Novel Secret Sharing and Commitment Schemes for Cryptographic Applications

In the second chapter, the notion of a social secret sharing (SSS) scheme is introduced in which shares are allocated based on a player's reputation and the way she interacts with other parties. In other words, this scheme renews shares at each cycle without changing the secret, and it allows the trusted parties to gain more authority. Our motivation is that, in real-world applications, components of a secure scheme have different levels of importance (i.e., the number of shares a player has) and reputation (i.e., cooperation with other parties). Therefore, a good construction should balance these two factors accordingly. In the third chapter, a novel socio-rational secret sharing (SRS) scheme is introduced in which rational foresighted players have long-term interactions in a social context, i.e., players run secret sharing while founding and sustaining a public trust network. To motivate this, consider a repeated secret sharing game such as sealed-bid auctions. If we assume each party has a reputation value, we can then penalize (or reward) the players who are selfish (or unselfish) from game to game. This social reinforcement stimulates the players to be cooperative in the secret recovery phase. Unlike the existing protocols in the literature, the proposed solution is stable and it only has a single reconstruction round. In the fourth chapter, a comprehensive analysis of the existing dynamic secret sharing (DSS) schemes is first provided. In a threshold scheme, the sensitivity of the secret and the number of players may fluctuate due to various reasons. Moreover, a common problem with almost all secret sharing schemes is that they are ``one-time'', meaning that the secret and shares are known to everyone after secret recovery. We therefore provide new techniques where the threshold and/or the secret can be changed multiple times to arbitrary values after the initialization. In addition, we introduce a new application of dynamic threshold schemes, named sequential secret sharing (SQS), in which several secrets with increasing thresholds are shared among the players who have different levels of authority. In the fifth chapter, a cryptographic primitive, named multicomponent commitment scheme (MCS) is proposed where we have multiple committers and verifiers. This new scheme is used to construct different sealed-bid auction protocols (SAP) where the auction outcomes are defined without revealing the losing bids. The main reason for constructing secure auctions is the fact that the values of the losing bids can be exploited in future auctions and negotiations if they are not kept private. In our auctioneer-free protocols, bidders first commit to their bids before the auction starts. They then apply a decreasing price mechanism to define the winner and selling price in an unconditionally secure setting

E.A.I. Anxiety: Technopanic and Post-Human Potential

Robots have been a part of the imagination of Western culture for centuries. The possibility for automation and artificial life has inspired the curiosity of thinkers like Leonardo Da Vinci who once designed a mechanical knight. It wasn\u27t until the 19th century that automated machinery has become realized. The confrontation between human and automation has inspired a fear, referred to as technopanic , that has been exacerbated in tandem with the evolution of technology. This thesis seeks to discover the historical precedence for these fears. I explore three modes of knowledge (Philosophy, Economics, and Film Theory) to examine the agendas behind the messages on the topic of Artificial Life, specifically Robots. I then advocate for an alternative philosophy called Post-Humanism. I argue that what is needed to alleviate the fears and anxieties of Western culture is a shift in how humanity views itself and its relation to the natural world. By structuring my thesis in this way, I identify the roots of Western humanity\u27s anthropocentric ontology first, explore the economic implications of automation second, analyze the cultural anticipations of artificial life in Western media third, and finally offer an alternative attitude and ethic as a way out of the pre-established judgments that do little to protect Western culture from E.A.I

Improvement of incentive mechanisms for medical service supply

Medical system design is a crucial issue in the reform of medical system in all countries. Top priority has been placed on the medical system design. In China, likewise, there are great difficulties in the reform of medical system. It is a major concern of the whole society to scientifically design a medical service supply mechanism that conforms to China’s national conditions. In the provision of medical services, all sides in the society are involved: government departments, medical institutions, patients, experts, scholars and media, which all belong to the stakeholders of medical services. By specifying the contradiction, role and status of the stakehol ders, this thesis conducts a comprehensive analysis of the stakeholders of medical service provision from the perspective of suppliers and demanders of medical services, and explores the demands and action strategies of the stakeholders. On the basis of th e comprehensive analysis results of the stakeholders, the interests of all sides are coordinated and effective inventive mechanisms are formulated. The ultimate purpose is to figure out an effective incentive mechanism that can improve the medical services , raise the medical service quality, and encourage the stakeholders of medical services to proactively participate in the provision of medical services. Based on the data collection and research questionnaire in Nanning, Liuzhou and Guilin, it is found tha t raising penalties, adjusting prices and providing fiscal appropriation to local governments are the effective measures for improving the medical services while the subsidy policy is not an efficient motivating measure. Additionally, it is also found that patients are willing to pay more to improve the medical services. In the future, further efforts should be made to subdivide the stakeholders of medical services and carry out empirical analysis from the perspective of dynamic game.Quando se pretende reformar um sistema médico a fase de concepção é de crucial importância. A prioridade máxima deve ser colocada na concepção do sistema médico. Na China, como em outros países, existem grandes dificuldades na reforma do sistema médico. A concepção de um sistema de oferta de serviços médicos que tenham em conta as características chinesas constitui uma preocupação de toda a sociedade. Na provisão de serviços médicos, toda a sociedade chinesa está envolvida: departamentos governamentais, instituições médicas, doentes, profissionais da saúde, académicos e meios de comunicação. Os denominados stakeholders dos serviços médicos. Ao analisar as contradições, o papel e a importância dos diferentes stakeholders dos serviços de saúde, esta tese apresenta uma análise profunda na perspectiva da procura e da oferta e identifica as estratégias dos diferentes stakeholders. Tendo por base os diferentes interesses dos stakeholders a tese propõe mecanismos de incentivo com vista à sua coordenação. O principal objectivo é propor mecanismos de incentivo que sejam capazes de melhorar a qualidade dos serviços médicos e encorajar os diferentes stakeholders a participar de uma forma proactiva na provisão de serviços médicos. Tendo por base os dados recolhidos através de questionários em Nanning, Liuzhou e Guilin, concluímos que o aumento das penalizações, o ajustamento dos preços e a apropriação fiscal pelos governos locais constituem medidas efetivas para a melhoria dos serviços médicos enquanto a política de subsídios não constitui uma medida motivadora. Concluímos também que os utentes estão dispostos a pagar mais para melhorar os serviços. No futuro, os novos estudos deverão ter em consideração uma análise mais fina dos stakeholders e utilizar a metodologia dinâmica da teoria dos jogos

