The State of the Art of Spatial Interfaces for 3D Visualization

International audienceWe survey the state of the art of spatial interfaces for 3D visualization. Interaction techniques are crucial to data visualization processes and the visualization research community has been calling for more research on interaction for years. Yet, research papers focusing on interaction techniques, in particular for 3D visualization purposes, are not always published in visualization venues, sometimes making it challenging to synthesize the latest interaction and visualization results. We therefore introduce a taxonomy of interaction technique for 3D visualization. The taxonomy is organized along two axes: the primary source of input on the one hand and the visualization task they support on the other hand. Surveying the state of the art allows us to highlight specific challenges and missed opportunities for research in 3D visualization. In particular, we call for additional research in: (1) controlling 3D visualization widgets to help scientists better understand their data, (2) 3D interaction techniques for dissemination, which are under-explored yet show great promise for helping museum and science centers in their mission to share recent knowledge, and (3) developing new measures that move beyond traditional time and errors metrics for evaluating visualizations that include spatial interaction

Influence of race/ethnicity on response to lupus nephritis treatment: the ALMS study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVC) as induction treatment for lupus nephritis (LN), by race, ethnicity and geographical region. METHODS: A total of 370 patients with active Class III-V LN received MMF (target dose 3.0 g/day) or IVC (0.5-1.0 g/m(2)/month), plus tapered prednisone, for 24 weeks. Renal function, global disease activity, immunological complement (C3 and C4) and anti-dsDNA levels are the outcomes that were assessed in this study. RESULTS: MMF was not superior to IVC as induction treatment (primary objective). There were important pre-specified interactions between treatment and race (P = 0.047) and treatment and region (P = 0.069) (primary endpoint). MMF and IVC response rates were similar for Asians (53.2 vs 63.9%; P = 0.24) and Whites (56.0 vs 54.2%; P = 0.83), but differed in the combined Other and Black group (60.4 vs 38.5%; P = 0.03). Fewer patients in the Black (40 vs 53.9%; P = 0.39) and Hispanic (38.8 vs 60.9%; P = 0.011) groups responded to IVC. Latin American patients had lower response to IVC (32 vs 60.7%; P = 0.003). Baseline disease characteristics were not predictive of response. The incidence of adverse events (AEs) was similar across groups. Serious AEs were slightly more prevalent among Asians. CONCLUSIONS: MMF and IVC have similar efficacy overall to short-term induction therapy for LN. However, race, ethnicity and geographical region may affect treatment response; more Black and Hispanic patients responded to MMF than IVC. As these factors are inter-related, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about their importance

Growing drift-cyclotron modes in the hot solar atmosphere

Well-known analytical results dealing with ion cyclotron and drift waves and which follow from the kinetic theory are used and the dispersion equation, which describes coupled two modes, is solved numerically. The numerical results obtained by using the values for the plasma density, magnetic field and temperature applicable to the solar corona clearly show the coupling and the instability (growing) of the two modes. The coupling happens at very short wavelengths, that are of the order of the ion gyro radius, and for characteristic scale lengths of the equilibrium density that are altitude dependent and may become of the order of only a few meters. The demonstrated instability of the two coupled modes (driven by the equilibrium density gradient) is obtained by using a rigorous kinetic theory model and for realistic parameter values. The physical mechanism which is behind the coupling is simple and is expected to take place throughout the solar atmosphere and the solar wind which contain a variety of very elongated density structures of various sizes. The mode grows on account of the density gradient, it is essentially an ion mode, and its further dissipation should result in an increased ion heating

Using e-learning to support international students' dissertation preparation

Purpose: A research paper on the design and implementation of an e-learning resource responding to the globalisation of education. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the challenges presented in learning and teaching on how to support international postgraduate (PG) students undertaking the specific task of a dissertation. Design/methodology/approach: Using findings from 250 PG students, 40 supervisors and two module tutors the research identified the content and language issues faced by students and recognised the need to design an enabler supporting the latter as independent learners and the academic staff delivering support. Findings: The e-learning tool provides an independent learning tool which addresses student concerns relating to the process and content of structuring a dissertation and the function of language. Initial responses have been positive from both staff and students in respect to providing a source of student support and feedback. Originality/value: The research shows how the Dissertation Game Model (DGM), evolved into an e-learning resource supporting student understanding of the content, structure, planning and writing of a dissertation. The e-learning tool focuses on helping international students understand what the generic contents of each chapter of a dissertation should contain and supports them in engaging in research as a transferable skill

Impact of pre-transplant time on dialysis on survival in patients with lupus nephritis

Lupus nephritis (LN) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) often leading to end-stage renal failure (ESRF) and necessitating renal transplantation (rTp). Optimal timing of rTp in SLE patients with ESRF is uncertain and could potentially affect survival. We investigated the time spent on dialysis before rTp and survival following rTp in a cohort of SLE patients. Retrospective analysis of all adult SLE patients receiving rTp over a 40-year period (1975–2015) in two tertiary UK centres. Cox proportional hazard regression and receiver operator curves (ROC) were used to determine the risk associated with time on dialysis before rTp and other potential predictors. Forty patients (age 35 ± 11 years, 34 female, 15 Caucasian, 15 Afro–Caribbean and 10 South Asian) underwent rTp. During a median follow-up of 104 months (IQR 80,145), eight (20%) patients died and the 5-year survival was 95%. Univariate analysis identified time on dialysis prior to rTp as the only potentially modifiable risk predictor of survival with a hazard ratio of 1.013 for each additional month spent on dialysis (95% CI = 1.001–1.026, p = 0.03). ROC curves demonstrated that > 24 months on dialysis had an adverse effect with sensitivity of 0.875 and specificity 0.500 for death. No other modifiable predictors were significantly associated with mortality, indicating that time on dialysis had an independent effect. Increased time on dialysis pre-transplantation is an independent modifiable risk factor of mortality in this cohort of patients with lupus nephritis

B-cell numbers and phenotype at clinical relapse following rituximab therapy differ in SLE patients according to anti-dsDNA antibody levels

Objectives. To correlate the kinetics of B-cell repopulation with relapse after B-cell depletion therapy in SLE patients and address whether variation in relapse rate, B-cell numbers and phenotype are related to anti-dsDNA antibody levels

Image analysis for classification of dysplasia in Barrett’s esophagus using endoscopic optical coherence tomography

Barrett’s esophagus (BE) and associated adenocarcinoma have emerged as a major health care problem. Endoscopic optical coherence tomography is a microscopic sub-surface imaging technology that has been shown to differentiate tissue layers of the gastrointestinal wall and identify dysplasia in the mucosa, and is proposed as a surveillance tool to aid in management of BE. In this work a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system has been demonstrated for classification of dysplasia in Barrett’s esophagus using EOCT. The system is composed of four modules: region of interest segmentation, dysplasia-related image feature extraction, feature selection, and site classification and validation. Multiple feature extraction and classification methods were evaluated and the process of developing the CAD system is described in detail. Use of multiple EOCT images to classify a single site was also investigated. A total of 96 EOCT image-biopsy pairs (63 non-dysplastic, 26 low-grade and 7 high-grade dysplastic biopsy sites) from a previously described clinical study were analyzed using the CAD system, yielding an accuracy of 84% for classification of non-dysplastic vs. dysplastic BE tissue. The results motivate continued development of CAD to potentially enable EOCT surveillance of large surface areas of Barrett’s mucosa to identify dysplasia