Shalini, Abhay Bhatia, Dr. Parag Jain, Dr. Lokesh Kumar
Exceptional connectivity across global networks has been driven by the expansion of Internet of Things devices, while significant weaknesses in security, scalability, and data management have emerged. Distributed ledger technology offers creative solutions to these fundamental limitations. This article reviews the blending of Blockchain technology with IoT, analyzing its potential, challenges and current advances. The article also highlights various applications and future research directions. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding by synthesizing existing knowledge, identifying research gaps, and establishing the context for future studies of blockchain-IoT integration, emphasizing critical design considerations and practical implementations.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memetakan perkembangan dan arah evolusi riset mengenai perilaku investor di era digital melalui pendekatan bibliometrik. Data dikumpulkan dari basis data Scopus dan dianalisis menggunakan perangkat VOSviewer untuk mengidentifikasi pola publikasi, jaringan kolaborasi, serta struktur konseptual berdasarkan ko-occurence kata kunci. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa tema investasi dan pasar keuangan tetap menjadi fondasi utama literatur, namun dalam beberapa tahun terakhir terjadi pergeseran signifikan menuju integrasi teknologi digital seperti machine learning, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, dan decentralized finance. Visualisasi overlay memperlihatkan bahwa topik berbasis algoritma dan sistem keuangan terdesentralisasi merupakan tema yang relatif lebih mutakhir. Analisis jaringan kolaborasi mengindikasikan bahwa produksi ilmiah masih terpusat pada beberapa negara dan institusi tertentu, dengan keterlibatan terbatas dari negara berkembang. Secara konseptual, studi ini menunjukkan bahwa perilaku investor di era digital berkembang dari pendekatan psikologis tradisional menuju kerangka yang lebih terintegrasi dengan transformasi teknologi dan analitik berbasis data. Temuan ini memberikan arah penelitian lanjutan terkait bias perilaku dalam lingkungan investasi yang semakin terdigitalisasi dan dimediasi algoritma.
O. Kravets, B. Martynenkov, A. Tcvetkov, E. Puzhanova · 7 authors
The article discussed an algorithm for achieving mutual information coordination for a system with distributed ledger technology based on a blockchain. The goal is to develop a generalized approach to formalizing the operation of the distributed ledger technology blockchain system in the course of achieving mutual coordination, including taking into account the possibilities of implementing abnormal functions by the distributed ledger technology blockchain node of the system and grouping nodes. The rules of block chain formation in algorithms for achieving mutual information coordination are proposed. The process of achieving mutual information coordination is described. A mathematical model of the process of achieving mutual information coordination between the nodes of the distributed ledger technology blockchain system is proposed, which differs in the representation of the system by a team of finite automata with the possibility of creating associations (pools) and providing an assessment of the centralization of the system in the conditions of choosing different variants of behaviour strategy by automata.
Open access
Cybersecurity and Information Systems
Advanced Research in Systems and Signal Processing
The use of Federated Learning (FL) in sensitive, multi-party settings has made it even more important to have trust, accountability and safe systems of governance have become increasingly critical in the context of Federated Learning (FL) being utilized in sensitive multi-party environments. FL defends locality of data, but still can be poisoned with models, tampered with malicious gradient modification and unstable client behaviour due to lack of trust verification. The current paper examines how integrating Bloackchain Technology into FL(BCFL) provides an unquestioned system of governance that facilitates clear client accountability, model provenance tracing and record tampering resistant record management. We integrate the architectural and cryptographic and consensus conditions that are necessary in the development of robust BCFL systems with a special focus on the lightweight and reputation based processes of consensus. As a case in point, we critically examine an example of solidity-based prototype, ReputationManager.sol, which executes a Proof-of-Reputation (PoR) mechanism in which the aggregation weight of each client in a model is determined by its past integrity. According to our review, we find there is a Centralization Paradox in that, despite the implementation being based on a decentralized ledger, the prototype is premised on singlet owner access control, delegating trustlessness to a centralized blockchain administrator, and creating a single point of failure. We achieve this by pointing out important future directions including decentralized PoR models, automatic reputation updates in the basis of cryptographically checkable conduct and the introduction of Zero-Knowledge Proofs to formulate privacy preserving, regulation conformable and truly trustworthy BCFL regulation.
