The Implementation and Evolution of STAR/CIF Ontologies: Interoperability and Preservation of Structured Data

Authors

  • Sydney R. Hall School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Western Australia
  • Brian McMahon International Union of Crystallography

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5334/dsj-2016-003

Keywords:

crystallography, crystallographic information file, data exchange standard, machine readable dictionaries, ontologies

Abstract

The global application of the Crystallographic Information Framework (CIF) to the molecular structure domain has been successful over the past 20 years. It is used widely by molecular science journals and databases for submission, validation and deposition. This paper will give an overview of the CIF implementation, highlighting its particular successes and occasional failures. It will also recommend criteria for the application of an ontology-based data management system to any information domain. The paper will conclude with some details of the latest STAR data definition language and the importance of methods to the preservation of derivative data items.

Author Biography

Brian McMahon, International Union of Crystallography

Brian is a research officer in the office of the International Union of Crystallography in Chester, UK. He is also the coordinator and mediator for the IUCr Committee for the Maintenance of the CIF Standard.

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Published

2016-01-12

Issue

Section

Research Papers