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Cette thèse présente des généralisations u groupe néo-riemannien PLR, que agit sur l'ensemble des 24 triades majeures et mineures. Le travail commence par une reconstruction de l'histoire de Tonnetz, un graphe associé aux trois transformations qui génèrent le groupe PLR. La thèse présente deux généralisations du groupe PLR pour les accords de septième. Le premier agit sur le tournage des septièmes de dominantes, mineure, semi-diminuée, majeure et diminuée, le second comprend également la septième mineure majeur, majeure augmenté, l'augmentée et la septième dedominante bémol. Nous avons également classé les transformations les plus parcimonieuses parmi les 4 triades (majeure, mineure, augmentée et diminuée) et avons étudié le groupe généré par celles-ci. Enfin, nous avons introduit une approche générale permettant de définir des opérations parcimonieuses entre les accords de septième et de triade, mais aussi les opérations déjà connues entre triades et celles entre septièmes. / This thesis presents a generalizations of the neo-Riemannian PLR-group, that acts on the set of 24 major and minor triads. The work begins with a reconstruction on the history of the Tonnetz, a graph associated with the three transformations that generate the PLR-group. The thesis presents two generalizations of the PLR-group for seventh chords. The first one acts on the set of dominant, minor, semi-diminished, major and diminished sevenths, the second one also includes minor major, augmented major, augmented, dominant seventh flat five. We considered the most parsimonious operations exchanging two types of sevenths, moving a single note by a semitone or a whole tone. We also classified the most parsimonious transformations among the 4 types of triads (major, minor,augmented and diminished) and studied the group generated by them. Finally, we have introduced a general approach to define parsimonious operations between sevenths and triads, but also the operations already known between triads and those between sevenths.

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo principal discutir os programas de participação nos lucros ou resultados (PLR) no setor bancário brasileiro, sob a ótica da flexibilização das relações entre capital e trabalho, no contexto das mais recentes transformações promovidas pelo capitalismo avançado. A investigação compreendeu, primeiramente, uma pesquisa documental e bibliográfica sobre o processo de regulamentação da PLR no Brasil e a posterior generalização de seu uso. Após o que, foram descritos os modelos de PLR adotados pelo setor bancário brasileiro e também em um caso específico, desde sua instituição nos moldes contemporâneos em 1995, até 2011, comparando-os e evidenciando sua transformação. Através de entrevistas com representantes sindicais e especialistas, destacaram-se as posições e as estratégias adotadas pelos diferentes atores sociais em relação ao tema. Em seguida, empreendeu-se uma observação participante em uma grande empresa do setor, que se concentrou na operacionalização concreta da PLR no cotidiano, o que ocorre por meio dos programas de metas de resultados que vinculam seu pagamento ao desempenho. Os resultados da pesquisa apresentaram elementos despóticos, como diversas formas de controle que garantem a execução de tais programas, ao mesmo tempo em que se observou uma natureza hegemônica, tanto nos espaços estabelecidos de negociação sobre as regras da PLR como no apoio dos trabalhadores e na participação dos sindicatos, assinalando-se características de um regime despótico-hegemônico. A interpretação dos dados com base na teoria sobre a construção do consentimento de Burawoy permitiu uma identificação dos programas de PLR ao estado interno, com relação às instâncias de conciliação de interesses e de participação. Ao final, a articulação da adesão subjetiva a tais programas é compreendida pela inserção cada vez mais individualizada no processo de trabalho. / The present research aimed to discuss the Profit Sharing (PS) plans of the Brazilian banking sector using the perspective of a more flexible capital/labor relationship considering the most recent transformations caused by advanced capitalism. At first, a document and bibliographical investigation about the implementation of PS in Brazil and its subsequent generalization was carried out. Later, PS models adopted by the Brazilian banking sector as well as a specific case are described, since their implementation according to the modern standards in 1995, until 2011 and then compared thus revealing their changes. Interviews with specialists and trade union representatives evidenced the different positions and strategies concerning the theme adopted by the different players involved. Subsequently, participant observation was conducted at a large banking institution, focusing on how PS works on a daily basis, showing that it takes place using targets and results plans linking remuneration to performance. Research results point to despotic elements, such as different forms of control that guarantee that such programs be enforced. It also shows the hegemonic nature of such programs, not only during established arenas for negotiations with regards to PS rules but also concerning employees support and their participation in unions, which reveal traits of a hegemonic-despotic regime. The interpretation of the data on the basis of the Burawoys theory about the manufacturing of consent made it possible to identify PS plans with an internal state, as far as instances of interest and participation conciliation are concerned. Lastly, subjective compliance with such programs is understood by the increasingly individualized features of the labor process.

