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IntroductionThe Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank (RCSB-PDB), the US data center for the Worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB) archive, manages and provides large-scale data of experimental 3D structures of biological macromolecules. RCSB-PDB provides wwPDB data and other unique services freely as an open data resource that is utilized by researchers (from structural biologists to computational biologists), educators, and students all over the world. RCSB-PDB operates at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and the University of California San Diego/San Diego Supercomputer Center. MethodologyThe results of an analysis examining the value and economic impact of the RCSB-PDB and its work are presented below. Sources of data for this analysis include website analytics (RCSB-PDB user numbers and levels of use) and RCSB-PDB operational expenditures. The authors of this analysis also applied several key factors and conclusions drawn from a 2016 study of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory-European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), the site of PDB Europe. Key FindingsThe analysis revealed that RCSB-PDB data and services are utilized extensively, provide a significant value to its user community and creates significant societal economic impact far beyond its user community.• RCSB-PDB Users: The RCSB-PDB is regularly and widely accessed, and it is estimated that there are more than 1 million unique users annually. However, for purposes of this study, a conservative estimate based on the average monthly unique users was utilized in calculating the economic impacts. Using this methodology, during fiscal year 2016, the RCSB-PDB website at rcsb.org supported an estimated 295,465 unique users. Users hailing from 100+ countries logged more than 7 million sessions and more than 32 million page views.• Replacement Value: While the costs of data creation and deposition are unknown, a reasonable estimate to replicate the RCSB-PDB data archive is $12 billion (assuming $100,000 avg. cost to replicate each entry).• Investment Value: RCSB-PDB's operational costs, including the costs of data creation and deposition, annotating and adding value to the data, and other expenses total $6.9 million per year.• Economic Impacts to the State Economy: Economic impact analysis reveals a total economic impact to New Jersey of $8.5 million (including multiplier effects), approximately 42 jobs created with annual wages of $4.7 million, and estimated tax revenues (to local, state, and federal governments) of $1 million annually.• Access Value: The value of time and money users spend obtaining RCSB-PDB data and services represents the economic value of their investment. The access value of RCSB-PDB data and services is estimated to be $43.7 million annually.• Use Value: Use value represents the value (cost) of the time spent accessing and working with RCSB-PDB data. The use value of RCSB-PDB data and services is estimated at $5.5 billion annually, 800 times greater than RCSB-PDB's direct operating co...

Water availability, quality, and management, particularly under climate change constraints and fierce competition for water resources, are challenging the sustainability of intensively irrigated nursery crops. We created an online tool to estimate costs and benefits of a water recycling investment at a commercial nursery, given data on the operation input by the user. The online tool returns a “regulatory risk score” based on the user’s drought and pollution risk. Then, using a partial budget approach, it returns net present value of the investment, upfront capital cost, and expected change in annual cash flow. The present article seeks to cross-validate this computer model with results reported in the case study literature. We aggregated data on 38 nurseries and greenhouses profiled in five published studies into a meta study dataset. These data validated the computer tool’s assumptions about the relationship of operation size to total capital cost. Separate simulations on the profitability effects of varying public water rates and price premia due to green marketing corroborated the findings of earlier studies. A major finding of the simulation analysis not previously emphasized in the literature is that capital cost and profit vary significantly with the precise method that is used to size the recapture pond. A “minimalist” approach to this decision is likely to be the most cost-effective, but growers should also keep stormwater runoff and other issues of environmental best practices in mind.

Increased access to geographic information systems (GIS) technology has expanded the tools available to support Extension programming. However, working with large spatial datasets can still be difficult for less experienced users. GIS software allows the use of custom script programs and toolboxes to expedite and simplify data analysis. This article demonstrates the use of a customized GIS-based spatial statistics tool in an emergency planning and response context. In our example, we use the tool to tabulate population statistics within a user-defined area around several supermarkets made inoperable due to flooding.

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