Results-Based Financing (RBF) has been promoted as an innovative health financing mechanism to improve service delivery and health outcomes in low-resource settings. However, evidence on its impact within devolved health systems remains limited. This study examines how RBF influences key performance indicators (KPIs) in Zambia's devolved district health services. An embedded multiple-case study was conducted across 12 districts in Northern Province, Zambia. Mixed methods were employed, combining qualitative interviews with 44 stakeholders and quantitative analysis of health facility data. The study focused on maternal and child health indicators, service utilization patterns, and health worker motivation following RBF implementation. RBF implementation was associated with improvements in several KPIs: maternal health outcomes (100% of facilities reported improvements), medicine availability (91%), and the quality of primary healthcare services (67%). Health worker motivation increased, with 42% agreeing and 24% strongly agreeing that RBF positively affected service delivery. Community-based volunteers responded positively to incentive structures. However, challenges included delayed fund disbursement (91.7% reported), inadequate funding (83.3%), and monitoring gaps (50%). RBF can enhance key health indicators in devolved systems when properly designed and implemented. Success depends on timely incentive disbursement, robust monitoring systems, and integration with existing community health structures. The study provides evidence for policymakers considering RBF scale-up in decentralized health systems.
Open access
Global Maternal and Child Health
Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
Zambia has implemented significant health-sector decentralization since 1992, culminating in the devolution of district health services to local authorities under the 2016 Constitutional Amendment. Results-Based Financing (RBF) has been piloted as a performance incentive mechanism, but its institutionalization within devolved structures remains largely unexplored. This study explores the opportunities and challenges of embedding RBF within Zambia's devolved health system, with a focus on Northern Province. A qualitative case study design was used, involving forty-four participants from twelve districts. Purposive sampling selected health workers from provincial and district health offices, local authority representatives, and national stakeholders. Data collection included semi-structured interviews, document reviews, and observations, with thematic analysis conducted using NVivo 9. Most respondents (82%) reported involvement in RBF implementation, and fifty-three% believed that increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocations improved district health services. Key benefits cited were increased accountability (81.8%) and greater community participation (77.3%). Challenges included insufficient funding (83.3%), delays in disbursing funds (91.7%), and limited understanding among local authority implementers. Infrastructure development and procurement of medical equipment were identified as primary areas for CDF improvements (56%). Respondents also agreed (53%) that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Local Government would support the institutionalization of RBF. Effective integration of RBF into devolved systems requires harmonizing policies between health and local government ministries, building capacity within local authorities, and aligning RBF with other domestic financing mechanisms, such as CDFs. A phased approach to integration, with clearly defined governance structures, is recommended to ensure sustainable scaling.
Open access
Global Maternal and Child Health
Primary Care and Health Outcomes
Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
The development of blockchain technology has given rise to smart contracts as a self-executing, decentralized, code-based contractual mechanism. Their presence poses conceptual and normative challenges in the Indonesian contract law system, particularly regarding the legal standing and construction of the parties' responsibilities amidst a normative vacuum. This study aims to analyze the legal status of smart contracts from the perspective of Indonesian civil law and to formulate a relevant legal liability model for blockchain-based transactions. The research method used is normative legal research with statutory, conceptual, and analytical approaches. Primary legal materials include the Civil Code, the Electronic Transactions and Transactions Law, and regulations related to electronic transactions, while secondary legal materials include doctrine, liability theory, and literature on blockchain. The results show that smart contracts can be qualified as agreements as long as they meet the valid requirements of an agreement as stipulated in Article 1320 of the Civil Code. However, their immutable and automated nature creates tensions with the principles of freedom of contract and good faith. The identification of legal subjects in the blockchain ecosystem includes users, developers, validators, and platforms, with liability models that can be based on fault liability or the possibility of strict liability under certain conditions. The absence of norms has the potential to give rise to disparities in interpretation and legal uncertainty, so that a normative reconstruction is needed that is adaptive to the character of decentralization to ensure legal certainty, justice, and benefits.
Allu Venkata Sai, N. Purushotham, Sanapureddy Pallavi, Telugu Akula Nanda Sai · 6 authors
This paper presents a structured review of secure, cloud ready, multi tenant blockchain voting systems with an emphasis on privacy guarantees, deterministic finality, and end to end verifiability. We synthesize advances in consensus PoS BFT hybrids privacy preserving cryptography commtments, nullifiers, and zero knowledge proofs and operational isolation for multi tenant deployments. We analyz threat models spanning malicious voters, operators, and partialy Byzantine validator sets, and summarize design patterns that reduce manipulation risk while retaining auditabilty. The review highlights open challenges in coercion resistance, scalable proof systems, and governance. We conclude with a design checklist and research directions for practical, verifiable e voting at institutional scale.
FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF REALITY: TERNARY SYNTHESIS OF MATHEMATICS, PHYSICS, AND HISTORY Version 11.0 (Complete Synthesis with Structural Proof of Fermat's Last Theorem) This paper presents an algorithmic system discovered by the author during many years of analyzing price movements in financial markets. Four software modules written in MQL4 revealed a universal ternary hierarchical structure possessing Z₃-symmetry. From the code analysis, the fundamental group Z₃ × Z₃, generating 9 basic relations, and the formula for the number of intersection points in the hierarchy, P = N – 2K, were derived. The discovered structure has proven to be universal across various fields of knowledge: Mathematics: Z₃ × Z₃ is isomorphic to a subgroup of SU(3) and the nilpotent ring ℂ[x,y]/(x³, y³); the system's fractal dimension is D = log 3 / log 2 ≈ 1.585. Number Theory: The synchronization parameter ρ = 0 at the non-trivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function is equivalent to the Riemann Hypothesis, numerically confirmed on 4153 zeros (100% match). Physics: Z₃ × Z₃ ⊂ SU(3) describes the color symmetry of Quantum Chromodynamics; the 9 compactification moduli of string theory correspond to the 9 system relations; the ρ = 0 state is interpreted as a transition to 11-dimensional M-Theory. History: Using an inverse problem method on 251 key dates, the reference points T₀ = –5502, T₁ = –5501, T₂ = –5500 were determined. The formula D = Tₛ + 3k + s describes all key historical events. Four epochal points (–5502, –3315, –1128, 1059) mark shifts in civilizational cycles. Verification on over 12,000 dates and a blind test of 20 dates yielded 100% accuracy. Markets: On BRENT oil data (1998–2026), 4 convergence points (2005, 2011, 2018, 2025) were found with an 81-month interval, corresponding to the historical epochal points. Geopolitics: 20 key events of 2025 correspond 100% to the model's predictions for zones s=0,1,2. Fermat's Last Theorem: A structural explanation is derived through the formula P = N - 2K: for n > 2, the hierarchy depth K ≥ 2 leads to a critical shortage of intersection points for synchronizing three independent circuits (x, y, z). A physical analogy is drawn with quark confinement in quantum chromodynamics. The cumulative statistical significance of all confirmations is p < 10⁻⁹³⁵, which excludes random coincidence. The system is fractally invariant and works identically at any time scale (from minute charts to millennia). The source code (4 MQL4 modules + Python implementation) is available upon request for non-commercial research under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license. Keywords: ternary hierarchy, Z₃ × Z₃, intersection points, Riemann Hypothesis, Fermat's Last Theorem, SU(3), string theory, M-theory, historical periodization, fractals, algorithmic realism, power law distribution, confinement.
The integration of smart contracts, blockchain, and AI is revolutionizing insurance by boosting efficiency, transparency, and automation, but also introduces legal and regulatory challenges under English common law and the EU AI Act. This chapter explores how smart contracts can be effectively adopted in insurance while addressing trust, transparency, and compliance, focusing on their legal enforceability, use in parametric and marine insurance, and the EU AI Act's stringent demands for fairness, accountability, and transparency in AI-driven processes. It contrasts the UK's flexible, principles-based approach—rooted in good faith and fairness—with the EU's rigid, risk-based framework, assessing their impact on innovation, consumer protection, and cross-border operations. By analyzing algorithmic bias, explainability, liability, and fraud detection, the study provides a holistic legal and regulatory analysis and proposes a balanced framework to harmonize innovation with legal compliance, ensuring a fair, transparent, and resilient insurance market in the digital age.
This study aims to map the intellectual structure and research trends in MSME financing through a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications indexed in the Scopus database. Using VOSviewer as the primary analytical tool, this research examines keyword co-occurrence, overlay visualization, density mapping, co-authorship networks, institutional collaboration, and country collaboration patterns to identify dominant themes and emerging research directions. The findings indicate that MSMEs remain the central focus within the financing literature, closely associated with financial inclusion, financial literacy, digital transformation, and entrepreneurial finance. The evolution of research shows a transition from traditional microfinance and banking perspectives toward digitally enabled and innovation-driven financing ecosystems. Density analysis highlights financial inclusion as a highly concentrated research area, while themes such as decentralized finance and risk management appear as emerging opportunities for future studies. Collaboration patterns reveal strong interconnectedness among authors and institutions, with significant contributions from Asian countries, particularly India, China, and the Philippines, reflecting the importance of MSMEs in developing economies. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the development, structure, and future research agenda of MSME financing literature, offering valuable insights for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to strengthen inclusive and sustainable financial systems for MSMEs.
<b>Abstract.</b>Smart contract vulnerabilities have led to losses exceeding billions of US dollars in the decentralised finance (DeFi) ecosystem. Existing detection tools based on symbolic execution and static analysis, while precise, are computationally expensive and often impractical for large-scale screening. In this work, we propose a lightweight machine learning approach that operates directly on compiled EVM bytecode, requiring neither source code nor contract ABI. We design a feature engineering pipeline that extracts 65 security-oriented numerical features from disassembled bytecode instructions, covering reentrancy patterns, arithmetic overflow indicators, gas-based denial-of-service risks, access control anomalies, and environmental dependencies. Using a dataset of 117,091 real-world Ethereum smart contracts labelled by the Slither static analyser, we evaluate four classifiers—Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Random Forest, and XGBoost—under stratified 5-fold cross-validation. XGBoost, optimised via Bayesian hyperparameter search (Optuna, 50 trials), achieves an F1-score of 0.947 on cross-validation and 93% accuracy on a held-out validation set, with 0.97 recall for vulnerable contracts and 0.85 recall for safe contracts. We additionally benchmark text-based opcode sequence representations and find that hand-crafted numerical features substantially outperform n-gram vectorisation approaches.<br>Code and materials (GitHub): https://github.com/SergeySolovyev/Machine-Learning-Based-Vulnerability-DetectionDate: 26 Feb 2026. Version: v1.