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo principal discutir os programas de participação nos lucros ou resultados (PLR) no setor bancário brasileiro, sob a ótica da flexibilização das relações entre capital e trabalho, no contexto das mais recentes transformações promovidas pelo capitalismo avançado. A investigação compreendeu, primeiramente, uma pesquisa documental e bibliográfica sobre o processo de regulamentação da PLR no Brasil e a posterior generalização de seu uso. Após o que, foram descritos os modelos de PLR adotados pelo setor bancário brasileiro e também em um caso específico, desde sua instituição nos moldes contemporâneos em 1995, até 2011, comparando-os e evidenciando sua transformação. Através de entrevistas com representantes sindicais e especialistas, destacaram-se as posições e as estratégias adotadas pelos diferentes atores sociais em relação ao tema. Em seguida, empreendeu-se uma observação participante em uma grande empresa do setor, que se concentrou na operacionalização concreta da PLR no cotidiano, o que ocorre por meio dos programas de metas de resultados que vinculam seu pagamento ao desempenho. Os resultados da pesquisa apresentaram elementos despóticos, como diversas formas de controle que garantem a execução de tais programas, ao mesmo tempo em que se observou uma natureza hegemônica, tanto nos espaços estabelecidos de negociação sobre as regras da PLR como no apoio dos trabalhadores e na participação dos sindicatos, assinalando-se características de um regime despótico-hegemônico. A interpretação dos dados com base na teoria sobre a construção do consentimento de Burawoy permitiu uma identificação dos programas de PLR ao estado interno, com relação às instâncias de conciliação de interesses e de participação. Ao final, a articulação da adesão subjetiva a tais programas é compreendida pela inserção cada vez mais individualizada no processo de trabalho. / The present research aimed to discuss the Profit Sharing (PS) plans of the Brazilian banking sector using the perspective of a more flexible capital/labor relationship considering the most recent transformations caused by advanced capitalism. At first, a document and bibliographical investigation about the implementation of PS in Brazil and its subsequent generalization was carried out. Later, PS models adopted by the Brazilian banking sector as well as a specific case are described, since their implementation according to the modern standards in 1995, until 2011 and then compared thus revealing their changes. Interviews with specialists and trade union representatives evidenced the different positions and strategies concerning the theme adopted by the different players involved. Subsequently, participant observation was conducted at a large banking institution, focusing on how PS works on a daily basis, showing that it takes place using targets and results plans linking remuneration to performance. Research results point to despotic elements, such as different forms of control that guarantee that such programs be enforced. It also shows the hegemonic nature of such programs, not only during established arenas for negotiations with regards to PS rules but also concerning employees support and their participation in unions, which reveal traits of a hegemonic-despotic regime. The interpretation of the data on the basis of the Burawoys theory about the manufacturing of consent made it possible to identify PS plans with an internal state, as far as instances of interest and participation conciliation are concerned. Lastly, subjective compliance with such programs is understood by the increasingly individualized features of the labor process.

