Access Structure Research Articles

Efficient attribute-based strong designated verifier signature scheme based on elliptic curve cryptography.

In an attribute-based strong designated verifier signature, a signer who satisfies the access structure signs the message and assigns it to a verifier who satisfies the access structure to verify it, which enables fine-grained access control for signers and verifiers. Such signatures are used in scenarios where the identity of the signer needs to be protected, or where the public verifiability of the signature is avoided and only the designated recipient can verify the validity of the signature. To address the problem that the overall overhead of the traditional attribute-based strong designated verifier signature scheme is relatively large, an efficient attribute-based strong designated verifier signature scheme based on elliptic curve cryptography is proposed, as well as a security analysis of the new scheme given in the standard model under the difficulty of the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem (ECDLP). On the one hand, the proposed scheme is based on elliptic curve cryptography and uses scalar multiplication on elliptic curves, which is computationally lighter, instead of bilinear pairing, which has a higher computational overhead in traditional attribute-based signature schemes. This reduces the computational overhead of signing and verification in the system, improves the efficiency of the system, and makes the scheme more suitable for resource-constrained cloud end-user scenarios. On the other hand, the proposed scheme uses LSSS (Linear Secret Sharing Schemes) access structure with stronger access policy expression, which is more efficient than the "And" gate or access tree access structure, making the computational efficiency of the proposed scheme meet the needs of resource-constrained cloud end-users.

Development of a Multidimensional Measure of Health Care Access among LGBTQ Midlife and Older Adults in the United States

PurposeLGBTQ midlife and older adults are a health disparity population whose health and health care needs are distinguished by the intersection of gender, sexuality, and age. Research and measurement considering multidimensional factors influencing health care access among this population, however, remain limited. Theoretically cohesive indicators of health care access were combined to develop a comprehensive and reliable, yet parsimonious scale that assesses the unique health care access needs and experiences of LGBTQ midlife and older adults. MethodsData from the U.S.-based Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study (NHAS) were used, including 2,322 participants from the 2015 wave of data collection. Twenty-four items were initially included in an assessment of scale reliability. The underlying factor structure of health care access was tested. Differences in mean health care access scores were examined across sexual identity, current gender, gender identity, and age cohort. ResultsNineteen items remained in the final scale (α=0.90). Data supported health care access as multidimensional among NHAS participants. Heterogeneity in health care access scores was identified across participants. Bisexual, straight, and sexually diverse participants, women and gender diverse participants, and transgender participants faced more difficulties accessing care. Participants aged 66-80 and 81+ reported significantly higher health care access scores. ConclusionFinal indicators represented the complex health care experiences of LGBTQ midlife and older adults. This scale can be utilized in future health equity research. Using NHAS longitudinal data, future research could assess changes in access over the life-course and as a predictor of health outcomes.

Understanding the impact of persistence and propagation on the age of information of broadcast traffic in 5G NR-V2X sidelink communications

The current Cellular V2X (C-V2X) standard for direct communication between vehicles is based on the so called Semi-Persistent Scheduling (SPS) algorithm. It is based on the multiple access structure of 5G New Radio (NR) and exploits sensing and persistence to realize a randomized multiple access. We consider the application of SPS to support periodic broadcast traffic where no acknowledgments are provided. Persistence is a key feature, which consists of a node using the same resource for its transmissions for multiple frames. The specific resource used is randomly selected from among those that are perceived to be idle, and reselected anew after a randomized number of frames. We define a model to gain insight into the interplay between persistence and key performance metrics for the type of traffic considered, namely probability of successful delivery and Age of Information (AoI). A core version of the model is validated against simulations and used to show that there exists an optimal level that minimizes AoI. The model is then extended to account for a distance-dependent propagation model, allowing further insight into the effects of the interplay between sender-receiver distance and persistence. Finally, an even more detailed model is investigated, using ns-3-based simulations. This further analysis confirms the qualitative behaviors revealed by the analytical model and provides more insight into the complex interactions of system parameters and channel characteristics. The obtained results help to identify the limits of SPS, opening the way to system-principled parameter optimization and design of more powerful variants of the multiple access scheme.

A Study on the Status of Present Financial Inclusion Policy in the Districts of the State of West Bengal, India

Introduction: The convergence of financially excluded population towards mainstream formal financial institutions through proper accessibility, affordability and usage of services is crucial, to eradicate the dependence on informal money lenders, and to help the vulnerable and poor people to come out of the vicious debt cycle. As India aims to achieve inclusive growth, it has worked upon removing barriers from the path of gaining complete ‘Financial Inclusion (FI)’ through the policy called, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY). This has helped in translating Jan Dhan (wealth of people) to Jan Suraksha (security of people) through insurance and pension schemes, with the objective of building a global social security mechanism for every citizen. Objective: To analyse the status of the FI scheme (PMJDY) in the 23 districts of the state of West Bengal. Research Methodology: This research work will evaluate the effects of the current FI schemes, on the lives of the citizens of the state of West Bengal, which has 23 districts in total. To investigate about the inclusiveness in the financial system of those 23 districts, District FI Index (FII) has been developed, by considering some indicators for sub-indices as well as for composite index, that are clubbed under three dimensions, namely, accessibility, availability and usage of bank offerings. Earlier literature focused on savings and deposit accounts as a variable to compute FI whereas this study bridges the gap and considers only PMJDY scheme-based accounts to evaluate the present status of the scheme in the state. Findings and Conclusion: It is observed that Kolkata has secured the highest place in FII whereas other districts have shown relatively low FI. The state still has a long distance to travel in terms of achieving a complete FI but it has the capability of travelling at a faster rate due to well-developed banking infrastructure. Thus, to make the FI scheme effective, a developed and accessible banking structure is a pre-requisite. The success of this scheme in bringing the deprived and vulnerable section into the fold will not only increase savings and investment but also contribute to strengthening the human capital of the country.

HA-Med: A Blockchain-Based Solution for Sharing Medical Data with Hidden Policies and Attributes

Existing healthcare data-sharing solutions often combine attribute-based encryption techniques with blockchain technology to achieve fine-grained access control. However, the transparency of blockchain technology may introduce potential risks of exposing access structures and user attributes. To address these concerns, this paper proposes a novel healthcare data-sharing scheme called HA-Med. By leveraging blockchain technology, HA-Med ensures the concealment of access policies and attributes, providing a secure solution for fine-grained access control of medical data. Furthermore, the scheme supports attribute revocation and forward secrecy to enhance user privacy. The security of HA-Med is rigorously verified through theoretical analysis, and its feasibility is demonstrated through experiments conducted using the Java-based JPBC library.

An Enhanced D Level Cut-Off Point-Quantum Secret Sharing Access Structure Scheme Based Efficient Monitoring Key Ciphertext Attributes with Encryption Access Control with Blockchain and Key Mechanism for Security in Cloud Computing

An Enhanced D Level Cut-Off Point-Quantum Secret Sharing Access Structure Scheme Based Efficient Monitoring Key Ciphertext Attributes with Encryption Access Control with Blockchain and Key Mechanism for Security in Cloud Computing

In situ self-assembled bismuth oxide fractals enabling highly selective electrosynthesis of formate in flow cells at high current densities

In this work, we present a scalable in-situ growth strategy for self-assembling a carbon felt supported Bi2O3 fractal nanostructure (f-Bi2O3/CF), enabling superior performance towards electrocatalytic CO2-to-formate conversion with an optimal Faradaic efficiency of 95.1% at −0.9 V (vs. RHE) in flow cell. More impressively, the current density reaches an industrially relevant 235.7 mA cm−2 and remains a high FEformate of 87.7%. The enhanced catalytic activity of the f-Bi2O3/CF model is attributed to the increased adsorption energy of OCHO* intermediate by changing the surface charge distribution according to DFT calculations. Using the aforementioned method, a series of other CF supported metal oxide catalysts (i.e., CuO, In2O3, and SnO2) are easily obtained. A brief techno-economic analysis (TEA) model demonstrates the economic potential of electrocatalytic hydrogenation of CO2 into formate in flow cell. Our findings offer a promising pathway for the fabrication of stable and accessible fractal structure, applicable to a wide range of scenarios.

Toxicity of individual and mixture of organic compounds to P. Phosphoreum and S. Capricornutum using interpretable simple structural parameters

Human and environmental ecosystem beings are exposed to multicomponent compound mixtures but the toxicity nature of compound mixtures is not alike to the individual chemicals. This work introduces four models for the prediction of the negative logarithm of median effective concentration (pEC50) of individual chemicals to marine bacteria Photobacterium Phosphoreum (P. Phosphoreum) and algal test species Selenastrum Capricornutum (S. Capricornutum) as well as their mixtures to P. Phosphoreum, and S. Capricornutum. These models provide the simplest approaches for the forecast of pEC50 of some classes of organic compounds from their interpretable structural parameters. Due to the lack of adequate toxicity data for chemical mixtures, the largest available experimental data of individual chemicals (55 data) and their mixtures (99 data) are used to derive the new correlations. The models of individual chemicals are based on two simple structural parameters but chemical mixture models require further interaction terms. The new model's results are compared with the outputs of the best accessible quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSARs) models. Various statistical parameters are done on the new and comparative complex QSAR models, which confirm the higher reliability and simplicity of the new correlations.

