Coercion-Resistant Hybrid Voting Systems

Abstract: This paper proposes hybrid voting systems as a solution for the vote buying and voter coercion problem of electronic voting systems. The key idea is to allow voters to revoke and overrule their electronic votes at the polling station. We analyze the potential and pitfalls of such revocation procedures and give concrete recommendations on how to build a hybrid system offering coercion-resistance based on this feature. Our solution may be of interest to governments, which aim at integrating paper-based and electronic voting systems rather than replacing the former by the latter.

Pseudo-Code Algorithms for Verifiable Re-Encryption Mix-Nets

Implementing the shuffle proof of a verifiable mix-net is one of the most challenging tasks in the implementation of an electronic voting system. For non-specialists, even if they are experienced software developers, this task is nearly impossible to fulfill without spending an enormous amount of resources into studying the necessary cryptographic theory. In this paper, we present one of the existing shuffle proofs in a condensed form and explain all the necessary technical details in corresponding pseudo-code algorithms. The goal of presenting the shuffle proof in this form is to make it accessible to a broader audience and to facilitate its implementation by non-specialists

Positional information, in bits

Cells in a developing embryo have no direct way of "measuring" their physical position. Through a variety of processes, however, the expression levels of multiple genes come to be correlated with position, and these expression levels thus form a code for "positional information." We show how to measure this information, in bits, using the gap genes in the Drosophila embryo as an example. Individual genes carry nearly two bits of information, twice as much as expected if the expression patterns consisted only of on/off domains separated by sharp boundaries. Taken together, four gap genes carry enough information to define a cell's location with an error bar of ~1% along the anterior-posterior axis of the embryo. This precision is nearly enough for each cell to have a unique identity, which is the maximum information the system can use, and is nearly constant along the length of the embryo. We argue that this constancy is a signature of optimality in the transmission of information from primary morphogen inputs to the output of the gap gene network

Digitale Direkte Demokratie - Schweizer Volksrechte stärken

Die Digitalisierung löst ein Wechselbad von überzogenen Hoffnungen und irrationalen Ängsten aus. Dies gilt nicht zuletzt für digitale Prozesse in demokratischen Abläufen: Wie wirken sie sich auf die Volksrechte der Schweizerinnen und Schweizer aus? Die neue Avenir-Suisse-Publikation «Digitale Direkte Demokratie» zeigt die Möglichkeiten der elektronischen Mitbestimmung auf, benennt Herausforderungen und zeichnet eine Roadmap für die erfolgreiche Weiterentwicklung direktdemokratischer Instrumente

CHVote Protocol Specification

This document provides a self-contained, comprehensive, and fully-detailed specification of a new cryptographic voting protocol designed for political elections in Switzerland. The document describes every relevant aspect and every necessary technical detail of the computations and communications performed by the participants during the protocol execution. To support the general understanding of the cryptographic protocol, the document accommodates the necessary mathematical and cryptographic background information. By providing this information to the maximal possible extent, it serves as an ultimate companion document for the developers in charge of implementing this system. It may also serve as a manual for developers trying to implement an independent election verification software. The decision of making this document public even enables implementations by third parties, for example by students trying to develop a clone of the system for scientific evaluations or to implement protocol extensions to achieve additional security properties. In any case, the target audience of this document are system designers, software developers, and cryptographic experts

TLR4 activation induces IL-1ss release via an IPAF dependent but caspase 1/11/8 independent pathway in the lung

Background: The IL-1 family of cytokines is known to play an important role in inflammation therefore understanding the mechanism by which they are produced is paramount. Despite the recent plethora of publications dedicated to the study of these cytokines, the mechanism by which they are produced in the airway following endotoxin, Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), exposure is currently unclear. The aim was to determine the mechanism by which the IL-1 cytokines are produced after LPS inhaled challenge. Methods:Mice were challenged with aerosolised LPS, and lung tissue and bronchiolar lavage fluid (BALF) collected. Targets were measured at the mRNA and protein level; caspase activity was determined using specific assays. Results: BALF IL-1b/IL-18, but not IL-1a, was dependent on Ice Protease-Activating Factor (IPAF), and to a lesser extent Apoptosis-associated Speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC). Interestingly, although we measured an increase in mRNA expression for caspase 1 and 11, we could not detect an increase in lung enzyme activity or a role for them in IL-1a/b production. Further investigations showed that whilst we could detect an increase in caspase 8 activity at later points in the time course (during resolution of inflammation), it appeared to play no role in the production of IL-1 cytokines in this model system. Conclusions: TLR4 activation increases levels of BALF IL-1b/IL-18 via an IPAF dependent and caspase 1/11/8 independent pathway. Furthermore, it would appear that the presence of IL-1a in the BALF is independent of these pathways. This novel data sheds light on innate signalling pathways in the lung that control the production of these key inflammatory cytokines

Hyperpolarized 83Kr magnetic resonance imaging of alveolar degradation in a rat model of emphysema

Hyperpolarized 83Kr surface quadrupolar relaxation (SQUARE) generates MRI contrast that was previously shown to correlate to surface to volume ratios in porous model surface systems. The underlying physics of SQUARE contrast is conceptually different from any other current MRI methodology as the method utilizes the nuclear electric properties of the spin I = 9/2 isotope 83Kr. To explore the usage of this non-radioactive isotope for pulmonary pathophysiology, MRI SQUARE contrast was acquired in excised rat lungs obtained from an elastase induced model of emphysema. A significant 83Kr T1 relaxation time increase in the SQUARE contrast was found in the elastase treated lungs compared to the baseline data from control lungs. The SQUARE contrast suggests a reduction in pulmonary surface to volume ratio in the emphysema model that was validated by histology. The finding supports usage of 83Kr SQUARE as new biomarker for surface to volume ratio changes in emphysema