The growing markets for analytical techniques in areas such as pathogen detection, clinical analysis, forensic investigation, environmental analysis and food analysis require the development of devices with simultaneous high performance, speed, simplicity and low cost. Analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has been enhanced by use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, which is now a widely used tool for in vitro amplification of nucleic acids. In this work, a miniaturised PCR system comprising a microfluidic PCR chip, novel heating method and fluorescence detection unit was developed. PCR chip with reactants were shunted along three temperature zones in a fine polycarbonate chip. The polycarbonate PCR chip was fabricated using milling and thermal fusion binding for sealing of the cover. Thermal-cycling within the microfluidic chip was achieved by programmable shunting of the chip between three double side temperature zones with different temperatures to accomplish the denaturation, annealing and elongation steps necessary for PCR amplification. This thermal-cycling model potentially improves PCR efficacy because it increases the ramping rates for heating and cooling the PCR mixture. The detection unit comprises a photo-detector and Light Emitting Diode (LED) as the source of excitation. The detection limit of the system was determined on the PCR chip using Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) as a fluorophore dye. The detection limit achieved was 7.8 pg ml-1 or (19.7 pmol) of FITC. The chromosomal DNA used in this work was extracted from non-pathogenic K-12 subtype of Escherichia coli (E. coli). The investigations showed that the system was capable of performing PCR amplification with different annealing temperature ranging from 54 to 68 °C, targeting three different sizes of PCR products of 250, 552 and 1500 bp. The prototype thermal-cycler and PCR chip were used successfully to amplify the three sizes and the results were compared with same fragments amplified on a conventional PCR .thermal-cycler machine. The method used for comparison was gel electrophoresis. In addition, a fluorescence detection system was employed for detecting of PCR products using SYBR Green I fluorescent dye. The whole system allows for developments of low cost, easy to use and portable instruments.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Human Nutrition / Weiqun Wang / Wheat lignans are phenylpropane dimers linked by β-β bonds with a 1, 4-diarylbutane structure. They are biosynthesized in the cell cytoplasm through action of enzymes of the phenylpropanoid pathway. Pinoresinol lariciresinol reductase (PLR) catalyzes the final steps of biosynthesis of wheat lignans. In epidemiological and clinical investigations, studies show that high plasma lignan amounts correlate with reduced risks of breast, colon, and prostate cancers. However, in some of the studies, the results are not consistent. More consistent results are observed when animal and cell culture models are used. Our previous studies in the Wang lab demonstrated that treatment of human colon cancer cells, SW480 with lignans results in a dose and time dependent inhibition of cancer cell growth. In the first paper, we investigated direct experimental cancer preventative characteristics of a wheat lignan, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) vs. its metabolite enterolactone in human colon cancer SW480 cells. Treatment of cancer cells with 0-40 µM SDG or enterolactone resulted into inhibition of cancer cell growth as observed by reduction of cell numbers. The reduction appeared related to induction of S-phase cell cycle arrest rather than cytotoxic effect. Further analysis revealed that SDG was more stable in cell culture medium than enterolactone. HPLC-MS/ESI showed that enterolactone is the principle metabolite in cancer cells but undetectable SDG or its metabolites were in the cells treated with SDG. In the second paper, we investigated over expression of the PLR gene and enhancement of lignan levels in transgenic wheat. We transformed wheat cultivars (‘Bobwhite’, ‘Madison’, and ‘Fielder’ respectively) with the Forsythia intermedia PLR gene under the regulatory control of the maize ubiquitin promoter. Of the total 217 transgenic wheat lines, we successfully obtained 7 transformants with the inserted ubiquitin PLR gene as screened by PCR. Real-time PCR further indicated 109-117% PLR over expression over the transgenic control in 3 transformants of the 7 at T0 generation. In addition, the levels of SDG, as determined by HPLC was found to be significantly elevated in one of the 3 positive transgenic plants. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reported that genetically engineered wheat with over expressed PLR enzyme enhancing phytochemical lignan has been successfully achieved.

