêts afin de proposer une meilleur intégration de la vue zoomée dans son contexte environnant. Une expérience de laboratoire contrôlée de Arealens met en évidence un gain de performance de ce type de lentille par rapport aux lentilles de grossissement classiques pour une tâche de recherche visuelle. Nous introduisons ensuite Gimlens, une lentille de grossissement 3D permettant l'exploration de modèles complexes. Gimlens permet d'identifier rapidement les objets d'intérêt de la scène, d'afficher des vues détaillées de ces objets, de parcourir des orbites autour de ceux-ci et de les mettre en perspective dans leur contexte environnant. L'utilisateur peut également combiner les lentilles pour afficher simultanément différentes vues complémentaires de la scène / Computer screens are very small compared to the size of large information spaces that arise in many domains. The visualization of such datasets requires multiscale navigation capabilities, enabling users to switch between zoomed-in detailed views and zoomed-out contextual views of the data. Designing interfaces that allow users to quickly identify objects of interest, get detailed views of those objects, relate them and put them in a broader spatial context, raise challenging issues. Multi-scale interfaces have been the focus of much research effort over the last twenty years.There are several design approaches to address multiscale navigation issues. In this thesis, we review and categorize these approaches according to their level of content awareness. We identify two main approaches: content-driven, which optimizes interfaces for navigation in specific content; and content-agnostic, that applies to any type of data. We introduce the content-aware design approach, which dynamically adapts the interface to the content. The latter design approach can be used to design multiscale navigation techniques both in 2D or 3D spaces. We introduce Arealens and Pathlens, two content-aware fisheye lenses that dynamically adapt their shape to the underlying content to better preserve the visual aspect of objects of interest. We describe the techniques and their implementation, and report on a controlled experiment that evaluates the usability of Arealens compared to regular fisheye lenses, showing clear performance improvements with the new technique for a multiscale visual search task. We introduce a new distortion-oriented presentation library enabling the design of fisheye lenses featuring several foci of arbitrary shapes. Then, we introduce Gimlens, a multi-view detail-in-context visualization technique that enables users to navigate complex 3D models by drilling holes into their outer layers to reveal objects that are buried into the scene. Gimlens adapts to the geometry of objects of interest so as to better manage visual occlusion problems, selection mechanism and coordination of lenses.

Objetivos: Avaliar o desempenho visual(DV), por meio da AV logMAR de alto contraste, sensibilidade ao contaste(SC) e análise de frentes de onda(AFO), em míopes, com óculos e três LCG. Métodos: Estudo clínico e prospectivo, em 40 indivíduos míopes(-1,00D e -4,50D). Exames: AV logMAR de alto contraste, avaliação de SC e AFO. Resultados: A AFO detectou diferença na aberração de terceira ordem sem e com as LCG.. Em relação ao nível trifoil houve diferença entre com e sem LCG. Conclusões: Na avaliação do DV com óculos e com LCG, a AFO é uma medida mais sensível da função visual que a AV LogMAR de alto contraste e a SC. / Objective: to evaluate the visual performance(VP) by Visual acuity(VA)Logmar of high contrast, sensibility of contrast(SC) and wavefront (WF) in myopic patients correct with spectacles and 3 SCL Methods: prospective clinical trial was performed in 40 myopic patients(-1,00 D and -4,50 D). Exams: VA, WF and CS. Results: The WF analysis detected a significant difference in a third order aberration with and without SCL. There was significant difference related to trefoil coefficient in VP between with and without SCL. Conclusion: In VP evaluation with spectacles and SCL the wavefront analysis was more sensible measure of VP when compared with high contrast VA Logmar and CS.

