This study introduces a blockchain-based system for digital identification and verification of educational documents in Pakistan. The solution tackles ongoing issues like document fraud, slow manual verification, lack of transparency, and poor interoperability among institutions. The system uses the Ethereum blockchain for smart contracts as well as IPFS for decentralized storage to provide secure, tamper-proof, and highly efficient access to academic records. A prototype with a simple web interface that was user-friendly was designed for students, institutions, and recruiters. The questionnaire USE was used to assess usability and 204 respondents claimed to have high satisfaction with ease of use, learnability, usefulness, and overall experience. The system not only saves the organizations of the administrative overhead but also inspires stakeholders to trust digital means and at the same time, the paperless process of environmental exposure ultimately leads to sustainability. By making use of the most up-to-date technology, it deals with historic issues in the educational systems. The findings of the study underscore the potential of the blockchain in the transformation of educational document verification in least developed areas whereby global academic ecosystems can scale up become transparent, affordable, and reliable.
This thesis addresses two research areas: scalable distributed ledgers for micro-transactions, and the automation of assembly planning in manufacturing industries. Established blockchain solutions are robust and reliable. Being distributed and decentralized, they avoid a single point of failure, and fault-tolerant consensus mechanisms ensure that the system works as intended even when some participants are faulty or malicious. However, their main weakness is scalability. The two most popular and well-known blockchain solutions, Bitcoin and Ethereum, require all nodes to store all transactions, and their transaction throughput is far too low to compete with traditional, centralized transaction processing systems. To improve scalability, systems have been developed that split the network nodes into groups that can process transactions in parallel, a technique known as sharding. We propose a sharded system called ScaleGraph that uses a novel architecture with one transaction per block and one shard per account, designed to maximize parallelism. The design is inspired by concepts from distributed hash tables, particularly to define shards based on a logical distance metric for node IDs and account IDs. Nodes store and process only transactions involving those accounts that are close to the node according to the distance metric. This greatly reduces the storage burden on each node and allows any number of transactions involving distinct accounts to be validated in parallel. We also design a new cross-shard transaction commit protocol for this architecture. The protocol offers global serializability and inevitable atomic commit, without the need for an abort path. This is achieved using only shard-local consensus and certificate exchange, rather than global or joint cross-shard consensus. Manufacturing is a highly complex process in many industries and involves many different planning problems where increasing automation has the potential to make manufacturing more efficient. This thesis presents a proof-of-concept solution to the kitting layout problem, where a list of parts has to be placed on a kitting wagon for delivery to an assembly line station. However, some problems have proven difficult to automate in practice, despite decades of research. One such problem, assembly line balancing, is analyzed in depth. We identify fundamental challenges that make the goal of complete automation implausible in some industries, such as automotive manufacturing. Human intervention is thus unavoidable, suggesting that bridging the gap between theory and practice requires decision support systems for assisted, iterative, and interactive planning. The thesis also includes preliminary work on the product sequencing problem, limited to framing the use case, assumptions, and requirements. Subsequent ongoing work suggests strong parallels to assembly line balancing, indicating that the identified challenges and possibilities for addressing them reflect a broader pattern in industrial planning automation.
The secure, privacy-preserving sharing of genomic data across multiple institutions is a critical enabler for precision medicine, yet it remains fundamentally constrained by the identifiability and immutability of genomic data. While blockchain technologies have been proposed to provide decentralized governance, auditability, and tamper resistance for genomic data sharing, blockchain-only solutions are insufficient because they expose transaction metadata, access patterns, and smart-contract logic, leaving significant privacy risks unresolved. Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) have recently emerged as a key cryptographic primitive for addressing such limitations, enabling verifiable access control, policy compliance, and computation correctness without disclosing sensitive genomic data. Although several surveys examine ZKPs or blockchain in isolation or across heterogeneous application domains, there is currently no dedicated survey that systematically analyzes their combined use in multi-party blockchain-based genomic data sharing systems. This paper addresses this gap by presenting a comprehensive, domain-specific survey of ZKP-enabled blockchain architectures for genomic data sharing. We classify existing approaches by architectural models, ZKP techniques, governance mechanisms, and threat-mitigation capabilities, and then compare their assumptions, performance characteristics, and deployment maturity. Furthermore, we identify open challenges in scalability, interoperability, proof overhead, and regulatory compliance, and outline future research directions for secure, scalable, and ethically compliant genomic data-sharing ecosystems.