Understanding the history of 1930s musical migrants to Britain through minimal computing-led digital humanities

Abstract This article explores how historical musicology can use computational methods within a minimal computing framework, recovering the performance histories of three migrant musicians, producing valuable new information about their careers. Líza Fuchsová, Maria Lidka, and Paul Hamburger all left Nazi-occupied Europe during the late 1930s and settled permanently in the UK. Fuchsová (1913-1977) was a Czech pianist who became an advocate for Czech musical culture as well as an important piano soloist; Hamburger (1920-2004) was an accompanist and teacher who left Vienna for London and became a senior figure in BBC radio and Guildhall professor; and Lidka (1914-2013) [Marianne Liedtke], was a violinist, orchestra leader and later Royal College of Music professor. Their careers have been underexplored, but machine-read digitised archives have opened new possibilities for finding and sorting what can seem like an overwhelming amount of performance data. This article uses a minimal computing led approach to demonstrate building a robust and accessible structure to interrogate performance data and establish performance histories. This article will demonstrate the value of this framework and will show how it can be applied to historical musicology work.

Mechanism of DNA origami folding elucidated by mesoscopic simulations

Many experimental and computational efforts have sought to understand DNA origami folding, but the time and length scales of this process pose significant challenges. Here, we present a mesoscopic model that uses a switchable force field to capture the behavior of single- and double-stranded DNA motifs and transitions between them, allowing us to simulate the folding of DNA origami up to several kilobases in size. Brownian dynamics simulations of small structures reveal a hierarchical folding process involving zipping into a partially folded precursor followed by crystallization into the final structure. We elucidate the effects of various design choices on folding order and kinetics. Larger structures are found to exhibit heterogeneous staple incorporation kinetics and frequent trapping in metastable states, as opposed to more accessible structures which exhibit first-order kinetics and virtually defect-free folding. This model opens an avenue to better understand and design DNA nanostructures for improved yield and folding performance.

Anonymous attribute-based broadcast encryption with hidden multiple access structures

AbstractDue to the high demands of data communication, the broadcasting system streams the data daily. This service not only sends out the message to the correct participant but also respects the security of the identity user. In addition, when delivered, all the information must be protected for the party who employs the broadcasting service. Currently, Attribute-Based Broadcast Encryption (ABBE) is useful to apply for the broadcasting service. (ABBE) is a combination of Attribute-Based Encryption (ABE) and Broadcast Encryption (BE), which allows a broadcaster (or encrypter) to broadcast an encrypted message, including a predefined user set and specified access policy to install the authorization mechanism. It is desirable to hide all the information when producing in the ciphertext, which has not been considered in the previous works of ABBE. Motivated by the above issue, we devise a solution to achieve anonymity for the ABBE scheme, which not only hides the access structures but also anonymizes the user’s identity. In this work, we propose two schemes as Anonymous Key Policy (AKP)-ABBE and Anonymous Ciphertext Policy (ACP)-ABBE with supporting multiple access structures by using $$\textsf {OR}/\textsf {AND}$$ OR / AND gates. Specifically, we present the generic constructions of AKP/ACP-ABBE on the building block of the Inner Product Encryption ($$\textsf {IPE}$$ IPE ), which enables the hidden user’s identity and complex $$\textsf {OR}/\textsf {AND}$$ OR / AND -Gate access structure. We show that our proposed schemes are secured under the standard models.

Obtaining new classes of optimal linear codes by puncturing and shortening optimal cyclic codes

AbstractIn this paper we use the puncturing and shortening techniques on two already-known classes of optimal cyclic codes in order to obtain three new classes of optimal linear codes achieving the Griesmer bound. The weight distributions for these codes are settled. We also investigate their dual codes and show that they are either optimal or almost optimal with respect to the sphere-packing bound. Moreover, these duals contain classes of almost maximum distance separable codes which are shown to be proper for error detection. Further, some of the obtained optimal linear codes are suitable for constructing secret sharing schemes with nice access structures.

