Fast Matrix Factorization for Online Recommendation with Implicit Feedback

This paper contributes improvements on both the effectiveness and efficiency of Matrix Factorization (MF) methods for implicit feedback. We highlight two critical issues of existing works. First, due to the large space of unobserved feedback, most existing works resort to assign a uniform weight to the missing data to reduce computational complexity. However, such a uniform assumption is invalid in real-world settings. Second, most methods are also designed in an offline setting and fail to keep up with the dynamic nature of online data. We address the above two issues in learning MF models from implicit feedback. We first propose to weight the missing data based on item popularity, which is more effective and flexible than the uniform-weight assumption. However, such a non-uniform weighting poses efficiency challenge in learning the model. To address this, we specifically design a new learning algorithm based on the element-wise Alternating Least Squares (eALS) technique, for efficiently optimizing a MF model with variably-weighted missing data. We exploit this efficiency to then seamlessly devise an incremental update strategy that instantly refreshes a MF model given new feedback. Through comprehensive experiments on two public datasets in both offline and online protocols, we show that our eALS method consistently outperforms state-of-the-art implicit MF methods. Our implementation is available at https://github.com/hexiangnan/sigir16-eals.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Management of Late-Season Bean Leaf Beetles in Iowa Soybean

The bean leaf beetle can be a serious pest of soybeans. There are three populations of beetles that feed on soybean plants throughout the growing season—the overwintered population that occurs at plant emergence, the first generation that occurs during late June and July, and the second generation that occurs during August and September. The second generation can cause significant damage to soybean pods. In central Iowa, this insect reached historically high numbers during the summer of 2000. Populations during 2001 were slightly smaller but still sufficiently large to cause economic damage. Recently, it was found that this insect also transmits bean pod mottle virus, a yield-reducing plant pathogen

Late-Season Management of Bean Leaf Beetles in Soybeans

The bean leaf beetle is an annual pest of soybean in Midwestern states. Adult beetles feed on all aboveground plant parts and are especially fond of soybean pods late in the growing season. In addition to the physical injury that bean leaf beetle adults cause to soybean plants, this insect also transmits bean pod mottle virus - a potentially yield-robbing plant disease - which makes proper management of this insect even more critical. This report focuses on managing second-generation beetles with insecticides to control late-season pod injury

Management of Soybean Aphids

The soybean aphid can be a serious pest of soybeans. This insect reached high numbers during the summer of 2001 in extreme northeast Iowa. Populations during 2002 were too low to cause economic damage; however, in 2003 infestations reached historically high populations and were above economic thresholds throughout most of Iowa. The soybean aphid has up to 15 to 18 generations annually. Overwintering eggs survive on buckthorn (Rhamnus). The nymphs hatch in the spring, and after winged female generations are born, they fly in search of soybeans. Throughout the summer, winged and wingless individuals are born. They feed on soybeans, and once crowded, the winged aphids fly in search of non-colonized soybeans. During the later stages of maturity, increased aphid mortality occurs due to the depletion of their food source, and surviving winged aphids migrate back to buckthorn. Aphid infestations that peak at the R1-R2 soybean growth stages may cause stunted plant growth with possible yellowing of leaves with reduced pod and seed counts. A black residue, sooty mold, grows on honeydew, a by-product excreted by aphids found on leaves, stems, and pods. Ants are usually present when ample honeydew is present. The objective of this experiment was to measure the performance of several insecticides for control of the soybean aphid

UPAYA PENERAPAN SANITASI LINGKUNGAN DAN PENGGUNAAN APD PADA PEKERJA DI PENGOLAHAN IKAN ASAP UNTUK MENCEGAH RESIKO KECELAKAAN KERJA

Potensi Sentra Industri Rumah Tangga Pengasapan Ikan Bandarharjo yang begitu besar sekaligus sering dianggap sebagai sumber pencemar yang dikeluhkan masyarakat yang ada disekitar sentra pengasapan ikan Bandarharjo, karena dari aktivitasnya dianggap berdampak pada turunnya kualitas lingkungan dan perilaku pekerja yang tidak memikirkan keselamatan dengan penggunaan APD. Disamping sumber pendapatan bagi penduduk, kegiatan industri pengasapan ikan disebut menimbulkan dampak negatif yaitu adanya asap yang dapat mengganggu kesehatan bagi pengrajin dan masyarakat dan sekitarnya. Tercampurnya aktivitas rumah tangga dan aktivitas produksi sehingga lingkungan di rumah menjadi kumuh, kotor dan berbau. Masyarakat yang menjadi sasaran adalah para pekerja di pengolahan ikan asap kelurahan Bandarharjo Semarang utara. Fokus progam ini adalah pada cara perubahan perilaku pekerja di pengolahan ikan asap terhadap pentingnya kesehatan dan keselamatan pada saat kerja. Dengan tujuanuntuk meningkatkan derajat kesehatan masyarakat terutama pada diri sendiri bahkan untuk orang lain serta mengurangi resiko kecelakaan kerja dan penyakit-penyakit yang timbul akibat kerja. Luaran yang diharapkan adalah mengajarkan kepada semua pekerja yang ada di pengasapan ikan mengenai aturan keselamatan kerja. Selain itu juga terdapat artikel ilmiah terkait Aturan keselamatan pada saat bekerja. Metode pelaksanaan yang dilakukan adalah dengan penyuluhan terlebih dahulukepada semua para pekerja yang ada di pengolahan ikan asap mengenai aturan wajib dan prosedur kerja untuk menghindari resiko kecelakaan kerja dengan mendatangi setiap industri yang terdiri dari 15 industri pengolahan ikan asap kecil, dengan cara mendatangi satu persatu di masing-masing industri pengolahan ikan asap menggunakan media poster dengan berbagai gambar yang menjelaskan prosedur keselamatan kerja dan bahaya-bahaya yang ditimbulkan jika prosedur keselamatan kerja tersebut tidak dapat diterapkan. Kemudian dilakukan pelatihan kepada para pekerja serta pelatihan kader kepada pemilik usaha

Wireless autonomous device data transmission

A method of communicating information from a wireless autonomous device (WAD) to a base station. The WAD has a data element having a predetermined profile having a total number of sequenced possible data element combinations. The method includes receiving at the WAD an RF profile transmitted by the base station that includes a triggering portion having a number of pulses, wherein the number is at least equal to the total number of possible data element combinations. The method further includes keeping a count of received pulses and wirelessly transmitting a piece of data, preferably one bit, to the base station when the count reaches a value equal to the stored data element's particular number in the sequence. Finally, the method includes receiving the piece of data at the base station and using the receipt thereof to determine which of the possible data element combinations the stored data element is

Best practices for abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (aldfg) in Africa

Papers presented virtually at the 41st International Southern African Transport Conference on 10-13 July 2070Sustainable Seas Trust (SST) is a non-profit organisation based in Gqeberha, South Africa, with a vision where the people of Africa and their seas flourish together. One of SST’s projects focuses on sea-based sources of waste with the aim of reducing all plastic waste (both garbage and fishing gear) that originates from the fishing and maritime sectors. Garbage and fishing gear impacts on maritime transport as it can become entangled in ship rudders, thereby impeding movement, and is costly to remove. Activities of the project include fishing gear waste surveys to determine the presence of gear waste in the environment, engagements with recreational and commercial fishers, and collaboration with port waste management authorities, to develop interventions aimed to reduce fishing and maritime waste. Recommendations to reduce, prevent, and mitigate abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear in the environment are already developed globally. The project is currently developing a guide that takes the global best practice recommendations and applies them to suit African countries. A draft of the best practice recommendations will be presented