Visual acuity of pseudophakic patients predicted from in-vitro measurements of intraocular lenses with different design

The optical quality of a set of IOLs (modeling set: one monofocal and two bifocals) was assessed through focus by the area under the modulation transfer function (MTFa) metric and related to the visual acuity (VA) defocus curves of pseudophakic patients implanted with said IOLs. A non-linear relationship between the MTFa and clinical VA was obtained with an asymptotic limit found to be the best VA achievable by the patients. Two mathematical fitting functions between clinical VA and MTFa were derived with high correlation coefficients (R-2 >= 0.85). They were applied to the MTFa obtained from a different set of IOLs with advanced designs (trial set: one extended range of vision -ERV-, one trifocal ERV and one trifocal apodized) to predict VA versus defocus of patients implanted with these IOLs. Differences between the calculated VA and the clinical VA for both fitting models were within the standard deviation of the clinical measurements in the range of -3.00 D to 0.00 D defocus. thus proving the suitability of the MTFa metric to predict clinical VA performance of new IOL designs. (C) 2018 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreemen

Directions of high cycle fatigue cracks emanating from circular notches studied by optical profilometry

Current models for predicting the fatigue endurance of notched solids use the stresses along a straight line, beginning at the notch root, as a simplification of the real crack propagation path. In this work, the experimental crack paths for hollow notched samples were analysed through different microscopy techniques, with the objective of establishing high cycle fatigue crack growth directions in a mild steel. Fully reversed tension–compression fatigue tests of thin-walled tube specimens with a passing-through hole were carried out. The crack paths observed in the outer cylindrical surface were studied in each case, with special attention to the crack initiation point and the crack direction along the first grains. Moreover, the analysis of the fracture surfaces allowed the same analysis to be performed to determine the internal crack paths. It was observed that the crack initiation point was close to the maximum principal stress point at the hole contour as obtained from linear elastic finite element analysis, and the crack direction in its initiation was generally close to Mode I direction, contrary to the conventionally accepted 45 crack growth direction.The authors would like to thank the European Union, the Spanish Government and the Junta de Andalucía for its financial support through grantsDPI2017-84788-PandPID2020-117407GB-I00(FEDER/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación - Agencia Estatal de Investigación) and P18-FR- 4306 (‘‘Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) y Consejería de Economía, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad de la Junta de Andalucía, dentro del Programa Operativo FEDER 2014-2020’’). N.O. Larrosa would also like to thank the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for its financial support through grant number EP/S012362/1

Finding robust solutions for constraint satisfaction problems with discrete and ordered domains by coverings

Constraint programming is a paradigm wherein relations between variables are stated in the form of constraints. Many real life problems come from uncertain and dynamic environments, where the initial constraints and domains may change during its execution. Thus, the solution found for the problem may become invalid. The search forrobustsolutions for constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) has become an important issue in the ¿eld of constraint programming. In some cases, there exists knowledge about the uncertain and dynamic environment. In other cases, this information is unknown or hard to obtain. In this paper, we consider CSPs with discrete and ordered domains where changes only involve restrictions or expansions of domains or constraints. To this end, we model CSPs as weighted CSPs (WCSPs) by assigning weights to each valid tuple of the problem constraints and domains. The weight of each valid tuple is based on its distance from the borders of the space of valid tuples in the corresponding constraint/domain. This distance is estimated by a new concept introduced in this paper: coverings. Thus, the best solution for the modeled WCSP can be considered as a most robust solution for the original CSP according to these assumptionsThis work has been partially supported by the research projects TIN2010-20976-C02-01 (Min. de Ciencia e Innovacion, Spain) and P19/08 (Min. de Fomento, Spain-FEDER), and the fellowship program FPU.Climent Aunés, LI.; Wallace, RJ.; Salido Gregorio, MA.; Barber Sanchís, F. (2013). Finding robust solutions for constraint satisfaction problems with discrete and ordered domains by coverings. Artificial Intelligence Review. 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10462-013-9420-0S126Climent L, Salido M, Barber F (2011) Reformulating dynamic linear constraint satisfaction problems as weighted csps for searching robust solutions. 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Evaluation of Contrast Sensitivity, Chromatic Vision, and Reading Ability in Patients with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

