Future Challenges and Unsolved Problems in Multi-field Visualization

Evaluation, solved and unsolved problems, and future directions are popular themes pervading the visualization community over the last decade. The top unsolved problem in both scientific and information visualization was the subject of an IEEE Visualization Conference panel in 2004. The future of graphics hardware was another important topic of discussion the same year. The subject of how to evaluate visualization returned a few years later. Chris Johnson published a list of 10 top problems in scientific visualization research. This was followed up by report of both past achievements and future challenges in visualization research as well as financial support recommendations to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institute of Health (NIH). Chen recently published the first list of top unsolved information visualization problems. Future research directions of topology-based visualization was also a major theme of a workshop on topology-based methods. Laramee and Kosara published a list of top future challenges in human-centered visualization

Phase-Retrieved Tomography enables imaging of a Tumor Spheroid in Mesoscopy Regime

Optical tomographic imaging of biological specimen bases its reliability on the combination of both accurate experimental measures and advanced computational techniques. In general, due to high scattering and absorption in most of the tissues, multi view geometries are required to reduce diffuse halo and blurring in the reconstructions. Scanning processes are used to acquire the data but they inevitably introduces perturbation, negating the assumption of aligned measures. Here we propose an innovative, registration free, imaging protocol implemented to image a human tumor spheroid at mesoscopic regime. The technique relies on the calculation of autocorrelation sinogram and object autocorrelation, finalizing the tomographic reconstruction via a three dimensional Gerchberg Saxton algorithm that retrieves the missing phase information. Our method is conceptually simple and focuses on single image acquisition, regardless of the specimen position in the camera plane. We demonstrate increased deep resolution abilities, not achievable with the current approaches, rendering the data alignment process obsolete.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure

How to Read a Visualization Research Paper: Extracting the Essentials

Introduction. Women's sexual pain disorders include dyspareunia and vaginismus and there is need for state-of-the-art information in this area. Aim. To update the scientific evidence published in 2004, from the 2nd International Consultation on Sexual Medicine pertaining to the diagnosis and treatment of women's sexual pain disorders. Methods. An expert committee, invited from six countries by the 3rd International Consultation, was comprised of eight researchers and clinicians from biological and social science disciplines, for the purpose of reviewing and grading the scientific evidence on nosology, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of women's sexual pain disorders. Main Outcome Measure. Expert opinion was based on grading of evidence-based medical literature, extensive internal committee discussion, public presentation, and debate. Results. A comprehensive assessment of medical, sexual, and psychosocial history is recommended for diagnosis and management. Indications for general and focused pelvic genital examination are identified. Evidence-based recommendations for assessment of women's sexual pain disorders are reviewed. An evidence-based approach to management of these disorders is provided. Conclusions. Continued efforts are warranted to conduct research and scientific reporting on the optimal assessment and management of women's sexual pain disorders, including multidisciplinary approaches. van Lankveld JJDM, Granot M, Weijmar Schultz WCM, Binik YM, Wesselmann U, Pukall CF, Bohm-Starke N, and Achtrari C. Women's sexual pain disorders. J Sex Med 2010;7:615-631