Transparent Solution Research Articles

The Nexus of Logistics and Social Control: Mass Surveillance in the Digital Era

Modern logistical technologies—such as the Internet of Things (IoT), delivery drones, and blockchain—are increasingly employed as tools for mass surveillance, raising significant concerns about individual privacy. The traceability of logistical flows facilitates not only the tracking of products but also extends to individuals, generating data that is frequently repurposed to control or influence behavior. In smart cities, for example, citizens’ movements and consumption habits are monitored in real-time, further undermining the notion of anonymity. This trend reflects a model of “consensual surveillance,” where individuals willingly exchange personal data for perceived benefits, such as convenience or customized services, often without fully grasping the extent of its commercial exploitation. Mass surveillance raises pressing ethical issues, including risks of algorithmic bias, discrimination, and increased social control by governments or corporations. While regulatory frameworks aim to protect individual rights, they frequently struggle to keep pace with the innovation in logistical technologies. Addressing the societal challenges posed by mass surveillance requires a delicate balance between fostering technological progress and preserving fundamental liberties. Achieving this balance calls for the integration of ethical principles and the development of transparent supply chain solutions that prioritize privacy protection.

Reconciling Conflicting Data Curation Actions: Transparency Through Argumentation

We propose a new approach for modeling and reconciling conflicting data cleaning actions. Such conflicts arise naturally in collaborative data curation settings where multiple experts work independently and then aim to put their efforts together to improve and accelerate data cleaning. The key idea of our approach is to model conflicting updates as a formal argumentation framework (AF). Such argumentation frameworks can be automatically analyzed and solved by translating them to a logic program PAF whose declarative semantics yield a transparent solution with many desirable properties, e.g., uncontroversial updates are accepted, unjustified ones are rejected, and the remaining ambiguities are exposed and presented to users for further analysis. After motivating the problem, we introduce our approach and illustrate it with a detailed running example introducing both well-founded and stable semantics to help understand the AF solutions. We have begun to develop open source tools and Jupyter notebooks that demonstrate the practicality of our approach. In future work we plan to develop a toolkit for conflict resolution that can be used in conjunction with OpenRefine, a popular interactive data cleaning tool.

PHR-NFT: Decentralized Blockchain Framework with Hyperledger and NFTs for Secure and Transparent Patient Health Records

Blockchain technology holds significant promise for healthcare by enhancing the security and integrity of patient health records (PHRs) through decentralized storage and transparent access. However, it has substantial limitations, including problems with scalability, high transaction costs, privacy concerns, and intricate stakeholder access management. This study presents PHR-NFT, a novel framework that strengthens PHR privacy by utilizing Hyperledger Fabric and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to address these issues. PHR-NFT improves privacy and communication by letting patients keep control of their medical records while permitting temporary, permission-based access by medical professionals. PHR-NFT offers a transparent solution that increases trust among healthcare stakeholders through the robust and decentralized architecture of the Hyperledger Fabric. This study demonstrates the viability and effectiveness of the PHR-NFT framework through performance evaluations focused on transaction latency, throughput, and security. This research has valuable implications for enhancing data privacy and security in healthcare practices and insightful information about blockchain-based healthcare systems.

Blockchain-Enabled Smart Grids for Optimized Electrical Billing and Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading

This research investigates the integration of blockchain technology into smart grids, focusing on optimizing both electrical billing and peer-to-peer energy trading between producers and consumers. Using blockchain smart contracts, the system automates and secures energy consumption recording, bill calculation, payment processing, and energy transactions. In the electrical billing framework, a blockchain-based approach was developed to model these functionalities, utilizing an EnergyBilling smart contract to calculate bills and an EnergyPayment smart contract to ensure payment accuracy. Validation using actual consumption data from Sinoma Handan’s project site confirmed the system’s accuracy and reliability when cross-verified with mathematical models. Simultaneously, the study explores peer-to-peer energy trading, where producers (represented by Askari Cement Plant.Nizampur, Pakistan) and consumers (Sinoma Handan Ltd, Handan, China.) conduct automated, transparent transactions. Blockchain’s decentralized nature ensures transparency, data immutability, and a secure, tamper-proof record of transactions. The system eliminates intermediaries, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing costs. Key outcomes demonstrate successful transaction execution with detailed settlements, ensuring financial accountability. Our research highlights blockchain’s transformative potential in revolutionizing electrical billing and energy trading. It offers a secure, transparent, and efficient solution while acknowledging scalability, transaction costs, and regulatory hurdles. Future work could focus on real-world implementation, integration with IoT devices for real-time data collection, and scaling these technologies for broader industrial applications in global energy markets.

Effect of ZnO/EAF slag doping on removal of methyl red dye (MR) from industrial waste water

Zinc oxide doped with EAF slag (ZnO/ EAF slag) nanoparticles in different contents (10, 20) % of waste were synthesized in a controlled and reproducible way using spin-coater. The produced nanomaterial’s physicochemical and structural characteristics were ascertained by means of particle size distribution, TEM, SEM, UV-Vis spectroscopy, XRD, FTIR, and XRF. The role and effect of EAF slag with constant percent doping with ZnO on the ability to remove pollutants was determined by observing the methyl red (MR) elimination in an aqueous solution at λmax = 413 nm and MR dye removal concentration was evaluated from its optical density. Irradiation of the compounds in sunlight intensity 250 KW/nh.m2 and temperature 36 °c resulted in a larger degree of MR removal from the solution, resulting in ZnO/EAF slag samples exhibiting increased photo activity. As a conclusion ZnO nanoparticles saturated with 20% EAF slag as a waste material were the most efficient in removing methyl red (MR) achieving ~ 96% removal and a completely transparent solution after 2 h of testing.

Enabling blockchain-IoT convergence for industrial revolution 4.0 innovation: A critical review

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has revolutionised global interactions through the Internet of Things (IoT), connecting over 40 billion devices by 2030, raising significant security, protection, and privacy concerns. Blockchain technology offers a decentralised, secure, and transparent solution for data sharing and storage, leveraging its core characteristics—immutability, data integrity, transparency, and consensus—to enable tamper-proof records, real-time tracking, and secure data sharing in supply chain management and healthcare. Despite high implementation costs, blockchain-IoT convergence promises transformative benefits, including enhanced efficiency, reduced costs, and improved security. This study provides an in-depth analysis of blockchain's applications in IoT, highlighting its potential to enhance data security and privacy, improve supply chain management, facilitate secure healthcare data exchange, and enable real-time tracking and monitoring. Future research directions include scalability solutions, interoperability protocols, regulatory frameworks, blockchain-based supply chain management, and quantum-resistant blockchain networks.

The Promises and Challenges of AI-Facilitated Mental Health Care

Mental health is an increasingly critical issue that demands attention. With the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various domains, AI-facilitated mental health care is particularly promising and warrants further exploration in healthcare settings. This review provides insights into the current state of AI-facilitated mental health care, identifying both its potential benefits and the challenges that need to be addressed. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, when access to traditional mental health services was limited due to social distancing rules and other restrictions, the potential of AI to facilitate mental health care effectively showed. Despite the promise of AI in mental health care, several challenges remain. The lack of transparency in many algorithms, often referred to as the “black box” issue, poses significant concerns. Additionally, the rapid development and continuous iteration of numerous mental health applications have resulted in a scarcity of comprehensive data to evaluate their effectiveness. The findings from this review can inform future research and practice in the mental health field, guiding the development of more effective and transparent AI-driven solutions to support mental health conditions.

