Selecting biological data sources and tools with XPR, a path language for RDF

Pac Symp Biocomput. 2006:116-27. doi: 10.1142/9789812701626_0012.

Abstract

As the number, richness and diversity of biological sources grow, scientists are increasingly confronted with the problem of selecting appropriate sources and tools. To address this problem, we have designed BioGuidel, a user-centric framework that helps scientists choose sources and tools according to their preferences and strategy, by specifying queries through a user-friendly visual interface. In this paper, we provide a complete RDF representation of BioGuide and introduce XPR (eXtensible Path language for RDF), an extension of FSL2 that is expressive enough to model all BioGuide queries. BioGuide queries modeled as XPR expressions can then be saved, compared, evaluated and exchanged through the Web between users and applications.

MeSH terms

  • Computational Biology*
  • Computer Simulation
  • Databases, Factual*
  • Programming Languages
  • User-Computer Interface