Cluster searching strategies for collaborative recommendation systems

Cataloged from PDF version of article.In-memory nearest neighbor computation is a typical collaborative filtering approach for high recommendation accuracy. However, this approach is not scalable given the huge number of customers and items in typical commercial applications. Cluster-based collaborative filtering techniques can be a remedy for the efficiency problem, but they usually provide relatively lower accuracy figures, since they may become over-generalized and produce less-personalized recommendations. Our research explores an individualistic strategy which initially clusters the users and then exploits the members within clusters, but not just the cluster representatives, during the recommendation generation stage. We provide an efficient implementation of this strategy by adapting a specifically tailored cluster- skipping inverted index structure. Experimental results reveal that the individualistic strategy with the cluster-skipping index is a good compromise that yields high accuracy and reasonable scalability figures. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Effects of color pairs on warmth perception in interiors

Warmth perception is a physical, emotional, semantic, and sensorial bond between people and their environments. Although the effects of single colors have been explored, there has been no research on how paired colors affect warmth perception in interiors. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to investigate these effects of colors and color pairs. Each model was assessed by 32 participants, totaling 96 different participants assessed the color models (Red, White, Green, and their pairs) under controlled conditions, both on a seven-point semantic differential scale and through open-ended questions. The results show that both single colors and paired colors affect warmth perception in interiors. White, Green, and Red are warmer than each other, respectively. Red appears to increase and White appears to decrease the warmth perception of their pairs in interiors. Another important finding of the study is that there is no effect of color location in paired colors. © Society for Imaging Science and Technology 2016

A survey on determination of HACCP knowledge of food handlers in Istanbul food businesses

The HACCP system is a food safety approach, which prevents hazards before they happen. With this survey we aimed to determine the HACCP knowledge of staff working in kitchens of food businesses in Istanbul and correlate the results with some demographic characteristics in order to evaluate HACCP awareness in the foodservice sector in Istanbul. A self-administrable questionnaire was developed in order to evaluate the knowledge of food handlers in all stages of kitchen work. The questionnaire consisted of a first set of 9 demographic questions followed by 12 items related to HACCP system application. According to data obtained from this study, food handlers’ HACCP knowledge increases parallel with age, education level, and time spent in the sector and seniority. In addition, in order to increase the knowledge and awareness of HACCP, training has been found to be important

Exploring the sociotropy-autonomy dimensions in a sample of Turkish psychiatric inpatients

The present study explored the constructs of sociotropy and autonomy with a group of Turkish depressed inpatients, who were administered the Beck Depression Inventory, the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale, the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire, and the Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale. A comparison group of students from three SES levels also were included in the study. Comparisons were made on the scale scores among the non-dysphoric students, the dysphoric students, and the depressed patients. The results seem to support the relationship of sociotropy with other depression measures in both samples. However, several problems were encountered with the construct autonomy as it is conceptualized in the Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale

Macroscopic anomalies before the September 2010 M = 7.1 earthquake in

Abstract. Previous published work after the Kobe andİzmit earthquakes (1995 and 1999, respectively) demonstrated some reported meteorological and animal behaviour precursors were valid. Predictions were freshly tested for the Christchurch earthquake (M = 7.1, 4 September 2010). An internet survey with nearly 400 valid replies showed relative numbers of reports in precursor categories the day before the quake, were statistically significantly different from those in the preceding three days (excess meteorological events and animal behaviour). The day before the quake, there was also altered relative precursor class occurrence within 56 km compared with further away. Both these confirmed the earlier published work. Owners were woken up by unique pet behaviour 12 times as often in the hour before the quake compared with other hours immediately before (statistically highly significant). Lost and Found pet reports were double normal the week before, and 4.5 times normal both the day before the quake, and 9 days before. (Results were again statistically significant). Unique animal behaviour before the quake was often repeated before the numerous aftershocks. These pet owners claimed an approximate 80 % prediction reliability. However, a preliminary telephone survey suggested that animals showing any precursor response are a minority. Some precursors seem real, but usefulness seemed mostly restricted to 7 cases where owners were in, or near, a place of safety through disruptive pet behaviour, and one in which owners were diverted by a pet from being struck by falling fixtures. For a later 22 February 2011 M = 6.3 quake no reports of escape through warning by pets were recorded, which raises serious questions whether such prediction is practically useful, because lives claimed saved are extremely low compared with fatalities. It is shown the lost-pet statistics dates, correspond to ionospheric anomalies recorded using the GPS satellite system and geomagnetic disturbance data, and claimed as precursory. The latter more objective measurements may be the way of the future, but improved statistical treatment should include observations over longer periods of time without earthquakes