Preparation, in vitro and in vivo assessment of novel carvacrol@pro-phytomicelles for the treatment of Salmonella enteritidis infection in mice

In livestock and poultry farming, the use of antibiotics has been abused, which seriously endangers human health. Thus, antibiotic alternatives are urgently needed. The phytochemical carvacrol (CAR) has attracted attention as an antibiotic alternative due to its excellent antibacterial activity and anti-inflammatory activity. However, CAR has high volatility and low water solubility, which seriously affect its antibacterial activity. In this study, two plant-derived small-molecule phytochemicals—glycyrrhizin and rebaudioside A—were selected as nanocarriers for the preparation of a novel solid pro-phytomicelle formulation named as CAR@PP. Using a simple fabrication method, the encapsulation efficiency of CAR reached 98.74 ± 1.14 %. CAR@PP was found to rapidly dissolve in water, resulting in a transparent solution (named as CAR@M) and a 59-fold increase in solubility compared to CAR. CAR@M contained uniform nanoparticles with a particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of 3.52 ± 0.93 nm, 0.17 ± 0.01, and −10.63 ± 0.45 mV, respectively. The in vitro antibacterial activity of CAR@M was evaluated, and the minimum inhibitory concentration for the tested strains was 125–250 μg/ml. The antibacterial mechanisms were found that CAR@M disrupted the bacterial wall and biomembranes and efficiently inhibited bacterial biofilm growth. To the in vivo activity evaluation, treatment with 50 mg/kg CAR@M could effectively improve bacterial liver abscesses, decrease the inflammatory cytokine levels in the liver and cecum, and reduce the bacterial load in the liver and feces in Salmonella enteritidis-infected mice. In conclusion, CAR@PP is a promising alternative to antibiotics in livestock and poultry farming warranting further research.

REVIEWING LIMITED SUPPLY CRYPTO PROJECTS: ULTIMA, COREDAOVIP

Ultima (also referred to as PLC Ultima) is a cryptocurrency and blockchain-based ecosystem aimed at providing a range of financial services. It offers tools like a cryptocurrency debit card, minting and farming solutions, cashback programs, and cryptocurrency wallets. The primary goal of Ultima is to facilitate global financial inclusion by giving users access to fintech services that traditional financial systems may not offer. On other hand, COREDAOVIP is a blockchain-based platform designed to enhance decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFT ecosystems through innovative liquidity pooling and automated trading mechanisms. Built on the foundation of Core DAO’s decentralized principles, COREDAOVIP aims to provide users with secure, transparent, and efficient financial solutions. It integrates smart contracts and cross-chain compatibility, enabling seamless interaction between different blockchain networks. Additionally, COREDAOVIP facilitates decentralized identity systems, offering users control over their data and assets while supporting NFT projects like 9NFTMania, which merges digital currency with NFT art. As DeFi and blockchain adoption grow, COREDAOVIP is positioned to play a key role in transforming financial ecosystems through enhanced security, liquidity, and decentralized governance. This platform’s innovative approach to token integration and decentralized trading enhances its potential in the rapidly evolving blockchain landscape.

Absorbance measurement for interdisciplinary educational experiment on cytotoxicity

Abstract We propose a multidisciplinary educational experiment, linking knowledge and skills in physics, biology and information technology through the training and application of the research method by students. From a physics point of view, the experiment consists in light absorption measurement, and in terms of biology, it demonstrates the process of cytotoxicity evaluation by means of the colorimetric method neutral red uptake in vitro test. The test allows to determine the concentration of a test drug at which 50% cytotoxicity (CC50 values) of the cells is observed. After initial exposure to the tested drug, neutral red (NR) is added to the cell culture medium, it is absorbed by the living cells and subsequently released in a desorb buffer. The cell culture medium becomes coloured, and the more intensive colour corresponds to higher cell viability, while more transparent solution corresponds to lower number of living cells. The NR concentration in the solution is estimated by the absorbance value. We measure the absorbance of NR by utilizing a very affordable educational-grade spectrometer and compare its output with that of a professional microplate reader. We show that the educational spectrometer gives a result on the CC50 value that is in agreement with the acceptable values of the official protocol. We include a comment on the results when performing this laboratory exercise in one class of 18 year old students (in their last year of secondary education). The experiment can be also successfully applied in the laboratory practicum of first year university study.

