This thesis presents an in-depth, high-resolution observational study on the very beginning of the formation process: the fragmentation of dense molecular clouds known as infrared dark clouds (IRDCs). Using the Submillimeter Array (SMA) and Very Large Array (VLA) radio interferometers, the author has discovered a common picture of hierarchical fragmentation that challenges some of the leading theoretical models and suggests a new, observation-driven understanding of how massive star formation in clustered environments may begin: it is initiated by the hierarchical fragmentation of a dense filament from 10 pc down to 0.01 pc, and the stellar mass buildup is simultaneously fed by hierarchical accretion at similar scales. The new scenario points out the importance of turbulence and filamentary structure, which are now receiving increasing attention and further tests from both observers and theorists.

This volume contains the selected papers resulting from the 7th Annual International Workshop on Materials Science and Engineering, and is focusing on the following six aspects: 1. Various Materials Properties, Processing, and Manufactures; 2. Multifunctional Materials Properties, Processing, and Manufactures; 3. Nanomaterials and Biomaterials; 4. Civil Materials and Sustainable Environment; 5. Electrochemical Valuation, Fracture Resistance, and Assessment; 6. Designs Related to Materials Science and Engineering. This proceeding presents and discusses key concepts and analyzes the state-of-the-art of the field. IWMSE 2021 is an academic conference in a series held once per year. The conference not only provides insights on materials science and engineering, but also affords conduit for future research in these fields. It provides opportunities for the delegates to exchange new ideas and application experiences, to establish business or research relations and to find global partners for future collaboration.

Gaining access to high-quality data is a vital necessity in knowledge-based decision making. But data in its raw form often contains sensitive information about individuals. Providing solutions to this problem, the methods and tools of privacy-preserving data publishing enable the publication of useful information while protecting data privacy. Introduction to Privacy-Preserving Data Publishing: Concepts and Techniques presents state-of-the-art information sharing and data integration methods that take into account privacy and data mining requirements.

The first part of the book discusses the fundamentals of the field. In the second part, the authors present anonymization methods for preserving information utility for specific data mining tasks. The third part examines the privacy issues, privacy models, and anonymization methods for realistic and challenging data publishing scenarios. While the first three parts focus on anonymizing relational data, the last part studies the privacy threats, privacy models, and anonymization methods for complex data, including transaction, trajectory, social network, and textual data.

This book not only explores privacy and information utility issues but also efficiency and scalability challenges. In many chapters, the authors highlight efficient and scalable methods and provide an analytical discussion to compare the strengths and weaknesses of different solutions.

This thesis presents an in-depth, high-resolution observational study on the very beginning of the formation process: the fragmentation of dense molecular clouds known as infrared dark clouds (IRDCs). Using the Submillimeter Array (SMA) and Very Large Array (VLA) radio interferometers, the author has discovered a common picture of hierarchical fragmentation that challenges some of the leading theoretical models and suggests a new, observation-driven understanding of how massive star formation in clustered environments may begin: it is initiated by the hierarchical fragmentation of a dense filament from 10 pc down to 0.01 pc, and the stellar mass buildup is simultaneously fed by hierarchical accretion at similar scales. The new scenario points out the importance of turbulence and filamentary structure, which are now receiving increasing attention and further tests from both observers and theorists.

Gaining access to high-quality data is a vital necessity in knowledge-based decision making. But data in its raw form often contains sensitive information about individuals. Providing solutions to this problem, the methods and tools of privacy-preserving data publishing enable the publication of useful information while protecting data privacy. Introduction to Privacy-Preserving Data Publishing: Concepts and Techniques presents state-of-the-art information sharing and data integration methods that take into account privacy and data mining requirements. The first part of the book discusses the fundamentals of the field. In the second part, the authors present anonymization methods for preserving information utility for specific data mining tasks. The third part examines the privacy issues, privacy models, and anonymization methods for realistic and challenging data publishing scenarios. While the first three parts focus on anonymizing relational data, the last part studies the privacy threats, privacy models, and anonymization methods for complex data, including transaction, trajectory, social network, and textual data. This book not only explores privacy and information utility issues but also efficiency and scalability challenges. In many chapters, the authors highlight efficient and scalable methods and provide an analytical discussion to compare the strengths and weaknesses of different solutions.

1. Provides a systematic approach for the fundamentals of indoor optical wireless communications. 2. Provides an overview of recent developments in indoor infrared optical wireless communications, including theoretical fundamentals. 3. Examines system architectures, modelling, experimental demonstrations, and the research efforts towards integrations.

All shoes come in twos, but one red shoe becomes separated from its pair. This shoe dearly misses the other shoe and feels so lonely and afraid. When the red shoe meets a greedy, solitary mouse, who has grown used to living alone and has never experienced loneliness, the shoe has an idea Can this mouse help the red shoe find his friend? Along the way, the usually independent mouse comes to understand the feeling that is loneliness.