O albinismo e uma alteracao genetica rara que compromete a producao de melanina. As alteracoes clinicas consistem na falta de pigmentacao da pele, cabelo e pelos. Apresenta alteracoes oftalmologicas importantes, que comprometem a acuidade visual de forma severa, na grande maioria dos casos. As alteracoes oftalmologicas sao, ametropias, nistagmo, rarefacao do epitelio pigmentado da iris e da retina, hipoplasia foveal e decussacao anomala do nervo optico. Este estudo foi dividido em tres diferentes partes com os seguintes objetivos principais: Parte 1: Analise comparativa entre o grau de transparencia da iris (GTI), o grau de transparencia da retina (GTR) e a espessura da regiao macular com a acuidade visual nos pacientes com albinismo. Parte 2: Teste de sensibilidade ao contraste espacial de luminancia e ofuscamento com lentes de contato filtrantes em ambientes claros e escuros. Parte 3: Avaliacao da visao de cores, utilizando\\se o teste de Pranchas de Ishihara e o Cambridge Color Test (CCT). Material\' e\' Métodos: Participaram do estudo 121 individuos albinos, com idade media de 31,18 (} 15,47) anos, o que totalizou 242 olhos. Os participantes foram divididos em diferentes grupos nas tres partes do estudo, alguns participaram de uma ou mais partes. Na primeira parte os participantes foram submetidos a consulta oftalmologica, classificacao do grau de transparencia da iris e da retina em uma nova classificacao baseada em quatro diferentes graus de transparencia, alem de avaliacao foveal pelo exame de Tomografia de Coerencia Optica (OCT). Na segunda parte, os participantes foram submetidos ao teste de contraste computadorizado, utilizando lentes de contato filtrante e transparentes, em ambientes claros e escuros. Nesta etapa foi avaliada a influencia da lente filtrante na sensibilidade de contraste visual dos individuos com albinismo. Na terceira parte, os participantes foram submetidos aos testes de Pranchas de Ishihara e de Cambridge Colour Test (CCT), para avaliacao da visao de cores nos pacientes albinos. Resultados: Os resultados foram os seguintes: Parte\'1: A correlacao entre AV logMAR e GTI foi positiva (+0,569) e significativa (p<0,001). A correlacao entre AV logMAR e GTR foi positiva (+0,531) e significativa (p<0,001). A correlacao entre AV logMAR e a espessura macular nao foi significativa (p=0,105). A correlacao entre GTI e GTR foi positiva (+ 0,627) e significativa (p<0,001). A correlacao entre espessura macular e GTI nao foi significativa (p=0,397). A correlacao entre espessura macular e GTR nao foi significativa (p=0,458). Parte 2: Houve melhora estatisticamente significante da sensibilidade ao contraste com as lentes filtrantes em relacao as lentes transparentes no ambiente de ofuscamento (claro), na frequencia de 0,3 cpg, 0,6 cpg e 1,0 cpg (ciclos por grau). Nao houve melhora significante nas frequencia 2,0 cpg e 4,0 cpg. Nao houve melhora estatisticamente significante da sensibilidade ao contraste de lentes filtrantes em relacao as lentes transparentes no ambiente escuro (penumbra) em nenhuma das frequencias espaciais estudadas. Parte\' 3: Todos os individuos com albinismo nao apresentaram nenhuma alteracao de visao de cores no teste de Pranchas de Ishihara. O CCT demonstrou piora no limiar de deteccao de cores significativa nos eixos protan (p=0,021) e deutan (p=0,017), mas nao houve diferenca no eixo tritan (p=0,212). Os testes estatisticos sugerem que uma amostra maior seja estudada para validacao dos resultados / Albinism is a rare genetic alteration that compromises the production of melanine in all body tissues. The clinical alterations are the lack of pigment in the skin and hair. It presents important ophthalmological changes that compromise the visual acuity, in most cases. The ophthalmological changes are: ametropia, nystagmus, iris pigmented epithelium rarefaction, retina pigmented epithelium rarefaction, foveal hipoplasia and abnormal optic nerve decussation. This study has been divided in three different parts and had the following main objectives: Part 1, comparative analysis of the iris transparency degree (ITD), the retina transparency degree (RTD) and macular thickness with the visual acuity in albino patients. Part 2: Spatial contrast sensitivity test of luminance and outshine wearing contact lenses with filters in light and dark environments. Part 3: color vision evaluation using the Ishihara Test and the Cambridge Color Test (CCT). For the study 121 individuals with albinism were included with an average of 31,18 years old } 15,47, a total of 242 eyes. The participants were divided in different groups in the three parts of the study, some participated in one or more parts. In the first part the participants have been through an ophthalmological exam, classification of the iris transparency degree (ITD) and the retinal transparency degree (RTD) by a new classification based in 4 different degrees of transparency. Foveal evaluation by the Optic Coherence Tomography exam (OCT) was made in the first part of this study. In the second part, the participants have been submitted to the computerized contrast test, using filtered and transparent contact lenses in light and dark environments. In this part the influence of the filtering lenses in the visual contrast sensitivity in the albinism patients has been evaluated. In the third part, the participants have been submitted to Ishihara Test and Cambridge Color Test in order to evaluate the color vision in albino patients. The results are as follows: Part\' 1: the correlation between visual acuity in Logarithm of the Minimum Angle of Resolution (logMAR) and ITD was positive (+0,569) and significant (p<0,001). The correlation between visual acuity in logMAR and RTD was positive (+0,531) and significant (p<0,001). The correlation between visual acuity in logMAR and the macular thickness was not significant (p=0,105). The correlation between ITD and RTD was positive (+ 0,627) and significant (p<0,001). The correlation between the macular thickness and the ITD was not significant (p=0,397). The correlation between the macular thickness and the RTD was not significant (p=0,458). Part\'2: There has been a statistically significant improvement of the contrast sensitivity wearing the filtering lenses in relation to the transparent ones in bright environment, in the frequencies of 0,3 cycles per degree (cpd), 0,6 cpd and 1,0 cpd. There has been no significant improvement in the frequencies 2,0 cpd and 4,0 cpd. There has been no statistically significant improvement in contrast sensitivity wearing the filtering lenses in relation to the transparent one in the dark environment (shadow) in any of the spatial frequencies studied. Part\' 3: all albinism patients did not present any color vision change in the Ishihara Test. The CCT has shown a worsening in the color detection threshold in the protan axis (p=0,021) and deutan axis (p=0,017), but there has been no difference in the tritan axis (p=0,212). The statistic tests show that a bigger sample is recommended to confirm part 3 results