New in this Version
MBAT functionality continues to evolve. Here are some of the features new to this version. We also encourage user requests.
Query
One of the main goals of the Mouse BIRN collaboration is to make querying and accessing multiple data types and sources, within the context of a digital atlas, easy and intuitive. To achieve these goals, there are two new query options available.
The Concept Query incorporates previous query functions with an expanded interface to access an amalgamation of data types and sources. The new sources include SmartAtlas and ArcIMS (spatially registered histologic images), Allen Brain Atlas data (with assistance from NeuroCommons) and GENSAT (with assistance from Stott Parker). The previously implemented sources include GeneNetwork, BIRN Microarray Database, Cell Centered Database (CCDB), BIRN Mediator Microarray Databases.
The Spatial-based queries allow the user to search data based on a region of interest in the atlas. This query system has been built using functionality developed for UCSD's SmartAtlas. The system accesses 2D images that have been registered using tools developed by the UCSD group.
Workspaces
This version of MBAT has different Workspaces that optimize the configuration of the interface for specific tasks. The MBAT Start Up Page points the user to the possible Workspaces, such as View Data, Open Data, Query Data, Search by Region of Interest (ROI) and Create Atlas. The Workspaces can also be accessed through the Workspace pull-down menu.
New Docking Framework
As the functionality of MBAT continues to evolve, access to multiple tools means many more components to organize. A docking framework gives a user the option of moving these windows into a configuration they find most useful. As this is still a fairly new development in JAVA programming, the previous release of MBAT used a docking framework that demonstrated several bugs. This version uses a new docking framework that is meant to address some of the bugs of the older version and aid organization of preferred tools.
Creating BrainGraphs
This upcoming version of MBAT is capable of opening a hierarchy file created with the BrainGraph editor (to be released November 2007). The BrainGraph Editor allows the user to easily create a hierarchy of any type. There is also the capacity to add metadata to these hierarchies including BIRNLex IDs. The next version of the BrainGraph Editor will have tools that facilitate linking BIRNLex IDs to hierarchy tags.