Performing the digital: performativity and performance studies in digital cultures

How is performativity shaped by digital technologies - and how do performative practices reflect and alter techno-social formations? "Performing the Digital" explores, maps and theorizes the conditions and effects of performativity in digital cultures. Bringing together scholars from performance studies, media theory, sociology and organization studies as well as practitioners of performance, the contributions engage with the implications of digital media and its networked infrastructures for modulations of affect and the body, for performing cities, protest, organization and markets, and for the performativity of critique. With contributions by Marie-Luise Angerer, Timon Beyes, Scott deLahunta and Florian Jenett, Margarete Jahrmann, Susan Kozel, Ann-Christina Lange, Oliver Leistert, Martina Leeker, Jon McKenzie, Sigrid Merx, Melanie Mohren and Bernhard Herbordt, Imanuel Schipper and Jens Schröter

The social and cultural constructions of the self-identity of white American corporate businesswomen in historiography, literature, and popular culture (1963-1985).

The purpose of this cross-disciplinary dissertation is to explore how the epistemic ruptures, such as WWII and the Second Wave Feminism, change the American society between 1963 and 1985. From a humanistic and historical point of view, it focuses on (l) the self-identity of modern white American corporate businesswomen (WACB) between 1963 and 1985, (2) the change of their self-identity in comparison with the historical period between 1920 and 1963, and (3) how their self-identity is socially and culturally constructed by analyzing evidence from 3 disciplines-historiography, literature, and popular culture. The major theories used for the hermeneutic interpretation of the cultural evidence include the Identity theories, Social Constructionism, and post -structural Feminism. The results show that the self-identity of the white American corporate businesswomen between 1963 and 1985 has changed. First, in the attitude toward their work, businesswomen began to seek long-term careers in the business world, the traditional man\u27s word, rather than just regarding their work as a temporary job which they would give up if there were enough income from their husbands; instead, they believe that they can find great satisfaction in careers. Second, in their relationship with their families, businesswomen tended to believe that they should have it all by wearing all the hats of full-time wives, mothers, and career women, which means that they wanted to find great satisfaction in careers without ignoring their mates and/or their children. Third, in their relationship with their male counterparts, especially those in the workplace, they have changed from supporters of businessmen to businesswomen themselves who worked hard to be respected for their skills and abilities. As Betty Friedan states in her book The Second Stage (1998), the old problems of balancing the social roles of wives, mothers and workers still exist and the Feminism theories have not found a solution. As we know, the women\u27s movement still has a long way to go in the search of a solution. The last chapter of this dissertation claims that the Third Wave Feminism, led by Julia Kristeva and Luce Irigaray, may serve as another epistemic rupture in the new era, which gives us some new hope for the solution

In Brief

Table of Contents: Masthead Dean Resigns, Search Begins Happy Birthday to Ollie Author! Author! The Dean Reports William P. Marshall, Discrimination and the Right of Association Chief Justice Will Visit in February Focus on Texas Morris B. Shanker, The Folly of Full Settlements Checks -- a Declaration of Their Independence A New Award Whatever happened to... Gilda F. Spears 1976 Student of the Year To Be Young, Female, and a Lawyer -- A Continuation Kimm A. Walton, Law in a Flash Brian Deveau, \u2787, In Judge Swygert\u27s Chambers Or; How I Spent My Summer Vacation Kellogg Award (Angela Birch Cox) Merit Scholarship -- A New Sponsor 1985 Report of Giving Susan E. Frankel, \u2781, Class of 1988 A Group of First-Year Women Staff Changes Peter A. Joy, CWRU and Section 1983 Visitors to the Law School Two April Conferences(Canada-U.S. Conference and Law-Medicine Conference Supreme Court Case Re-Argued Here Faculty Publications Regional Alumni Events Fall 1985 Alumni Elections Alumni Annual Fund Off to a Great Start Alumni Weekend 1985 Class Notes In Memoriam Missing Persons Law Alumni Association Calendar of Eventshttps://scholarlycommons.law.case.edu/in_brief/1034/thumbnail.jp