Multimodal Dataset for Assessment of Quality of Experience in Immersive Multimedia

This paper presents a novel multimodal dataset for the analysis of Quality of Experience (QoE) in emerging immersive multimedia technologies. In particular, the perceived Sense of Presence (SoP) induced by one-minute long video stimuli is explored with respect to content, quality, resolution and sound reproduction, and annotated with subjective scores. Furthermore, a complementary analysis of the acquired physiological signals, such as Electroencephalography (EEG), Electrocardiography (ECG), and respiration is carried out, aiming at an alternative evaluation of human experience while consuming immersive multimedia. Presented results conrm the value of the introduced dataset and its consistency for the purposes of QoE assessment for immersive multimedia. More specically, subjective ratings demonstrate that the created dataset enables distinction between low and high levels of immersiveness, which is also conrmed by a preliminary analysis of recorded physiological signals

Pre-Micro RNA Signatures Delineate Stages of Endothelial Cell Transformation in Kaposi Sarcoma

MicroRNAs (miRNA) have emerged as key regulators of cell lineage differentiation and cancer. We used precursor miRNA profiling by a novel real-time QPCR method (i) to define progressive stages of endothelial cell transformation cumulating in Kaposi sarcoma (KS) and (ii) to identify specific miRNAs that serve as biomarkers for tumor progression. We were able to compare primary patient biopsies to well-established culture and mouse tumor models. Loss of mir-221 and gain of mir-15 expression demarked the transition from merely immortalized to fully tumorigenic endothelial cells. Mir-140 and Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus viral miRNAs increased linearly with the degree of transformation. Mir-24 emerged as a biomarker specific for KS

Socializing One Health: an innovative strategy to investigate social and behavioral risks of emerging viral threats

In an effort to strengthen global capacity to prevent, detect, and control infectious diseases in animals and people, the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) PREDICT project funded development of regional, national, and local One Health capacities for early disease detection, rapid response, disease control, and risk reduction. From the outset, the EPT approach was inclusive of social science research methods designed to understand the contexts and behaviors of communities living and working at human-animal-environment interfaces considered high-risk for virus emergence. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches, PREDICT behavioral research aimed to identify and assess a range of socio-cultural behaviors that could be influential in zoonotic disease emergence, amplification, and transmission. This broad approach to behavioral risk characterization enabled us to identify and characterize human activities that could be linked to the transmission dynamics of new and emerging viruses. This paper provides a discussion of implementation of a social science approach within a zoonotic surveillance framework. We conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews and focus groups to better understand the individual- and community-level knowledge, attitudes, and practices that potentially put participants at risk for zoonotic disease transmission from the animals they live and work with, across 6 interface domains. When we asked highly-exposed individuals (ie. bushmeat hunters, wildlife or guano farmers) about the risk they perceived in their occupational activities, most did not perceive it to be risky, whether because it was normalized by years (or generations) of doing such an activity, or due to lack of information about potential risks. Integrating the social sciences allows investigations of the specific human activities that are hypothesized to drive disease emergence, amplification, and transmission, in order to better substantiate behavioral disease drivers, along with the social dimensions of infection and transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics is critical to achieving health security--the protection from threats to health-- which requires investments in both collective and individual health security. Involving behavioral sciences into zoonotic disease surveillance allowed us to push toward fuller community integration and engagement and toward dialogue and implementation of recommendations for disease prevention and improved health security

Pondering the reading of visual representations

We follow a theoretical approach to define the concept of reading visualizations. In the past, researchers often assessed readability based on the cognitive processes at work during an individual's engagement with a visual representation. The commonly used term "reading" in these studies, however, often lacks consistency: sometimes it refers solely to the extraction of textual information, while in other instances it is limited to the interpretation of visual signals such as patterns, color gradients, or object sizes. We argue that there exists a gap in the literature for a comprehensive, unifying definition of reading that would potentially broaden the horizons of design spaces and analytical frameworks in our field. To address this issue, we discuss models of reading text and how they can potentially relate to visualization reading