Reconstitution paléogéographique des dynamiques paysagères durant l'Holocène autour de Xanthos et Létôon dans l'ancienne Lycie (Turquie) : premiers résultats

Selon Strabon, Xanthos et Létôon étaient une cité et un sanctuaire majeurs de Lycie à la période hellénistique (ive-iie siècles av. J.-C.). L’archéologue qui étudie ces deux sites ne peut faire l’hypothèse que le paysage dans lequel ils se situent est resté immobile depuis l’arrivée des premiers habitants au viie siècle av. J.-C. Comprendre les sociétés qui ont occupé cet espace, ainsi que leurs relations avec l’environnement, implique de reconstituer les paysages qu’elles ont habités et aménagés, en s’appuyant sur la compréhension des conditions environnementales et des dynamiques géomorphologiques qui s’y sont exercées. Dans cet article, les premiers résultats issus de l’analyse de séquences carottées et de profils géophysiques sont interprétés et confrontés aux sources historiques, archéologiques et littéraires, et une première reconstitution de l’évolution des paysages est proposée. Les enregistrements sédimentaires indiquent qu’une baie marine a été progressivement fermée par le développement d’une flèche littorale à l’arrière de laquelle s’établissait un système lagunaire. C’est dans ce contexte paysager que se sont développés les deux sites. Face au Létôon un ancien chenal a été identifié, qui permettait peut-être une relation directe, par le fleuve, du sanctuaire avec la mer en aval, et avec la cité de Xanthos en amont. L’étude de la morphologie de la vallée dans son ensemble révèle une forte mobilité des paysages, qui a contraint les hommes à choisir des sites protégés dans des lieux stratégiques pour y installer leurs cités, leurs sanctuaires et leurs voies de communication. La mobilité des paysages a aussi été exploitée de manière symbolique : installé dans un environnement hostile de marécages en plaine alluviale, le sanctuaire de Létôon se pose comme un défi aux lois de la nature

Effects of stock density on texture-colour quality and chemical composition of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

This study describes the effects of different stocking densities on texture/colour characteristics, protein content/amino acid and lipid content/fatty acid composition of rainbow trout fillet. Stocking density was selected 5 (Group A), 15 (Group B), 25 (Group C) kg fish m^−3. Tukey’s Multiple Comparison Test showed insignificant differences between measured size/weight measurement and condition factors. No significant differences were found between A and C groups for colour analysis (L* and a* value) and texture profile analysis (hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness and gumminess values) of rainbow trout fillets. The proximate composition analysis showed rainbow trout fillets from the A and C groups to exhibit higher values of moisture than the B group. Fish from the A and B groups had a lower of ash and protein in comparison to C group samples. The highest fat values of rainbow trout were measured in B group samples. The content essential amino acid and non-essential amino acid was lower in A and B groups than in C groups. Fish from the C group had higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially n-3, docosahexanoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in comparison to A and C group. As a result, 25 kg fish m^−3 is recommended stock density in terms of product texture/color and composition quality

Self-assembled peptide nanofiber templated ALD growth of TiO<inf>2</inf> and ZnO semiconductor nanonetworks

© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, WeinheimHere peptide amphiphile (PA) nanofiber network is exploited as a three-dimensional soft template to construct anatase TiO2 and wurtzite ZnO nanonetworks. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique is used to coat the organic nanonetwork template with TiO2 and ZnO. ALD method enables uniform and conformal coatings with precisely controlled TiO2 and ZnO thickness. The resulting semiconducting metal oxide nanonetworks are utilized as anodic materials in dye-sensitized solar cells. Effect of metal oxide layer thickness on device performance is studied. The devices based on thin TiO2 coatings (17 nm) ZnO-based devices do not show an explicit correlation

Self-assembled peptide nanofiber templated ALD growth of TiO2 and ZnO semiconductor nanonetworks

Here peptide amphiphile (PA) nanofiber network is exploited as a three-dimensional soft template to construct anatase TiO2 and wurtzite ZnO nanonetworks. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique is used to coat the organic nanonetwork template with TiO2 and ZnO. ALD method enables uniform and conformal coatings with precisely controlled TiO2 and ZnO thickness. The resulting semiconducting metal oxide nanonetworks are utilized as anodic materials in dye-sensitized solar cells. Effect of metal oxide layer thickness on device performance is studied. The devices based on thin TiO2 coatings (&lt;10 nm) demonstrate considerable dependence on material thickness, whereas thicker (&gt;17 nm) ZnO-based devices do not show an explicit correlation. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinhei