Fused visualization of complex information spaces

University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Information Technology.With the rapid growth of information analysis and data mining technologies, the massive data sets available for access have been merged and refined to manifold information, including raw data and all kinds of analytical results. Since data sets become increasingly complex, the current visual analytical techniques no longer satisfy the needs of exploring and analyzing data. This situation raises the challenges in the current state of information visualization: 1) Due to the complexity of information, sometimes it is unlikely to use a single visual metaphor to model the intricate information well in a single visualization. 2) Each existing visualization method has its own limitations in terms of satisfying domain specific requirements, when dealing with complex data sets. The proposed fused visualization methodology attempts to address the above issues by combining multiple existing visualization techniques in a single visualization. It takes the advantages and reduces the weaknesses of the existing methods. We have successfully applied this methodology to each stage of the proposed Analytical Information Visualization. In particular, three fused visualization techniques are developed to improve the quality of existing techniques. First, a fused visual metaphor that combines two visual metaphors in a single visualization allows users to navigate spatially referenced information across two different metaphors. Second, a fused layout algorithm that combines two graph drawing methods achieves the fast convergence in geometric layout for the force-directed layout algorithm; Third, a fused viewing technique that combines ID and 2D distortional visual viewing methods in one browser resolves the inefficient space utilization problem. Moreover, the fused layout algorithm has been evaluated against other existing force-directed layout algorithms. Two case studies that apply our techniques to an outbreak management system and an online bookstore respectively have been delivered

Testing quantum adiabaticity with quench echo

Adiabaticity of quantum evolution is important in many settings. One example is the adiabatic quantum computation. Nevertheless, up to now, there is no effective method to test the adiabaticity of the evolution when the eigenenergies of the driven Hamiltonian are not known. We propose a simple method to check adiabaticity of a quantum process for an arbitrary quantum system. We further propose a operational method for finding a uniformly adiabatic quench scheme based on Kibble-Zurek mechanism for the case when the initial and the final Hamiltonians are given. This method should help in implementing adiabatic quantum computation.Comment: This is a new version. Some typos in the New Journal of Physics version have been correcte

Microgravimetric immunosensor for direct detection of aerosolized influenza A virus particles.

The development and characterization of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor for the direct detection of aerosolized influenza A virions is reported. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) are formed on QCM gold electrodes to provide a surface amenable for the immobilization of anti-influenza A antibodies using NHS/EDC coupling chemistry. The surface-bound antibody provides a selective and specific sensing interface for the capture of influenza virions. A nebulizer is used to create aerosolized samples and is directly connected to a chamber housing the antibody-modified crystal ("immunochip"). Upon exposure to the aerosolized virus, the interaction between the antibody and virus leads to a dampening of the oscillation frequency of the quartz crystal. The magnitude of frequency change is directly related to virus concentration. Control experiments using aerosols from chicken egg allantoic fluid and an anti-murine antibody based immunosensor confirm that the observed signal originates from specific viral binding on the chip surface. Step-by-step surface modification of MUA assembly, antibody attachment, and antibody-virus interaction are characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging analysis. Using the S/N = 3 principle, the limit of detection is estimated to be 4 virus particles/mL. The high sensitivity and real-time sensing scheme presented here can play an important role in the public health arena by offering a new analytical tool for identifying bio-contaminated areas and assisting in timely patient diagnosis