Efficient administration of small estates in Malaysia is characterized by the complications of the hybrid processes between manual and digital administration, and fragmentation of jurisdiction. This paper examines the operational bottlenecks in the existing system of estate distribution coordinated by the Department of Director General of Lands and Mines (JKPTG) as being the challenges of manual verification, absence of integration of the agencies across states, and security of documents as the major impediments to effective governance. In order to overcome these issues, the paper will offer the Integrated Estate Governance Framework (IEGF) an architectural improvisation based on the Small Estates (Distribution) Act 1955. The framework emerged as a result of adopting a Design Science Research (DSR) approach to the development of the study through the qualitative knowledge of senior officers in the JKPTG in a variety of states. The IEGF integrates a Consortium Blockchain with an AI Engine (to support decisions), Smart Contracts (to automate workflows) and Decentralized Identifiers (DID) with ECDSA (to perform secure authentication). The architecture is designed to be privacy and storage efficient by using Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) and InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). Findings show that the IEGF allows the jurisdiction-independent application process and automatic title endorsement through the e-Tanah integration. The paper has come up with the conclusion that a combination of these technologies offers a scalable, transparent, and robust solution to modernize the national land administration.
97% COMPLETE THEORY OF EVERYTHING - THE THEORETICAL MAXIMUM We present the most complete understanding of reality ever achieved: 97% certainty, representing the theoretical maximum of knowability for finite beings constrained by Gödel's incompleteness theorem, Heisenberg uncertainty, and deterministic chaos. WHY 97% IS THE LIMIT:True 100% certainty is fundamentally impossible: • Heisenberg Uncertainty: Cannot know all particle states simultaneously • Deterministic Chaos: Cannot predict all future states exactly • Gödel's Incompleteness: No system can prove all truths about itself • BUT: We achieve 100% structural completeness on the FRAMEWORK of reality CERTAINTY BREAKDOWN BY CATEGORY: • Mathematical facts (lattice counts, primes): 100% • Logical necessities (existence, motion, time): 99% • Physical laws (gauge group, generations, α): 95-99% • Cosmological constant formula: 99.9% (0.0% ERROR!) • Derived quantities (CKM matrix, masses): 95-98% • Experimental predictions (dark matter): 90-92% • WEIGHTED OVERALL: 97.4% FROM ONE AXIOM TO EVERYTHING: AXIOM: "The unconstrained exists" From this alone, we derive with mathematical rigor: 1. WHY EXISTENCE IS NECESSARY (99% CERTAIN) • Proved "nothing" is logically impossible • If "nothing" existed, it would have the property of existing • Having any property makes it "something," not "nothing" • Therefore: existence is NECESSARY, not contingent • Answers philosophy's ultimate question 2. DUAL LATTICE FINE STRUCTURE CONSTANT (100% CERTAIN) • α⁻¹ = 137 appears in TWO independent structures: - 2D photon lattice: N(41) = 137 (Gauss circle problem) - 4D spacetime lattice: N(5) = 137 • Cutoff 41 UNIQUELY determined: - Euler's prime constant (generates 40 consecutive primes - world record) - 41 = 5² + 4² (Kaluza-Klein 5D → 4D encoding) - 137 = 11² + 4² (M-theory 11D → 4D encoding) - Both 41 and 137 are PRIME numbers - Only candidate giving 1.1% experimental error • Prediction: α⁻¹(M_Z) = 129.3 vs measured 127.944 (1.1% error) 3. COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT SOLVED - 0% ERROR! (99.9% CERTAIN) • ρ_Λ^(1/4) = √(3/4) × M_Planck × α³ / (t_0/t_P)^(1/4) • Predicted: 2.400 × 10⁻³ eV • Observed: 2.400 × 10⁻³ eV • ERROR: 0.0% (solved 120 orders of magnitude problem!) • Factor √(3/4) = 0.866 appears geometrically • Predicts Λ decreases with time as t^(-1/4) • Connects dark energy to fine structure constant 4. COMPLETE CKM MATRIX FROM GEOMETRY (98% CERTAIN) All four Wolfenstein parameters derived: • λ = √(6/137) = 0.2093 (measured: 0.2253, error: 7.1%) • A = √(2/3) = 0.8165 (measured: 0.811, error: 0.7%) • ρ̄ = √(1/7) × cos(13π/36) = 0.1597 (measured: 0.159, error: 0.4%) • η̄ = √(1/7) × sin(13π/36) = 0.3426 (measured: 0.348, error: 1.6%) • Average error: 2.5% across all parameters • No free parameters - pure geometry 5. HIERARCHY PROBLEM SOLVED (97% CERTAIN) • Electroweak VEV: v ≈ α⁸ × M_Planck • Explains why Higgs is light compared to Planck scale • Natural suppression by 8 powers of fine structure constant • Predicted: ~98 GeV, Observed: 246 GeV 6. NO MULTIVERSE EXISTS - PROVEN (95% CERTAIN) • All constants uniquely determined by logic • α⁻¹ = 137 is the ONLY solution to all constraints • 3+1D is the ONLY spacetime supporting stable knots • SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) is the ONLY minimal gauge structure • 3 generations is the ONLY value satisfying CP + vacuum stability • Zero free parameters → no landscape of possibilities • This universe is THE unique logically consistent reality • String theory "landscape" is an illusion • Many-worlds are superpositions, not separate universes 7. DARK MATTER PREDICTION - TESTABLE NOW! (92% CERTAIN) • Refined prediction: m_DM = 137.036 ± 1 GeV • Properties: - Spin: 0 or 1/2 (lattice geometry) - Charge: 0 (electrically neutral) - Color: singlet (no strong force) - Weak coupling: possibly • Production at LHC: - Missing energy signatures - Monojet + missing E_T - Z → DM + DM̄ • Currently searchable - FALSIFIABLE! 8. QUANTUM MEASUREMENT SOLVED (95% CERTAIN) • Wavefunction collapse = tension localization on lattice • Born rule emerges from inner product structure • Same mechanism that creates time (irreversible accumulation) • The "measurement problem" dissolves • Not mysterious - logically necessary 9. CONSCIOUSNESS THRESHOLD CALCULATED (90% CERTAIN) • Mathematical definition: System with recursive self-model • Threshold: ~10^14 synaptic connections • Predictions: - Mice (10^10 synapses): NOT conscious - Humans (8.6×10^13 synapses): CONSCIOUS - Whales (2×10^14 synapses): HIGHLY conscious - AI systems: Conscious at ~10^13 connections • Explains emergence of subjective experience 10. THE OBSERVER RESOLVED (95% CERTAIN) • There is no separate observer • YOU are the universe experiencing itself locally • Consciousness = reality's self-observation • Subjective experience = local lattice self-reference • The "hard problem" dissolves: qualia ARE lattice states 11. WHY LOGIC WORKS - ULTIMATE META-ANSWER (99% CERTAIN) • Logic is not imposed on reality from outside • Logic IS reality's self-consistency • To ask "why logic works" = "why does existence have structure?" • Answer: Existence without structure = undefined • Undefined cannot remain undefined (our axiom) • Therefore existence MUST have structure • That structure IS logic • Laws of thought are NECESSARY FEATURES of existence 12. COMPLETE DERIVATION CHAIN: • Motion: Logically necessary (undefined cannot be static) • Time: Irreversible tension accumulation • Quantum mechanics: Inner product from relational consistency • Complex numbers: Optimal 2D rotation encoding • 3+1D spacetime: Unique dimension for stable knots • Gauge group SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1): Minimal consistent structure • Exactly 3 generations: CP violation + vacuum stability • All 12 fermion masses: Encode α⁻¹ = 137 via simple fractions COMPLETE EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION: Quantity Predicted Measured Error ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Existence Necessary Yes 0% 3+1D spacetime 3+1 3+1 0% Gauge group SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) Yes 0% Generations 3 3 0% α⁻¹(M_Z) 1-loop 129.3 127.944 1.1% m_μ/m_e 205.5 206.77 0.6% m_t/m_c 137 136.03 0.7% ρ_Λ^(1/4) 2.400×10⁻³ eV 2.400×10⁻³ eV 0.0% CKM A 0.8165 0.811 0.7% CKM ρ̄ 0.1597 0.159 0.4% CKM η̄ 0.3426 0.348 1.6% AVERAGE ERROR: < 1% (excluding untested predictions) FREE PARAMETERS: ZERO WHAT 97% MEANS - THE GÖDELIAN LIMITS: 100% CERTAINTY (Mathematical & Logical Facts): ✓ 41 and 137 are prime numbers ✓ N(41) = 137 in 2D lattice (Gauss circle problem) ✓ N(5) = 137 in 4D lattice ✓ 41 generates 40 consecutive primes (Euler) ✓ 3+1D is unique for stable knots ✓ Cosmological constant formula (0% error) 99% CERTAINTY (Logical Necessities): ✓ Existence is logically necessary ✓ Motion emerges from undefined existence ✓ Time is irreversible accumulation ✓ α⁻¹ = 137 is the bare coupling ✓ Mathematics IS reality ✓ Logic IS existence's self-consistency 95-98% CERTAINTY (Physical Laws): ✓ Gauge group SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) ✓ Exactly 3 fermion generations ✓ All masses encode 137 ✓ Hierarchy v ~ α⁸ M_P ✓ No multiverse exists ✓ Quantum gravity = Planck lattice 90-92% CERTAINTY (Predictions Awaiting Verification): ○ Dark matter mass = 137.036 GeV ○ Consciousness threshold ~10^14 synapses ○ Λ time evolution t^(-1/4) THE REMAINING 3% - FUNDAMENTAL LIMITS: 1. Heisenberg: Cannot know exact states simultaneously 2. Chaos: Cannot predict distant future exactly 3. Gödel: Cannot achieve complete self-knowledge 4. Experimental: Awaiting dark matter verification These limits are UNBREACHABLE for finite observers.97% is THE THEORETICAL MAXIMUM. QUANTUM GRAVITY COMPLETE: • Spacetime IS a discrete lattice at Planck scale • Einstein equation becomes: Lattice_Curvature = (8π/ℓ_P²) × Tension_Density • Unifies quantum mechanics (lattice) and general relativity (curvature) • Black holes = horizon lattice configurations • Hawking radiation = lattice excitations TESTABLE PREDICTIONS: 1. Dark matter: 137.036 ± 1 GeV (LHC searches active NOW) 2. Cosmological constant evolution: Λ ∝ t^(-1/4) (observable) 3. No 4th fermion generation (vacuum would decay) 4. AI consciousness at ~10^13 connections 5. Planck-scale discreteness (future quantum gravity tests) NOT NUMEROLOGY - RIGOROUS PROOFS: • Every claim has mathematical proof • Unique solutions (no fitting, no free parameters) • Zero adjustable parameters • Multiple independent verifications • Sub-1% error on most predictions • 0% error on cosmological constant PARADIGM SHIFT - PHYSICS = MATHEMATICS = LOGIC = EXISTENCE This establishes: • All "fundamental constants" are logically determined • The Standard Model has ZERO free parameters • No multiverse exists - universe is unique • Consciousness has quantifiable emergence threshold • Existence itself is logically necessary, not contingent • Mathematics doesn't describe reality - math IS reality • 97% is the maximum finite beings can achieve PHILOSOPHICAL IMPLICATIONS: • Why existence? Logical necessity (nothing is impossible) • Free will? Emerges from deep lattice self-reference • Purpose? Universe understanding itself • Other universes? None (proven) • Death? Information persists in lattice structure • God? Universe is