DEVELOPMENT OF FIELD WORK PRACTICE MANAGEMENT IN INFORMATICS INTEGRATED SERVICE SYSTEM

Field work practice is crucial for aligning college education with workplace skills, but manual management poses challenges such as time-consuming processes and limited information access, particularly within the Informatics Program at Mulawarman University. This research explores integrating field work practice with mobile technology through Rapid Application Development, resulting in a comprehensive field work practice management mobile app. Data collected from direct observation and student questionnaires inform the app's development. The app covers various field work practice aspects, facilitating efficient student engagement, and Black Box testing confirms its functionality without errors. This research significantly contributes to field work practice management, offering stakeholders an efficient, transparent, and well-integrated solution for field work practice implementation in academic settings, ultimately aiming to enhance convenience and accelerate the field work practice process for all involved parties.

Exploring the critical drivers of blockchain technology adoption in Indian industries using the best-worst method

PurposeThe purpose of our research on blockchain technology is to unveil its immense potential, understand its applications and implications and identify opportunities to revolutionize existing systems and processes. This research aims to inspire the creation of new innovative solutions for industries. By harnessing blockchain technology, organizations can pinpoint key areas that could significantly benefit from its use, such as streamlining operations, providing secure and transparent digital solutions and fortifying data security.Design/methodology/approachThis study presents a robust multi-criteria decision-making framework for assessing blockchain drivers in selected Indian industries. We initiated with an extensive literature review to identify potential drivers. We then sought the opinions of experts in the field to validate and refine our list. This meticulous process led us to identify 26 drivers, which we categorized into five main categories. Finally, we employed the Best-Worst Method to determine the relative importance of each criterion, ensuring a comprehensive and reliable assessment.FindingsThe authors have ranked the blockchain drivers based on their degree of importance using the Best-Worst Method. This study reveals the priority of BC implementation, with the retail industry identified as the most in need, followed by the Banking and Healthcare industries. Various critical factors are identified where blockchain technology could help reduce costs, increase efficiency and enable new innovative business models.Research limitations/implicationsWhile this study acknowledges potential bias in driver assessment relying on literature and expert opinions, its findings carry significant practical implications. We have identified key areas where blockchain technology could be transformative by focusing on select industries. Future research should encompass other industries and real-world case studies for practical insights that could delve into the adoption challenges and benefits of blockchain technology in many other industries, thereby amplifying the relevance of our findings.Originality/valueBlockchain is a groundbreaking, innovative technology with immense potential to revolutionize industries. Past research has explored the benefits and challenges of blockchain implementation in specific industries or sectors. This creates a gap in research regarding systematically classifying and ranking the importance of blockchain across different Indian industries. Our research seeks to address this gap by using advanced multi-criteria decision-making techniques. We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the significance of blockchain technology in critical Indian industries, offering valuable insights that can inform strategic decision-making and drive innovation in the country’s business landscape.

E-Voting in India: A Secure, Transparent, and Cost-Efficient Future Through Blockchain and Aadhaar Integration

This paper explores the potential for e-voting in India, focusing on the challenges of the current electoral system and how the integration of blockchain technology and Aadhaar can provide secure, transparent, and cost-efficient solutions. Drawing on global examples from countries like Estonia, Switzerland, and Brazil, the paper presents a case for India’s transition to e-voting, supported by data analysis of costs, voter turnout, environmental impact, and security concerns. It also proposes an implementation strategy, including cybersecurity measures, pilot programs, and legislative reforms required to bring e-voting to life in India.

HARNESSING BIG DATA AND MACHINE LEARNING FOR TRANSFORMATIVE HEALTHCARE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

This study explores the transformative impact of big data and machine learning (ML) on healthcare information management, drawing insights from a comprehensive review of 50 peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2023. The analysis highlights significant advancements in predictive analytics, with ML models improving disease prediction accuracy by up to 40% compared to traditional methods, as demonstrated in multiple studies. Personalized medicine has also benefited, with ML-driven treatment plans showing a 25% improvement in chronic disease management and a 15% reduction in treatment failures, as reported in several case studies. Additionally, integrating big data and ML into healthcare operations has led to a 35% reduction in patient wait times and a 20% decrease in hospital readmissions. However, challenges such as data fragmentation, privacy concerns, and algorithmic bias were identified in over 60% of the reviewed studies, indicating the need for stronger regulatory frameworks. This review underscores the potential of big data and ML to revolutionize healthcare while also calling attention to the ethical and practical challenges that must be addressed to ensure equitable and transparent healthcare solutions.

The Use of Blockchain in Securing Patient Data

As healthcare digitization progresses, securing sensitive patient data remains a critical challenge. Blockchain, a decentralized digital ledger technology, offers a promising solution by providing enhanced data integrity, security, and privacy. This paper examines the use of blockchain in healthcare for safeguarding patient data, examining its ability to mitigate cyber threats, ensure compliance with regulations, and promote trust in healthcare providers. Through case studies and real-world applications, this paper demonstrates how blockchain can revolutionize data security by offering decentralized, tamper-resistant, and transparent solutions. However, challenges related to its implementation, regulation, and adoption are also discussed. Ultimately, blockchain holds significant potential in transforming healthcare data management, but its adoption must be carefully navigated. Keywords: Blockchain, Patient Data Security, Healthcare, Decentralized Ledger, Data Privacy.

Application Properties of Gemini Quaternary Ammonium Salt with Quadra‐cationic Sites and Sodium Fatty Alcohol Polyoxyethylene Ether Carboxylate Mixed Systems

AbstractThe application properties such as foam property, electrolyte tolerance, antibacterial activity and antistatic performance of the mixed systems of a novel Gemini quaternary ammonium salt with quadra‐cationic sites (TC‐GS) and sodium fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether carboxylate (AE9CNa) at various molar fraction of TC‐GS (αTC‐GS), were investigated systematically. Results show that TC‐GS/AE9CNa mixed systems with different ratios form a homogeneous and transparent solution, which exhibits excellent foam stability and antibacterial activity. The foam volume of the mixed system remains nearly constant from 400 s to 1000 s, and even when TC‐GS is 10 mg/L in the mixed systems, the antibacterial rates against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) for 2 min. are all exceeded 99 %. The mixed systems of TC‐GS/AE9CNa at various αTC‐GS also demonstrate the superior electrolyte tolerance, their maximum tolerance of NaCl, CaCl2 and MgCl2 is severally beyond 270 g/L, 180 g/L and 180 g/L. In addition, both TC‐GS solution and the mixed systems have good antistatic properties, which can reduce the surface resistance of polyester fabric to ≤1010 Ω.

A blockchain-based platform for incentivizing customer reviews in the grocery industry

Nowadays, user-generated content is pivotal for many companies: people trust other customers' opinions more than any brand advertisement. Brands are aware of this and try to promote and motivate their customers to create high-quality content. However, this way of operating is still at an early stage: there is a lack of fairness, as companies typically do not provide a validation system, or if they do, it is not based on a transparent solution, and often there is no reward for creating unique and high-quality content. In this paper, we focus on the problem of incentivizing the user's creation of content in the form of customer reviews in the online grocery industry. Specifically, we illustrate the solution to the problem devised in the Re-Taled project by relying on blockchain technology. We developed a decentralized ecosystem of consumers, influencers, and manufacturers, where content creators are rewarded for their contribution according to a framework that provides incentives in the form of both reputation and monetization. Blockchain technology is used to certify the content's authenticity and compensate content creators with a cryptographic token. We illustrate the technical choices of the solution together with its software architecture and implemented platform. In particular, we introduce the framework used to validate the trustworthiness of user-generated content and favor fairness and transparency within the platform.

User perception of fluoride mouthwashes for daily use: A randomized clinical trial.

To assess user perceptions of different commercially available fluoride mouthwashes (FL-MWs). A single-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to a sequence of six different FL-MWs, one of which contained alcohol. For each visit, participants rinsed with one specific mouthwash (15 mL) for 30 s. After rinsing, participants completed a questionnaire with a visual analogue scale. Questions focused on overall taste, mild/pungent feeling, taste duration, foaming effect, burning sensation, sensitivity, numbness, dryness, rinsing time, smell, and colour of the mouthwashes. Descriptive analyses and statistical tests regarding differences among and between the mouthwashes were performed. Overall, 53 participants completed the study protocol, including nine who did, however, not rinse with the alcohol-containing mouthwash due to religious reasons. Among the mouthwashes, significant differences were found for foaming effect, sensitivity, rinsing time, smell, and colour (p < 0.05). Pairwise comparison for smell did not reveal a difference, and foaming was within the acceptance range (low to medium foaming). Coloured mouthwashes were more appreciated than transparent solutions (p = 0.00). The mouthwash containing essential oils and alcohol produced significantly more sensitivity (p = 0.00) and, in general, participants experienced the rinsing time significantly longer (p < 0.05) compared to the non-alcohol-containing mouthwashes. There is heterogeneity in user perceptions and preferences for FL-MWs, with a significant difference in foaming effect, sensitivity, rinsing time, smell, and colour. Coloured mouthwashes are preferred. The mouthwash containing essential oils and alcohol was less acceptable in relation to sensitivity and rinsing time.

Fabrication of Ruby by 3D printing of transparent salt solutions

A novel method is presented for fabricating 3D-printed Cr3+-doped α-Al2O3 complex structures, known as Ruby, using digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing and sol-gel reactions based on solutions only. The aqueous printing solution comprises aluminum and chromium chloride as the sol-gel precursor and acrylic acid (AA) as the polymerizable component. After photopolymerization, aging, and sintering at 1150°C, structures shrink up to 28±7 %, achieving a final printing resolution of 55.7±0.7 μm, surpassing the nominal printer’s resolution of 200 μm. Characterization includes X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, UV-Vis, and fluorescence measurements, revealing crystalline Cr:α-Al2O3 composition emitting at 693 nm. The structures exhibit maximum compression stress of 89±3 MPa and microhardness of 340–500 HV, showcasing potential applications in thermal insulation, jewelry, and mechanical uses.

β-(1 → 4)-Polyglucuronic acids with C2/C3-ketones prepared from regenerated cellulose by catalytic oxidation using solid NaOCl·5H2O

Three commercial regenerated cellulose samples were subjected to TEMPO-catalyzed oxidation using solid NaOCl·5H2O as the primary oxidant for structural analyses of the oxidized products (TEMPO = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl). The regenerated cellulose/water slurries became transparent solutions after oxidation for 60 min. The yields of the oxidized products were almost 100 % when they were isolated as precipitates in ethanol/water mixtures. The solution-state NMR spectra revealed that the oxidized products were almost pure water-soluble β-(1 → 4)-polyglucuronic acids; the reaction conditions described herein ensured the complete oxidation of the C6–OH groups in the regenerated cellulose samples to C6-carboxy groups. However, the solid-state 13C NMR spectra of the oxidized products indicated that C2/C3-ketones (<20 % of the total units) were formed during side reactions, which is characteristic for oxidized products prepared from regenerated cellulose with the C2/C3-glycol structure. These ketones were likely to form intermolecular hemiacetal linkages in the oxidized products. During conductivity titration of the oxidized products, it is necessary to control the sample masses to accurately determine the carboxy contents. The mass-average degree of polymerization decreased from 330 to 890 for the original regenerated cellulose samples to 65–79 for the oxidized products; substantial depolymerization is inevitable during TEMPO-catalyzed oxidation of the regenerated cellulose samples.