
pmid: 31180862
Set visualization is a well-known task in information visualization. In biology, it is used for comparing visually sets of genes or proteins, typically using Venn diagrams. However, limitations of the Venn diagram are well-known: they are limited to 6 sets and difficult to read above 4. Many other set visualization techniques have been proposed, but they have never been widely used in biology. In this paper, we introduce RainBio, a technique for visualizing sets in biology and aimed at providing a global overview showing the size of the main intersections, in a proportional way, and the similarities between sets. We adapt rainbow boxes, a technique for visualizing small datasets, to the visualization of larger sets, using element aggregation and intersection clustering. We present the application of RainBio to three datasets, with 5, 6 and 12 sets. We also describe a small user study comparing RainBio with Venn diagrams, involving 30 students in biology. Results showed that RainBio led to significantly fewer errors on 6-set dataset, and that the majority of students preferred RainBio. RainBio is proposed as a web-based tool for up to 15 sets.
MESH: Data Visualization, Bioinformatics, Set visualization, MESH: Databases, Gene set comparison, MESH: Software, Genetic, MESH: Musa, Neoplasms, Databases, Genetic, Computer Graphics, Cluster Analysis, Humans, MESH: Neoplasms, [INFO.INFO-HC]Computer Science [cs]/Human-Computer Interaction [cs.HC], [INFO.INFO-BI] Computer Science [cs]/Bioinformatics [q-bio.QM], MESH: Humans, Data Visualization, Computational Biology, Musa, MESH: Cluster Analysis, 004, Venn diagram, [SDV.SPEE] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Santé publique et épidémiologie, [SDV.SPEE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Santé publique et épidémiologie, MESH: Computer Graphics, [INFO.INFO-BI]Computer Science [cs]/Bioinformatics [q-bio.QM], [INFO.INFO-HC] Computer Science [cs]/Human-Computer Interaction [cs.HC], Software, MESH: Computational Biology
MESH: Data Visualization, Bioinformatics, Set visualization, MESH: Databases, Gene set comparison, MESH: Software, Genetic, MESH: Musa, Neoplasms, Databases, Genetic, Computer Graphics, Cluster Analysis, Humans, MESH: Neoplasms, [INFO.INFO-HC]Computer Science [cs]/Human-Computer Interaction [cs.HC], [INFO.INFO-BI] Computer Science [cs]/Bioinformatics [q-bio.QM], MESH: Humans, Data Visualization, Computational Biology, Musa, MESH: Cluster Analysis, 004, Venn diagram, [SDV.SPEE] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Santé publique et épidémiologie, [SDV.SPEE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Santé publique et épidémiologie, MESH: Computer Graphics, [INFO.INFO-BI]Computer Science [cs]/Bioinformatics [q-bio.QM], [INFO.INFO-HC] Computer Science [cs]/Human-Computer Interaction [cs.HC], Software, MESH: Computational Biology
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| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