A privacy preserving quantum aggregating technique with simulation

Quantum aggregation is a basic operation of secure multiparty quantum computation. All the existing techniques are based on the (n,n) threshold, where n is the total number of players. If any of them is corrupted then these techniques cannot execute correctly. However, the proposed technique is based on the (t,n) threshold. If the players are honest then this technique can perform the aggregation. This technique is based on the monotone span program, access structure, linear secret sharing, control-NOT gate, quantum Fourier transform, blind matrix, and Pauli operator. The proposed technique can aggregate the secrets securely and efficiently. We also simulate the proposed technique using IBM quantum computer to verify the correctness and feasibility.

A dynamic data access control scheme for hierarchical structures in big data

Ciphertext-Policy Attribute-Based Encryption (CP-ABE) is a promising solution to address the issues of data leakage and sharing in big data. When multiple files are shared, they often have hierarchical access relationships. However, existing hierarchical data CP-ABE schemes can only support simple hierarchical access structures. The limitation arises, necessitating the generation of multiple access structures to meet hierarchical access requirements, resulting in the wastage of computational and storage resources. Therefore, in this paper, we carefully design a dynamic hierarchy access control that allows its level nodes to flexible participate in the decryption of other nodes, enabling the realization of complex hierarchical data relationships. Building upon this, we construct the Attribute-based Dynamic Hierarchical data Access Control (ADHAC) scheme, achieving efficient and dynamic access control for multiple datasets. Subsequently, we apply our scheme in distributed computing, which enables efficient access control for individuals and institutions over multiple data sets and fine-grained computation. Security analysis indicates that our scheme can resist chosen plaintext attack (CPA). Both theoretical and experimental analyses demonstrate that our scheme has impressive advantages in terms of computational efficiency and storage costs compared to existing schemes.

360° around the orbit: key surgical anatomy of the microsurgical and endoscopic cranio-orbital and orbitocranial approaches.

Several pathologies either invade or arise within the orbit. These include meningiomas, schwannomas, and cavernous hemangiomas among others. Although several studies describing various approaches to the orbit are available, no study describes all cranio-orbital and orbitocranial approaches with clear, surgically oriented anatomical descriptions. As such, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive guide to the microsurgical and endoscopic approaches to and through the orbit. Six formalin-fixed, latex-injected cadaveric head specimens were dissected in the surgical anatomy laboratory at the authors' institution. In each specimen, the following approaches were modularly performed: endoscopic transorbital approaches (ETOAs), including a lateral transorbital approach and a superior eyelid crease approach; endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs), including those to the medial orbit and optic canal; and transcranial approaches, including a supraorbital approach, a fronto-orbital approach, and a 3-piece orbito-zygomatic approach. Each pertinent step was 3D photograph-documented with macroscopic and endoscopic techniques as previously described. Endoscopic endonasal approaches to the orbit afforded excellent access to the medial orbit and medial optic canal. Regarding ETOAs, the lateral transorbital approach afforded excellent access to the floor of the middle fossa and, once the lateral orbital rim was removed, the cavernous sinus could be dissected and the petrous apex drilled. The superior eyelid approach provides excellent access to the anterior cranial fossa just superior to the orbit, as well as the dura of the lesser wing of the sphenoid. Craniotomy-based approaches provided excellent access to the anterior and middle cranial fossa and the cavernous sinus, except the supraorbital approach had limited access to the middle fossa. This study outlines the essential surgical steps for major cranio-orbital and orbitocranial approaches. Endoscopic endonasal approaches offer direct medial access, potentially providing bilateral exposure to optic canals. ETOAs serve as both orbital access and as a corridor to surrounding regions. Cranio-orbital approaches follow a lateral-to-medial, superior-to-inferior trajectory, progressively allowing removal of protective bony structures for proportional orbit access.

Factors Influencing Income Smoothing Practice Among Manufacturing Firms in Kenya

This research aims to assess the factors influencing income smoothing practices among manufacturing firms in Kenya. Income smoothing, a financial management strategy used by organizations, intentionally manipulates reported earnings to achieve stable and predictable financial performance. This practice, driven by management incentives and regulatory frameworks, impacts decision-making processes and stakeholder perceptions. This study examines income smoothing practices among manufacturing firms in Kenya and recognizes the unique challenges they face, including fluctuating raw material costs and evolving regulatory environments. Based on theoretical frameworks such as agency theory and signaling theory as well as empirical findings, the factors that influence income smoothing behavior are examined. The most important influencing factors include regulatory frameworks, management incentives, industry competition and economic conditions. The study shows that during economic volatility, companies tend to adopt income smoothing measures to increase stakeholder confidence, while regulatory changes such as the introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) increase transparency and reduce income smoothing. In addition to the compensation structures for executives, competitive pressure and access to capital markets also shape income smoothing practices. Understanding these influencing factors provides insights into the dynamics of income smoothing and its impact on financial transparency and decision-making in the manufacturing sector in Kenya.

Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure of carrot accessions with DcSto Intron Length Polymorphism markers

Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure of carrot accessions with <i>DcSto</i> Intron Length Polymorphism markers

Ultradense Electrochemical Chips with Arrays of Nanostructured Microelectrodes to Enable Sensitive Diffusion-Limited Bioassays.

Nanostructured microelectrodes (NMEs) are an attractive alternative to yield sensitive bioassays in unprocessed samples. However, although valuable for different applications, nanoporous NMEs usually cannot boost the sensitivity of diffusion-limited analyses because of the enlarged Debye length within the nanopores, which reduces their accessibility. To circumvent this limitation, nanopore-free gold NMEs were electrodeposited from 45 μm SU-8 apertures, featuring nanoridged microspikes on a recessed surface of gold thin film while carrying interconnected crown-like and spiky structures along the edge of a SU-8 passivation layer. These structures were grown onto ultradense, vertical array chips that offer a promising strategy for translating reproducible, high-resolution, and cost-effective sensors into real-world applications. The NMEs yielded reproducible analyses, while machine learning allowed us to predict the analytical responses from NME electrodeposition data. By taking advantage of the high surface area and accessible structure of the NMEs, these structures provided a sensitivity for [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- that was 5.5× higher than that of bare WEs while also delivering a moderate antibiofouling property in undiluted human plasma. As a proof of concept, these electrodes were applied toward the fast (22 min) and simple determination of Staphylococcus aureus by monitoring the oxidation of [Fe(CN)6]4-, which acted as a cellular respiration rate redox reporter. The sensors also showed a wide dynamic range, spanning 5 orders of magnitude, and a calculated limit of detection of 0.2 CFU mL-1.

Exploring Genetic Diversity within aus Rice Germplasm: Insights into the Variations in Agro-morphological Traits

The aus (Oryza sativa L.) varietal group comprises of aus, boro, ashina and rayada seasonal and/or field ecotypes, and exhibits unique stress tolerance traits, making it valuable for rice breeding. Despite its importance, the agro-morphological diversity and genetic control of yield traits in aus rice remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated the genetic structure of 181 aus accessions using 399,115 SNP markers and evaluated them for 11 morpho-agronomic traits. Through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we aimed to identify key loci controlling yield and plant architectural traits.Our population genetic analysis unveiled six subpopulations with strong geographical patterns. Subpopulation-specific differences were observed in most phenotypic traits. Principal component analysis (PCA) of agronomic traits showed that principal component 1 (PC1) was primarily associated with panicle traits, plant height, and heading date, while PC2 and PC3 were linked to primary grain yield traits. GWAS using PC1 identified OsSAC1 on Chromosome 7 as a significant gene influencing multiple agronomic traits. PC2-based GWAS highlighted the importance of OsGLT1 and OsPUP4/ Big Grain 3 in determining grain yield. Haplotype analysis of these genes in the 3,000 Rice Genome Panel revealed distinct genetic variations in aus rice.In summary, this study offers valuable insights into the genetic structure and phenotypic diversity of aus rice accessions. We have identified significant loci associated with essential agronomic traits, with GLT1, PUP4, and SAC1 genes emerging as key players in yield determination.

Assessing Narratives in the Translation of Chinese Political Discourse: A Perspective from the Narrative Paradigm

In the global era, translating Chinese political discourse is key to enhancing international understanding and diplomacy. This research employs the narrative paradigm to assess the translation of Chinese political discourse, with the goal of enhancing the effective narrative comprehension of such translations for international communication. It applies Fisher&amp;rsquo;s narrative paradigm and Baker&amp;rsquo;s assessing narratives to investigate the application and impact of the principles of narrative coherence and fidelity in the translation of Chinese political discourse for international audiences. Employing a qualitative research approach, it conducts an analysis based on translations from volumes III and IV of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, as primary case studies. The research finds that translations of Chinese political discourse face specific challenges and opportunities in maintaining narrative coherence and fidelity. The principle of narrative coherence emphasizes the importance of creating coherent, accessible narrative structures in translation, while the principle of fidelity demands fidelity to the source&amp;rsquo;s cultural information and political connotations, reflecting distinctive Chinese characteristics. Highlighting the significance of adopting the narrative paradigm in the international communication of Chinese political discourse, this research provides theoretical and practical insights for assessing narrative comprehension of Chinese political discourse translation. Moreover, the results offer a new perspective on narrative assessment for comprehension in cross-cultural and international communication, pointing directions for future research.