Dentre as células ganglionares da retina existe uma pequena população de células que contem melanopsina e respondem diretamente à luz. Estas são as células ganglionares intrinsecamente fotossensíveis (ipRGCs), cujas funções são principalmente não visuais. Dentre as funções não visuais das ipRGCs sua influência na resposta pupilar dependente da luz foi o objeto central desta tese. Tanto a retina interna, através das ipRGCs, quanto a retina externa, através dos bastonetes e cones, fornecem uma informação neural que regula a resposta pupilar à luz (RPL). Este estudo avaliou a integridade das ipRGCs através do RPL em pacientes com glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto (GPAA), leve, moderado e avançado, e em pacientes com síndrome da apnéia obstrutiva do sono (SAOS), moderada e grave. Também foi avaliada a discriminação cromática e a sensibilidade ao contraste espacial de luminância (SC), a perimetria visual e a espessura da retina avaliada por tomografia de coerência óptica (OCT). Foram avaliados 98 participantes: 45 pacientes com GPAA ( 27, 18; idade média = 65,84 + 10,20), 28 pacientes com SAOS ( 14, 14; idade média = 52,93 + 7,13), e 25 controles ( 17, 8; idade média = 54,27 + 8,88). Após o exame oftalmológico foram avaliadas a SC de grades e a discriminação de cores através do Cambridge Colour Test (CCT). A avaliação do RPL foi feita apresentando-se flashes de 470 e 640 nm, de 1s de duração, em 7 luminâncias desde -3 até 2.4 log cd/m2 em um Ganzfeld Q450 SC (Roland Consult). O RPL foi registrado pelo sistema de eye tracker View Point System (Arrington Research Inc.). Os testes foram realizados em ambos os olhos, de forma monocular e no escuro. Para a comparação dos dados entre os grupos, utilizou-se um modelo de equações de estimação generalizada (GEE), para correção da dependência entre os dois olhos. O RPL dos pacientes com GPAA moderado e avançado apresentou redução significativa na amplitude do pico, dependente da severidade do glaucoma, nas diferentes luminâncias tanto para 470 nm quanto para 640 nm, evidenciando redução das contribuições dos cones e bastonetes ao RPL. As contribuições das ipRGCs ao RPL (avaliadas pela amplitude da resposta sustentada entre 6-8 s) foram também significativamente menores em GPAA moderado e avançado. No estado inicial do GPAA as contribuições das ipRGCs para o RPL encontram-se preservadas. No entanto, o GPAA parece afetar o processamento espacial desde o inicio da doença. Nos pacientes com GPAA leve foi observada uma perda acentuada nas faixas baixas de frequência espacial, compatível com prejuízo seletivo das células ganglionares do tipo M. A SC de pacientes com GPAA moderado e avançado mostrou perdas nas faixas baixas e altas de frequência espacial, apontando um prejuízo nas vias parvo- e margnocelulares. Uma perda significativa da discriminação de cores no eixo azul-amarelo foi observada em todos os estágios do GPAA. O RPL nos pacientes com SAOS está parcialmente preservado, não obstante, as respostas da amplitude do pico para o flash de 470 nm diminuem conforme aumenta a severidade da SAOS. As contribuições dos fotorreceptores da retina externa ao RPL, foram significativamente menores em algumas das luminâncias. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas de SC ou discriminação de cores nos pacientes com SAOS. Em conclusão, no estágio moderado e avançado do glaucoma tanto as contribuições das ipRGCs ao RPL quanto as vias M e P, se encontram mais afetadas do que no inicio do GPAA, quando a via parvocelular e as contribuições das ipRGCs ao RPL parecem estar mais preservadas / Among the retina ganglion cells there are a small population of cells containing melanopsin and which respond directly to light. They are the intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells (ipRGCs), whose functions are mainly non-visual. Among these non-visual functions of the ipRGCs, their influence on the pupillary response as a function of light was the central subject of this thesis. Both the inner retina through the ipRGCs and the outer retina through the rods and cones, provide neural information that regulates the pupillary light response (PLR) to light. This study evaluated the integrity of ipRGCs through PLR in patients with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG), mild, moderate and advanced, and in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), moderate and severe. We evaluated also the color discrimination and achromatic spatial contrast sensitivity (CS), visual perimetry and retinal thickness evaluated by Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). 