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The increasing focus of marine biosecurity agencies on transferring management responsibilities to citizens and industry begs the question whether devolved responsibility is a viable option for creating biosecurity outcomes. We examined recreational marine users' self-declared awareness of non-indigenous marine species (NIMS) at six locations in Tasmania, Australia and evaluated the accuracy of their awareness through recognition of four well-known NIMS with active awareness campaigns. We also investigated whether the activities of recreational marine users influence the accuracy of their NIMS recognition skills. We generally found that respondents declare NIMS awareness (70.45%), yet we found their recognition accuracy was variable ranging from low to fair (<10% to 54.95%) and recreational activity did not influence accuracy. Based on our results, we conclude that marine users' awareness does not predict accuracy and therefore devolved management of biosecurity without additional resources may pose a risky biosecurity management strategy.

In recent years, the issue of energy consumption in the building sector has been studied. The application of BIM has increasingly in ACE (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry. Based on the characteristics of BIM, the paper studies the benefit of building energy consumption analysis. BIM information can be imported and convted in energy consumption simulation software. The BIM technology provide different data interface, which could dock with a variety of energy analysis software. BIM can be transformed into building energy model. Based on the analysis of BIM information importing process and parameter setting function of energy consumption simulation process in BIM-based energy consumption simulation software, the BIM model imports the energy consumption simulation software for building energy consumption simulation analysis, it is concluded that the specific problems of the energy saving design. The paper put forward that combined BIM technology with energy analysis during building design, which will help implement green building sustainable design.

We describe SNPpy, a hybrid script database system using the Python SQLAlchemy library coupled with the PostgreSQL database to manage genotype data from Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS). This system makes it possible to merge study data with HapMap data and merge across studies for meta-analyses, including data filtering based on the values of phenotype and Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) data. SNPpy and its dependencies are open source software. The current version of SNPpy offers utility functions to import genotype and annotation data from two commercial platforms. We use these to import data from two GWAS studies and the HapMap Project. We then export these individual datasets to standard data format files that can be imported into statistical software for downstream analyses. By leveraging the power of relational databases, SNPpy offers integrated management and manipulation of genotype and phenotype data from GWAS studies. The analysis of these studies requires merging across GWAS datasets as well as patient and marker selection. To this end, SNPpy enables the user to filter the data and output the results as standardized GWAS file formats. It does low level and flexible data validation, including validation of patient data. SNPpy is a practical and extensible solution for investigators who seek to deploy central management of their GWAS data.

Design integrates concepts and solves problems. Crowdsourcing design imports vast knowledge and produces creative ideas. It publishes design tasks, collects dozens of contributors’ ideas and reward the best. Contributors in crowdsourcing design work individually when generating ideas. However, those who collaborate could make better use of crowd’s knowledge, which might produce ideas of higher quality. By analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of crowdsourcing design, this article proposes a collaborative crowdsourcing design method that integrates crowd’s sketching processes. This method uses a tree to arrange crowd’s ideas and enable flexible modifications of prior ideas. A demonstration system named Sketchfans is developed, and the results of a crowdsourcing sketching experiment using this system are presented. The experimental results validate that this method is effective; participants rely heavily on the idea tree for inspiration, and the best ideas appear around the ends of branches on the idea tree. Moreover, participants displayed unique development patterns. They often developed high-quality ideas from initial ideas that were regarded as poor quality. The demonstration system Sketchfans, supports this method well. Finally, we optimize Sketchfans based on analysis of participants’ activities and feedback.