Purpose. To compare contrast sensitivity, acquired color vision deficiency, and reading ability in patients with glaucoma at different stages of the disease and to establish correlations between visual field parameters and visual function scores. Methods. This prospective cross-sectional study included 121 glaucoma patients. Subjects with a diagnosis of chronic open angle glaucoma were recruited and classified according to Hodapp-Parrish-Anderson criteria. Patients with severe visual field defects were excluded because they were older, which could bias the interpretation of visual function tests. Contrast sensitivity was measured using the Pelli-Robson Chart and the CSV1000E test. Chromatic vision was evaluated using the Farnsworth-panel D15 and the L''Anthony D15 tests of Vision Color Recorder software. Reading ability was measured using Radner-Vissum test. Results. Contrast sensitivity (with photopic and mesopic luminance with glare) differed significantly between patients with early and moderate visual field defects (p < 0.05). Reading ability scores and results of the chromatic vision tests did not differ significantly between the two groups. Significant and moderate Spearman correlations between visual field indexes and contrast sensitivity tests were detected. Conclusions. Contrast sensitivity was significantly worse in patients with moderate glaucoma compared to those with early-stage glaucoma. Evaluation of visual function in clinical practice provides important information to address a glaucoma patient''s vision complaints

Modelado matemático del secado de pastas libres de gluten en relación a la temperatura y humedad relativa del aire = Mathematical modeling of the drying process of gluten-free pasta according to temperature and relative humidity

El objetivo del trabajo fue presentar un modelo matemático que permita describir la cinética secado de pastas libres de gluten (LG) y el efecto de variables operativas (temperatura y humedad del aire) sobre la velocidad del proceso, para lo cual se plantearon los balances de materia y energía acoplados utilizando propiedades de transporte dependientes del contenido de humedad y temperatura. Se consideraron pastas de dimensiones 200x8,07x1,80 mm, de sección rectangular y transferencia bidireccional, y se adoptó un modelo difusional para el transporte de humedad en la pasta y condiciones de contorno convectivas para la transferencia de energía. Se realizaron ensayos para ajustar y validar el modelo, empleando cuatro condiciones de proceso, combinando temperaturas (30 ºC y 50 ºC) y humedades relativas (40% y 80%). Los resultados fueron modelados utilizando el método de elementos finitos para la resolución numérica de las ecuaciones, y se obtuvo un ajuste satisfactorio para todas las condiciones de proceso. El coeficiente de difusión promedio resultó de 3,5x10-11m2/s, similar al reportado para pastas de trigo. Se observó que las velocidades de secado obtenidas en las pastas LG fueron más altas que para pastas de trigo en iguales condiciones, lo cual puede atribuirse a la menor interacción del agua en la matriz LG

Longitudinal scattering coefficient obtained by hydroacoustic measurement and by conservative tracer

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue determinar el valor del coeficiente de dispersión longitudinal (DL) del arroyo Chicamtoltina (Alta Gracia) por medio de dos técnicas diferentes, a fin de comparar los valores obtenidos. La primera técnica consistió en aplicar una fórmula desarrollada que incluye una descripción detallada de parámetros hidrodinámicos obtenidos por aforo con un instrumento hidroacústico, mientras que la segunda técnica consistió en inyectar un trazador conservativo, utilizando el mismo enfoque que la teoría de reactores químicos no ideales de flujo con dispersión. Se trabajó en condiciones de caudal bajo (periodo seco) y en condiciones de alto caudal (periodo húmedo). Se obtuvo que, ya sea para caudal alto o caudal bajo, los valores del coeficiente de dispersión obtenidos por ambas técnicas tienen buena concordancia, ajustándose más en periodo seco que en periodo húmedo. Debido a que en dicho arroyo se realizan compañas de aforo frecuentes, se concluye que ante características similares de flujo y morfología de la sección, se pueden utilizar los datos del aforo para determinar el coeficiente DL, a fin de incorporar datos fiables que se aplican a modelos de transporte de contaminantes.The objective of the present work was to determine the value of the longitudinal dispersion coefficient (DL) of the Chicamtoltina stream (Alta Gracia) by means of two different techniques, in order to compare the values obtained. The first technique consisted of applying a developed formula that includes a detailed description of hydrodynamic parameters obtained by gauging with a hydroacoustic instrument, while the second technique consisted of injecting a conservative tracer, using the same approach as the non-ideal chemical reactor theory of flow with dispersion. This work was carried out at low flow conditions (dry period) and at high flow conditions (wet period). It was found that, either for high flow or low flow, the values of the dispersion coefficient obtained by both techniques have good agreement, fitting better in the dry period than in the wet period. Due to the fact that frequent gauging campaigns are carried out in this stream, it is concluded that with similar flow characteristics and morphology of the section, the gauging data can be used to determine the DL coefficient, in order to incorporate reliable data that can be applied to pollutant transport models.Fil: Nadal, Ana Florencia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Díaz Lozada, José Manuel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Estudios Avanzados en Ingeniería y Tecnología. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Estudios Avanzados en Ingeniería y Tecnología; ArgentinaFil: Barbero Medina, Gonzalo Pedro. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Moro, Karen Magalí. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Melchiore, Mariana N.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Larrosa, Nancy Beatriz. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales; Argentin