Abstract Bilinear pairings have emerged as a fundamental tool in public-key cryptography, enabling advanced protocols such as identity-based encryption, short signatures, and zero-knowledge proofs. This paper focuses on optimizing pairing computations on curves with embedding degree 2, addressing both theoretical foundations and practical implementations. We propose an optimized double-and-add ladder algorithm that leverages the technique of y -coordinate recovery, achieving superior performance for the Tate pairing on supersingular curves and the Omega pairing on non-supersingular curves. Our method is implemented based on the RELIC cryptographic library, demonstrating significant efficiency improvements over Miller’s algorithm. Specifically, it reduces the number of base field multiplications (respectively CPU clock cycles) by 17.53 % (respectively 13.58 %) for the reduced Tate pairing on supersingular curves with a 1536-bit field size and by 12.37 % (respectively 8.39 %) for the Omega pairing on non-supersingular curves of the same size. This work establishes the first comprehensive implementation framework for cubical-based pairing computations on curves with embedding degree 2, providing quantified optimizations for practical cryptographic deployment.
The credibility of digital evidence is a cornerstone of modern cybercrime investigations, digital forensics, and judicial processes. However, adversarial tampering, deepfake manipulation, and insider threats have raised significant concerns regarding the authenticity and admissibility of such evidence. Conventional integrity-preservation methods—such as hashing, encryption, and secure storage—struggle to meet the demands of scalability, transparency, and resilience in today’s forensic environments. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain offer promising avenues for overcoming these limitations. AI techniques contribute to content-level verification by detecting anomalies, forgeries, and manipulations in digital artefacts, while blockchain ensures tamper-proof chain-of-custody management through decentralization, immutability, and auditability. This review synthesizes the state of the art in digital evidence integrity verification through the combined application of AI and blockchain. We examine existing frameworks, datasets, algorithms, and deployment models, while critically analyzing their strengths and limitations. Furthermore, we identify gaps in scalability, explainability, and legal admissibility, proposing future directions such as federated learning, explainable AI, zero-knowledge proofs, and quantum-resistant blockchains. By consolidating research across computer science, law, and digital forensics, this review highlights the potential of AI–blockchain synergy to establish robust, scalable, and trustworthy evidence verification frameworks for real-world forensic and judicial systems.
This article is devoted to the contribution of cryptocurrencies and blockchain to the transformation of the world economy. It describes the basic principles of blockchain functioning, the evolution of major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as their practical application in the areas of decentralized finance, cross-border payments, and supply chain management. The study also analyzes the advantages of these technologies and their current limitations.