98 participants were evaluated, 45 patients with POAG ( 27 18; mean age = 65.84 + 10.20), 28 with OSAS ( 14 14; mean age = 52.93 + 7.13) and 25 controls ( 17 8; mean age = 54.27 + 8.88). After the ophthalmological exam it was evaluated the contrast sensitivity and color discrimination measures using the Cambridge Colour Test (CCT). Pupil responses were elicited by Ganzfeld (Q450 SC, Roland Consult) presentation of 1-sec flashes of 470- and 640-nm at 7 luminance from -3 to 2.4 log cd/m2. PLR was measured with the eye tracker system View Point (Arrington Research Inc.). The tests were performed monocularly, on both eyes, in a darkened room. In order to compare data across groups, we used a General Estimating Equations (GEE) to adjust for within subject inter-eye correlations. Patients with moderate and advanced POAG had a significantly decreased PLR that depends on the severity of the glaucoma, for both the 470- and 640-nm stimuli, making evident the reduction of the contributions of the cones and rods to the PLR. The contributions of ipRGCs to PLR (assessed by the amplitude of the sustained response between 6 8 sec) were also significantly lower in patients with moderate and advanced POAG. In the initial and mild stages of POAG the contribution of ipRGCs to the PLR is preserved. However, POAG appears to affect spatial processing from the early stages of the disease. Mild-POAG patients showed a marked loss in the low spatial frequency bands, compatible with selective loss of magnocellular ganglion cells. The CS of patients with moderate and advanced POAG showed losses at both low and high spatial frequencies, suggesting a loss in both parvo- and margnocellular channels. A significant loss of color discrimination along the blue-yellow axis was observed in all stages of POAG. The PLR in patients with OSAS is partially preserved, however the peak amplitude responses for the 470-nm flash decreased with increased severity of OSAS. The contributions of the photoreceptors of the outer retina to the PLR were significantly lower at some of the luminance. Significant differences in CS or color discrimination were not observed in patients with OSAS. In conclusion, in moderate and advanced stages of glaucoma, both the contributions of ipRGCs to PLR as well as the M- and P channels, were found more affected than at the beginning of POAG, in contrast the parvocellular channel and the contributions of ipRGCs on the PLR would be more preserved

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:27:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ney Duarte Montanari.pdf: 459299 bytes, checksum: f355863a5cdd125509f7949a4cc0e3c6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-05-09 / This academic study has its foundations fixed in the reflection of more than three and a half centuries of slavery, the compulsory work system, the monopoly of managerial power in the hands of de holders of the production means, the reflexes in the business and in the relationships among employee and employer in the current days, seen by the eyes of the law s analyses with focus in the company s economical life, its organization and the instruments of people s produced by the schools of administration and economy until the current days. It studies the Brazilian Constitutions, starting form de Imperial of 1.824 until the text of the current Great Letter, beside the legal system, the syndical structure, the mechanisms of conflicts solution, the information rights and de instruments of representation and worker s participation in the administration, in the profits and in the companies results. It presents the foundations and de evolution of the Administration Schools, starting from the scientific theory and personal relationship, through models identified as taylorism, fordism and toytism, reaching the organization and people s management, know as Administration by Objectives and Participant Administration. It exposes and analyses the instruments of de existing worker representation, passing through the internal committee of accidents, factory committee and worker representation, internal regulations, by the co-administration to focus in the larger objective of the dissertation and to demonstrate the reach and dimensions of the workers in the profits participation or results of de companies, instrument that in crumbled and discussed in full detail, highlighting its nature, purpose, economical advantages, flexibility, juridical safety and its model inspirations of democracy and humanization in the relationship between employee and employer / Este estudo acadêmico tem seus alicerces fincados na reflexão sobre os mais de 3 séculos e meio da escravidão, o sistema de trabalho compulsório, o monopólio do poder diretivo nas mãos dos detentores dos meios de produção, seus reflexos na cultura empresarial e nas relações entre empregado e empregador nos dias atuais, vistos pelos olhos do analista do direito com foco na vida econômica das empresas , sua organização e os instrumentos de gestão de pessoas produzidos pelas escolas de administração e economia até os dias atuais. Estuda as Constituições brasileiras, a