openMDR Release 1.0

Friday February 12, 2010 – The openMDR team is pleased to announce the release of OpenMDR version 1.0. OpenMDR is a suite of software that provides caGrid-compatible semantic metadata management capabilities. The suite includes four different components: 1) MDR Core, 2) MDR Query, 3) MDR Plugin, and 4) MDR Domain Model Generator.

MDR Core - an ISO11179-compliant Metadata registry that stores semantic metadata for a domain or institution. MDR Core is extended from UK cancergrid's cgMDR project (http://cancergrid.org). MDR Core is capable of storing, versioning and maintaining semantic metadata in the form of Common Data Elements (CDEs). Core provides a web frontend for users to create, edit, deploy and re-use CDEs for new UML model development.

MDR Query - An API and Grid Service that supports federated query and retrieval of semantic metadata from repositories across the Grid, including MDR Core and caBIG caDSR.

MDR Plugin - an Enterprise Architect plug-in that allows a modeler to search for relevant semantic metadata using the MDR Query Grid Service. The modeler then annotates the UML model with the chosen CDEs.

MDR Domain Model Generator - a tool used by a caGrid service developer to generate a caGrid domain model from an annotated UML model. This component provides caGrid compatibility by generating a caGrid domain model, an artifact that is required to create a semantically-annotated caGrid Data Service.

In summary, MDR Core is a semantic repository. MDR Query is a grid service used to search multiple semantic repositories (including MDR Core). UML modelers use MDR Plugin to search for semantic concepts from within Enterprise Architect. caGrid Service Developers use the MDR Domain Model Generator to create caGrid data services.

To download openMDR, proceed to the download page here.

For support, visit our openMDR support page here.

Connect to the openMDR homepage here.

  caGrid News

February caGrid User Group Call

The monthly caGrid User Group meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 18.

Topic: caGrid 1.4 Technical Overview

The caGrid Knowledge Center is happy to welcome Scott Oster, caGrid Lead Architect, as our featured presenter. Scott will be presenting a Technical Overview of caGrid 1.4. We will discuss new caGrid features as well as features of caGrid 1.3 that are being deprecated.

Deprecation Plan: http://cagrid.org/display/caGrid13/caGrid+1.4+Deprecation+Plan

Agenda:

1. Update on caGrid
   1. New caGrid In Action Article: caTissue Suite and caBench-to-Bedside (caB2B): Managing and querying for biospecimens on the caGrid at Washington University in Saint Louis.
      1. http://cagrid.org/display/community/caGrid+in+Action
2. Target Discussion
   1. Scott Oster, caGrid Lead Architect
3. Open Floor: Issues, concerns, and questions on caGrid

The Knowledge Center continues to request recommendations for User Group presenters. Please email knowledge@osu-citih.org to to recommend a Topic.

Meeting info:

When: Thursday, February 18 at 11:00am Eastern
Teleconference: 1-800-619-0279 Passcode: 91671
Centra: http://ncicb.centra.com
Centra Meeting ID: CAGRID_USER
Guest Attend URL: http://mt202.centra.com/GA/main/0000006d6aa0000001211ed7786dccd5

caTissue Suite and caBench-to-Bedside (caB2B): Managing and querying for biospecimens on the caGrid

The most recent caGrid in Action article features caTissue Suite and caBench-to-Bedside (caB2B) from Washington University in St. Louis, Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center.

See caGrid in Action for the article.