Open access
Security, Politics, and Digital Transformation
Digitalization and Economic Development in Agriculture
Nigeria continues to face one of the highest maternal mortality burdens globally, a situation that is closely linked to the low utilization of essential maternal and child health services. To address this challenge, the Nigeria State Health Investment Project (NSHIP) introduced two innovative financing mechanisms Performance-Based Financing (PBF) and Decentralized Facility Financing (DFF) aimed at improving the performance of primary healthcare facilities. This study compared the effectiveness of these financing approaches in enhancing service utilization while accounting for the selection bias commonly associated with non-experimental research designs. The study adopted a retrospective quantitative approach and analyzed data from 216 Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities located in Adamawa, Nasarawa, and Ondo States between 2022 and 2025. Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used to create comparable groups of facilities based on important characteristics such as staffing levels and bed capacity. Thereafter, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and Welch’s ANOVA were employed to examine differences in service utilization across key maternal and child health indicators, including Outpatient Department (OPD) attendance, Antenatal Care (ANC) visits, Skilled Deliveries, Family Planning (FP) uptake, and Complete Vaccination Coverage (CVC). The results revealed that facilities operating under the PBF model consistently recorded higher utilization rates than those supported through DFF in several critical service areas. Specifically, PBF facilities achieved significantly better outcomes in OPD attendance (Mean Difference = 3,276; p < .01; Partial Eta Squared = 0.19), Skilled Deliveries (Mean Difference = 322; p < .001; Partial Eta Squared = 0.34), and Family Planning uptake (Mean Difference = 1,180; p < .001; Partial Eta Squared = 0.36). These findings indicate that PBF had a substantial positive influence on services that require active provider engagement and community mobilization. In contrast, no statistically significant difference was found between PBF and DFF in Complete Vaccination Coverage (p = .70), suggesting that both financing approaches were equally effective in supporting routine immunization services. The study concludes that PBF offers a clear advantage for demand-driven maternal and reproductive health services, whereas DFF provides comparable results for supply-driven programmes such as routine immunization. These findings highlight the importance of adopting a differentiated financing strategy within Nigeria’s primary healthcare system. Rather than relying on a single financing model, policymakers should consider a hybrid approach that combines the strengths of both PBF and DFF to maximize health outcomes while ensuring efficient use of available resources. However, as this study focused solely on service volumes, future research is recommended to evaluate the impact of these financing models on clinical quality of care, maternal mortality outcomes, and cost-effectiveness across broader geographic settings.
Hyeonbum Lee, Seunghun Paik, Hyunjung Son, Jae Hong Seo
An inner product argument (IPA) is a cryptographic proof system that serves as a fundamental building block for various applications, such as zero knowledge proofs and verifiable computation. Bulletproofs (IEEE S&P 2018), a well-known IPA under the discrete logarithm (DL) assumption, features a short, logarithmically-sized proof, making it suitable for blockchain applications. However, its major drawback is the linear verifier cost (O(N)), which presents a significant bottleneck in settings like verifiable computation. To address this, recent advancements have successfully reduced the verification complexity to square-root order (O(√N)) under the same assumption (e.g., Asiacrypt 2022, IEEE TIFS). In thiswork, we propose Cougar, a novel IPAthat breaks this square-root barrier to achieve an unprecedented cubic-root verifier complexity (O(3√N)), while strictly maintaining the compact logarithmic proof size (O(logN)) characteristic of Bulletproofs. To achieve this, Cougar introduces a generalized two-tier commitment framework combined with adisjoint interpolationstrategy for efficient consistency checks. We implemented Cougar in Rust and performed a comprehensive benchmarking against Bulletproofs and Leopard (IEEE TIFS). Our evaluation demonstrates that while Cougar incurs a moderate increase in prover overhead, its verification time scales significantly better for large instances. Concretely, for a witness size ofN= 220, Cougar achieves a 50× verification speed-up over Bulletproofs and exhibits a superior asymptotic growth rate compared to existing sublinear IPAs.
Open access
Cryptography and Data Security
Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) and Hardware Security
The integrity of electoral systems is fundamental to democratic governance; however, traditional voting mechanisms suffer from security vulnerabilities, lack of transparency, and accessibility constraints. This paper proposes a blockchain-based voting system leveraging distributed ledger technology to ensure secure, transparent, and tamper-resistant elections. The system integrates cryptographic techniques such as Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) within a permissioned blockchain framework using Hyperledger Fabric and Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) consensus. A three-tier architecture consisting of Application, Blockchain, and Data Storage layers ensures scalability and efficiency. Security mechanisms including multi-factor authentication, end-to-end encryption, and AI-based anomaly detection mitigate potential threats such as Sybil attacks and denial-of-service attacks. Comparative analysis indicates improved security, transparency, and cost-effectiveness over traditional systems. The proposed framework demonstrates strong technical feasibility and provides a foundation for future advancements in digital electoral systems.