partir da Imperial de 1.824 até o texto da atual Magna Carta, ao lado do sistema legal laborativo, da estrutura sindical, dos mecanismos de solução de conflitos, do direito de informação e dos instrumentos de representação e de participação dos trabalhadores na gestão, nos lucros e resultados das empresas. Apresenta os fundamentos e a evolução das escolas de administração, a partir da teoria científica e de relações humanas, através dos modelos identificados como toylorista, fordista e toyotista, chegando aos ensinamentos de Peter Drucker e W. Edwuard Deming e seus revolucionários e democráticos modelos de organização e de gestão de pessoas conhecidos como Administração por Objetivos e Administração Participativa. Expõe e analisa os instrumentos de representação dos trabalhadores existentes, passando pelas comissões internas de acidentes, pelas comissões de fábrica e representação de trabalhadores, pelos regulamentos internos, pela co-gestão para focar no objetivo maior da dissertação e demonstrar o alcance e as dimensões da participação dos trabalhadores dos lucros ou resultados das empresas, instrumento que é esmiuçado e discutido detalhadamente, destacando-se sua natureza, finalidade, vantagens econômicas, flexibilidade, segurança jurídica e suas inspirações modernizantes, democratizantes e humanizantes das relações entre empregado e empregador

With no online pupillary analysis methods today, both the medical and the research fields are left to carry out a lengthy, manual and often faulty examination. A real-time, intelligent, embedded systems solution to pupillary analysis would help reduce faulty diagnosis, speed-up the analysis procedure by eliminating the human expert operator and in general, provide a versatile and highly adaptable research tool. Therefore, this thesis has sought to investigate, develop and test possible system designs for pupillary analysis, with the aim for caffeine detection. A pair of LED manipulator glasses have been designed to standardize the illumination method across testing. A data analysis method of the raw pupillary data has been established offline and then adapted to a real-time platform. ANN was chosen as classification algorithm. The accuracy of the ANN from the offline analysis was 94% while for the online classification the obtained accuracy was 17%. A realtime data communication and synchronization method has been developed. The resulting system showed reliable and fast execution times. Data analysis and classification took no longer than 2ms, faulty data detection showed consistent results. Data communication suffered no message loss. In conclusion, it is reported that a real-time, intelligent, embedded solution is feasible for pupillary analysis.

Dentre as células ganglionares da retina existe uma pequena população de células que contem melanopsina e respondem diretamente à luz. Estas são as células ganglionares intrinsecamente fotossensíveis (ipRGCs), cujas funções são principalmente não visuais. Dentre as funções não visuais das ipRGCs sua influência na resposta pupilar dependente da luz foi o objeto central desta tese. Tanto a retina interna, através das ipRGCs, quanto a retina externa, através dos bastonetes e cones, fornecem uma informação neural que regula a resposta pupilar à luz (RPL). Este estudo avaliou a integridade das ipRGCs através do RPL em pacientes com glaucoma primário de ângulo aberto (GPAA), leve, moderado e avançado, e em pacientes com síndrome da apnéia obstrutiva do sono (SAOS), moderada e grave. Também foi avaliada a discriminação cromática e a sensibilidade ao contraste espacial de luminância (SC), a perimetria visual e a espessura da retina avaliada por tomografia de coerência óptica (OCT). Foram avaliados 98 participantes: 45 pacientes com GPAA ( 27, 18; idade média = 65,84 + 10,20), 28 pacientes com SAOS ( 14, 14; idade média = 52,93 + 7,13), e 25 controles ( 17, 8; idade média = 54,27 + 8,88). Após o exame oftalmológico foram avaliadas a SC de grades e a discriminação de cores através do Cambridge Colour Test (CCT). A avaliação do RPL foi feita apresentando-se flashes de 470 e 640 nm, de 1s de duração, em 7 luminâncias desde -3 até 2.4 log cd/m2 em um Ganzfeld Q450 SC (Roland Consult). O RPL foi registrado pelo sistema de eye tracker View Point System (Arrington Research Inc.). Os testes foram realizados em ambos os olhos, de forma monocular e no escuro. Para a comparação dos dados entre os grupos, utilizou-se um modelo de equações de estimação generalizada (GEE), para correção da dependência entre os dois olhos. O RPL dos pacientes com GPAA moderado e avançado apresentou redução significativa na amplitude do pico, dependente da severidade do glaucoma, nas diferentes luminâncias tanto para 470 nm quanto para 640 nm, evidenciando redução das contribuições dos cones e bastonetes ao RPL. As contribuições das ipRGCs ao RPL (avaliadas pela