Pondering the reading of visual representations

We follow a theoretical approach to define the concept of reading visualizations. In the past, researchers often assessed readability based on the cognitive processes at work during an individual's engagement with a visual representation. The commonly used term "reading" in these studies, however, often lacks consistency: sometimes it refers solely to the extraction of textual information, while in other instances it is limited to the interpretation of visual signals such as patterns, color gradients, or object sizes. We argue that there exists a gap in the literature for a comprehensive, unifying definition of reading that would potentially broaden the horizons of design spaces and analytical frameworks in our field. To address this issue, we discuss models of reading text and how they can potentially relate to visualization reading

PREVis: Perceived Readability Evaluation for Visualizations

International audienceWe developed and validated an instrument to measure the perceived readability in data visualization: PREVis. Researchers and practitioners can easily use this instrument as part of their evaluations to compare the perceived readability of different visual data representations. Our instrument can complement results from controlled experiments on user task performance or provide additional data during in-depth qualitative work such as design iterations when developing a new technique. Although readability is recognized as an essential quality of data visualizations, so far there has not been a unified definition of the construct in the context of visual representations. As a result, researchers often lack guidance for determining how to ask people to rate their perceived readability of a visualization. To address this issue, we engaged in a rigorous process to develop the first validated instrument targeted at the subjective readability of visual data representations. Our final instrument consists of 11 items across 4 dimensions: understandability, layout clarity, readability of data values, and readability of data patterns. We provide the questionnaire as a document with implementation guidelines on osf.io/9cg8j. Beyond this instrument, we contribute a discussion of how researchers have previously assessed visualization readability, and an analysis of the factors underlying perceived readability in visual data representations

Position paper: A case to study the relationship between data visualization readability and visualization literacy

International audienceIn this position paper we argue that improving visualization literacy evaluation tools is important for defining and understanding the concept of readability in data visualizations. Only with reliable and relevant measures can we assess how a potential factor affects a reader’s performance; accordingly, only with appropriate measuring instruments can we start to investigate the tight web of interactions between individual characteristics, features of the visual design, and reading tasks requirements. As we slowly progress in our understanding of how people process information from data visualization, and based on these improved tools and other developments, we can further develop theoretical foundations in data visualization

Position paper: A case to study the relationship between data visualization readability and visualization literacy

International audienceIn this position paper we argue that improving visualization literacy evaluation tools is important for defining and understanding the concept of readability in data visualizations. Only with reliable and relevant measures can we assess how a potential factor affects a reader’s performance; accordingly, only with appropriate measuring instruments can we start to investigate the tight web of interactions between individual characteristics, features of the visual design, and reading tasks requirements. As we slowly progress in our understanding of how people process information from data visualization, and based on these improved tools and other developments, we can further develop theoretical foundations in data visualization

Nutritional composition of ultra-processed plant-based foods in the out-of-home environment: a multi-country survey with plant-based burgers.

Ultra-processed plant-based foods, such as plant-based burgers have gained in popularity. Particularly in the out-of-home (OOH) environment, evidence regarding their nutritional profile and environmental sustainability is still evolving. Plant-based burgers available at selected OOH sites were randomly sampled in cities of four WHO European Member States; Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Lisbon, and London. Plant-based burgers (patty, bread and condiment) (n=41) were lab-analysed for their energy, macronutrients, amino acids, and minerals content per 100g and serving, and were compared with reference values. For the plant-based burgers, the median values per 100g were: 234 kcal, 20.8g carbohydrates, 3.5g dietary fibre, and 12.0g fat, including 0.08g TFA and 2.2g SFA. Protein content was 8.9g/100g, with low protein quality according to amino acid composition. Median sodium content was 389mg/100g, equivalent to 1g salt. Compared with references, the median serving of plant-based burgers provided 31% of energy intake based on a 2,000 kcal per day, and contributed to carbohydrates(17-28%), dietary fibre(42%), protein(40%), total fat(48%), SFA(26%), and sodium(54%). One serving provided 15-23% of the reference values for calcium, potassium, and magnesium, while higher contributions were found for zinc(30%), manganese(38%), phosphorus(51%), and iron(67%). The ultra-processed plant-based burgers, provide protein, dietary fibre and essential minerals, but also contain relatively high levels of energy, sodium, and total fats. The amino acid composition of the plant-based burgers indicated low protein quality. The multifaceted nutritional profile of plant-based burgers highlights the need for manufacturers to implement improvements to better support healthy dietary habits. These improvements should include reducing energy, sodium and total fats