Over the last decade, due to the rapid increase in energy consumption, sustainability has become an increasingly important concern among developers and software and hardware users. The digital era brings about a fast and continuous production of information, whose management becomes a challenge for both large companies and users worldwide, in their private environment. The huge amount of data needed to carry out day-to-day operations means a continuing need for increased storage space, which translates into high hardware costs. Thus, cloud services have emerged as an optimal and long-lasting solution to this problem. According to a simplified definition, the term \"Cloud Computing\" refers to the storage, processing and use of data outlying and Internet-accessed systems. In this way, in order to achieve their goals, users can dispose of almost unlimited computing power on request, without having to make significant capital investments and can access the data via an Internet connection from wherever they are. The benefits of Cloud Computing consist mainly in the reduction of spending for IT users and the promotion of the development of a large number of new services. Using Cloud Computing, even the smallest businesses can address increasingly larger markets, while administrations can increase the attractiveness and efficiency of their services, while keeping their spending under control. The cloud's unexpected economies of scale reduce overall costs and increase efficiency, especially when replacing locally-run servers of an organization. A fundamental concept of Cloud Computing is that through this model information technology is made available to users in the form of services (as by analogy, communications technology is made available to users in the form of voice / voice services, data, etc.) used in the form of periodic subscriptions (as telephone services are used as a monthly subscription). However, the new technologies bring with them their own challenges. Today, much as ever, cloud providers are facing challenges to be able to deliver the energy efficiency of their services, but also their sustainability. Using a large number of cloud data centers increases costs as well as carbon emissions, which still affects the cloud services' sustainability. The main requirement for Sustainable Cloud Computing is energy efficiency which can be acquired mainly by using renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions. This will ensure continuity and security in the process of energy supply, while preserving traditional resources, but at the same time will significantly reduce imports of primary energy resources. Cloud computing technology has its name in the form of a cloud, often described in the graphical representation of a network. Cloud Computing was developed as a consequence of the rising access to IT resources. If in previous years, in traditional outsourcing models, either customer or provider would own the physical resources, Cloud Computing comes with the novelty of being able to access to technological capabilities without owning the software used by the payee. Another important aspect is the fact that by using renewable energy one can also stimulate the economic development starting at the local level, but also at the regional and global level, thus creating new jobs and, implicitly, employment opportunities. [7] Given this economic and social context, the European Commission has developed a set of energy strategy aimed at ensuring an economy characterized by greater safety and durability, but also significantly reduce carbon emissions. The increased use of renewable energy will not only combat climate change as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions, but it will also have an impact on the reduction of air pollution and it will most probable create new jobs in the environment and renewable energy sectors. Nowadays, in many European countries including Romania, it is necessary to encourage the usage of renewable energy resources as they offer a wide range of advantages [6], [10]. Consequently, nowadays, there is a growing concern for developing computer systems in order to predict, analyse and monitor the performance indicators of renewable energy technology processes. The results of this endeavour have a great importance to the green energy producers as they are required to submit the estimates of alternative energy production requested by the Romanian National Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE) but they are also relevant to developing decision support systems for a more efficient management of electricity generation from renewable sources [9]. Among the renewable energy sources one can mention solar and wind energy, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power, sea energy, biofuels, and renewable waste. If we take into consideration the figures from Eurostat, the use of renewable energy in the EU has increased strongly in latest years. More exactly, the percentage of energy obtained from renewable sources has almost doubled the number in recent years, reaching 17.0% in 2016 from an approximate of 8.5% in 2004. This was brought about also by the legally binding targets set by the EU through Directive 2009/28 / EC in trying to promote the use of energy from renewable sources. This will have a major impact on the long run as some of the benefits of renewable energy consist of reducing the greenhouse gas emissions, but also the dependency on fossil fuels markets [2]. However, the main problem with the renewable power supply is that it is usually intermittent and unpredictable and hence one should try to adopt measures for making the renewable supply constant. In the research work for this article, we have used both quantitative methods (which aim at obtaining statistical, percentage or numerical data, measurable) but also qualitative, which is based not on calculations but on the interpretation of different types of content. The use of qualitative research methods in this paper was based on the fact that qualitative research does not seek to obtain generic information about certain subjects of interest but rather seeks to reach deeper information levels related to them. Moreover, it always implies a holistic approach. Starting from the idea that qualitative research is based more on textual interpretation, which requires the correct definition of the concepts or their scientific substantiation, thus emphasizing the importance of the chosen subject, I consider that the qualitative research is the most suitable for the field addressed whose study is based on the tools and methods of research specific.

Praise for Learning in 3D \"Learning is the key to our future and powerful learning will result from immersive, interactive, and creative 3D designs. Tony O'Driscoll and Karl Kapp have written a disruptive book about a disruptive technology that we all need to explore. This is a must read!\" -Elliott Masie, chair, The LearningCONSORTIUM \"Karl Kapp and Tony O'Driscoll are, amazingly, both the best theorists and practitioners in using virtual worlds in every type of educational venue. Many will love their vision, but I am more hooked on their practicality and hand-holding.\"-Clark Aldrich, author, Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds: Strategies for Online Instruction \"Kapp and O'Driscoll nailed it. The right balance of case studies, theories and practical advice for any organization pursing the use of virtual worlds for learning. If you are interested in virtual worlds for learning and collaboration, this book is for you.\" -David A. Manning, managing partner, Performance Development Group \"The big contribution of Learning in 3D is that it provides research informed guidance and practical tips and techniques for using 3D virtual environments to achieve real business results...the case studies are outstanding.\" -Lisa Clune, president, Kaplan EduNeering \"As the world makes its way through a period of significant change, Learning in 3D couldn't come at a better time. Today, organizations and individuals are being challenged to make the most of learning collaboratively. This book stimulates our thinking on how to maximize the impact of technology, while providing a practical blueprint-with 'revolutionary' examples-of how to bring a new dimension to learning.\" -John Malitoris, regional managing director, Duke Corporate Education \"Tony O'Driscoll and Karl Kapp remind us that learning is the fourth dimension-and the one that really counts in collaboration. A must-read for the future of learning in environments virtual and otherwise.\" -Cathy Davidson, Ruth F. DeVarney Professor of English at Duke University and co-director HASTAC/MacArthur Foundation Digital Media and Learning Competition.

The development of biological informatics infrastructure capable of supporting growing data management and analysis environments is an increasing need within the systematics biology community. Although significant progress has been made in recent years on developing new algorithms and tools for analyzing and visualizing large phylogenetic data and trees, implementation of these resources is often carried out by bioinformatics experts, using one-off scripts. Therefore, a gap exists in providing data management support for a large set of non-technical users. The TOLKIN project (Tree of Life Knowledge and Information Network) addresses this need by supporting capabilities to manage, integrate, and provide public access to molecular, morphological, and biocollections data and research outcomes through a collaborative, web application. This data management framework allows aggregation and import of sequences, underlying documentation about their source, including vouchers, tissues, and DNA extraction. It combines features of LIMS and workflow environments by supporting management at the level of individual observations, sequences, and specimens, as well as assembly and versioning of data sets used in phylogenetic inference. As a web application, the system provides multi-user support that obviates current practices of sharing data sets as files or spreadsheets via email.

A traffic engineer needs a robust data set and solid analytical tools to understand past congestion trends and to create solutions to existing congestion problems. Midwestern Software Solutions' (MS2) cloud-based travel time database system helps engineers do just that. MS2's cloud-based database system imports commercially available travel time data from firms Like INRIX or HERE. An agency's self-collected probe data can also be imported into the system. The system then allows the user to choose the analytical parameters -- year, month, and day of the week, or any hour or time slot during the day.

In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country.