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LifeFormulae, LLC
9119 Highway 6 South #228
Missouri City, TX 77459
(713) 472-6700  
 
 
 
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By the Numbers: Why LARTS is Faster and Easier
 
 
The LifeFormulae™ Toolkit or NCBI Search/Download?
 
 
NCBI – National Center for Biotechnology Information – serves a crucial function as the nation’s molecular biology data depository. NCBI provides a web-enabled service for specific data queries and a bulk file transfer service (FTP) for entire data collections.
 
However, this service does have negative impacts in terms of overall speed and usefulness for genomic researchers. To name a few examples:                               
1.  NCBI ASN.1 files are very large, even in a compressed state.  The NCBI ftp server has a tendency to time out or terminate the data download and log the user off the FTP system.
 
2.  NCBI has been “blacklisting” some users due to what NCBI says is excessive use of its web search facility and many large data file downloads.
 
3.  The NCBI website can be “unavailable” at inopportune times.
 
4.  The XML produced by the NCBI website or toolkit is not always well-formed XML.  All NCBI ASN.1 data elements must have a unique DTD (Data Tag Definition) defined for that element.  This means a large number of individual *.dtd files.  Any change in the NCBI ASN.1 data definition means this file must be updated.
 
5.  NCBI does not allow XML element path or keyword coupled with an XML element path searches.
 
LARTS from LifeFormulae™: The Numbers are All in Favor
 
1.  SaaS-delivered LARTS lets you quickly retrieve selected portions of the desired NCBI ASN.1 data file.  Our server provider is part of a major internet hub with backbone connections spanning the world offering cutting-edge technologies, industry-leading customer service and comprehensive web hosting solutions. All of this on servers offering extremely fast speeds with minimal latency worldwide.
 
2.  Use LARTS Online to search and download as much or as little data you need with no “blacklisting.”
 
3.  The LARTS Online server provider is backed by our proactive pro-active support team, 24/7/365.
 
4.  LARTS Online XML output is validated according to the XML Schema language as recommended by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) as successor to the DTD.  LARTS XML is well-formed in that it conforms to all XML syntax rules.  XML produced by LARTS Online can be processed by any XML parser.
 
5.  LARTS Online allows keyword searches, XML element path, or keyword coupled with a specific XML element path searches.
 
The challenge of “too much genomic data” begins to shrink – fast – when you use built-for-speed LARTS instead of the NCBI utility. Think of it as your…winning edge.
 
 
 
 
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