amplitude da resposta sustentada entre 6-8 s) foram também significativamente menores em GPAA moderado e avançado. No estado inicial do GPAA as contribuições das ipRGCs para o RPL encontram-se preservadas. No entanto, o GPAA parece afetar o processamento espacial desde o inicio da doença. Nos pacientes com GPAA leve foi observada uma perda acentuada nas faixas baixas de frequência espacial, compatível com prejuízo seletivo das células ganglionares do tipo M. A SC de pacientes com GPAA moderado e avançado mostrou perdas nas faixas baixas e altas de frequência espacial, apontando um prejuízo nas vias parvo- e margnocelulares. Uma perda significativa da discriminação de cores no eixo azul-amarelo foi observada em todos os estágios do GPAA. O RPL nos pacientes com SAOS está parcialmente preservado, não obstante, as respostas da amplitude do pico para o flash de 470 nm diminuem conforme aumenta a severidade da SAOS. As contribuições dos fotorreceptores da retina externa ao RPL, foram significativamente menores em algumas das luminâncias. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas de SC ou discriminação de cores nos pacientes com SAOS. Em conclusão, no estágio moderado e avançado do glaucoma tanto as contribuições das ipRGCs ao RPL quanto as vias M e P, se encontram mais afetadas do que no inicio do GPAA, quando a via parvocelular e as contribuições das ipRGCs ao RPL parecem estar mais preservadas / Among the retina ganglion cells there are a small population of cells containing melanopsin and which respond directly to light. They are the intrinsically photosensitive ganglion cells (ipRGCs), whose functions are mainly non-visual. Among these non-visual functions of the ipRGCs, their influence on the pupillary response as a function of light was the central subject of this thesis. Both the inner retina through the ipRGCs and the outer retina through the rods and cones, provide neural information that regulates the pupillary light response (PLR) to light. This study evaluated the integrity of ipRGCs through PLR in patients with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG), mild, moderate and advanced, and in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS), moderate and severe. We evaluated also the color discrimination and achromatic spatial contrast sensitivity (CS), visual perimetry and retinal thickness evaluated by Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT). 98 participants were evaluated, 45 patients with POAG ( 27 18; mean age = 65.84 + 10.20), 28 with OSAS ( 14 14; mean age = 52.93 + 7.13) and 25 controls ( 17 8; mean age = 54.27 + 8.88). After the ophthalmological exam it was evaluated the contrast sensitivity and color discrimination measures using the Cambridge Colour Test (CCT). Pupil responses were elicited by Ganzfeld (Q450 SC, Roland Consult) presentation of 1-sec flashes of 470- and 640-nm at 7 luminance from -3 to 2.4 log cd/m2. PLR was measured with the eye tracker system View Point (Arrington Research Inc.). The tests were performed monocularly, on both eyes, in a darkened room. In order to compare data across groups, we used a General Estimating Equations (GEE) to adjust for within subject inter-eye correlations. Patients with moderate and advanced POAG had a significantly decreased PLR that depends on the severity of the glaucoma, for both the 470- and 640-nm stimuli, making evident the reduction of the contributions of the cones and rods to the PLR. The contributions of ipRGCs to PLR (assessed by the amplitude of the sustained response between 6 8 sec) were also significantly lower in patients with moderate and advanced POAG. In the initial and mild stages of POAG the contribution of ipRGCs to the PLR is preserved. However, POAG appears to affect spatial processing from the early stages of the disease. Mild-POAG patients showed a marked loss in the low spatial frequency bands, compatible with selective loss of magnocellular ganglion cells. The CS of patients with moderate and advanced POAG showed losses at both low and high spatial frequencies, suggesting a loss in both parvo- and margnocellular channels. A significant loss of color discrimination along the blue-yellow axis was observed in all stages of POAG. The PLR in patients with OSAS is partially preserved, however the peak amplitude responses for the 470-nm flash decreased with increased severity of OSAS. The contributions of the photoreceptors of the outer retina to the PLR were significantly lower at some of the luminance. Significant differences in CS or color discrimination were not observed in patients with OSAS. In conclusion, in moderate and advanced stages of glaucoma, both the contributions of ipRGCs to PLR as well as the M- and P channels, were found more affected than at the beginning of POAG, in contrast the parvocellular channel and the contributions of ipRGCs on the PLR would be more preserved