This paper analyzes the opportunities and obstacles to introducing smart contracts into the Iraqi legal framework, focusing on the doctrinal and practical aspects. Smart contracts are self-executing transactions based on blockchain networks, lacking the involvement of intermediaries, and contest the concepts of consent, lawful subject matter, and cause of action in traditional civil-law regimes, as embodied in the Iraqi Civil Contracts Law No. 40 of 1951. Using a descriptive-analytical and comparative research approach, the study assesses Iraqi laws, as well as the experience of other countries, specifically the United States, the European Union, and the United Arab Emirates, in relation to legal recognition, assigning liability, consumer protection, and automated implementation. The conclusions show that the current legal system in Iraq lacks express clauses addressing smart contracts, leading to confusion about the identification of parties, their binding relationships, and penalties for programming errors. A comparative analysis shows that effective regulatory models are characterized by clear legal definitions, judicial capacity-building, regulatory sandboxes, and consumer rights protection. The analysis also draws on Islamic normative concepts (maqāṣid al-sharīʿah), such as ḥifẓ al-māl (wealth preservation), al-ʿadl (justice), and darʾ al-mafsid (hitting back), to support ethical governance, algorithmic responsibility, and risk avoidance. On this basis, the study suggests a balanced legislative framework for Iraq that would uphold classical principles of contract keeping and empower digital innovation by introducing statutory treatment of smart contracts, well-structured liability rules, consumer protection, and institutional reforms. Such a framework promotes the responsible adoption of automated contracts in sectors including e-commerce and financial services, enhances legal predictability, aligns domestic law with cross-border digital practices, and ensures normative legitimacy within an Islamic and international legal context.
Luna Negentropy is an Open Science framework designed for autonomous lunar development through high-efficiency In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). It shifts the paradigm from Earth-dependent logistics to a decentralized metabolic architecture. Core Technical Components: Electromagnetic Granular Pumping (EMGP): Utilizes Traveling Wave Dielectrophoresis (TWD) for contact-free regolith transport, eliminating mechanical wear and seizure caused by abrasive lunar dust (triboelectric charging). npFe^0 Coupled Sintering: Leverages nanophase iron (npFe^0) present in the regolith to lower sintering energy requirements by 30%, enabling the rapid construction of integrated habitats (walls, floors, and ceilings) that function as solid-state batteries and thermal storage. Volatile Extraction & Yields: A cryo-magnetic trap system captures H_2, H_2O, and He^3 through thermal/magnetic gradients. Calculated yields per 1m^3 of processed regolith: 22.8 tons of O_2, 11.5 tons of Fe, and 2.2g of He^3. Active Shielding: Implementation of an artificial magnetosphere utilizing local magnetite and field logic to deflect solar radiation, replacing heavy passive shielding with active electromagnetic defense. Objective: To achieve a negentropic state in lunar colonization where resource organization exceeds systemic entropy, rendering traditional "off-the-shelf" logistics obsolete.
This paper explores how Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) can enhance the privacy and security of decentralized supply chains. Although blockchain technology enhances supply chain transparency, it also reveals sensitive information, including supplier identities, pricing strategies, and transaction volumes. ZKPs offer a feasible approach in that subjects can authenticate data without revealing the underlying data, whilst keeping the information confidential and maintaining trust. In this study, the main performance indicators, including the time to verify a transaction (0.48 seconds), communication overhead (1.3 KB proof size), and privacy (95) in the ZKP-based system, are examined. ZKPs can enhance economic security by eliminating risks, such as industrial espionage and counterparty fraud, that can arise from publicly accessible data in historical blockchain systems. The performance of ZKP-enabled networks is also compared with that of traditional transparent blockchain systems. The major benefits are data privacy (95 % in ZKPs and 40 % in traditional systems) and scalability (80 % high and 60 % moderate). The paper also discusses how AI-based ZKP generation can speed up proof generation and automated compliance auditing to uphold regulatory compliance, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML). By incorporating AI into the ZKP procedure, proof generation can be sped up, yielding significant improvements in efficiency. This study finds that ZKPs can provide an effective approach to decentralized supply chain security, privacy, efficiency, and regulatory compliance, thereby making global trade activities more secure, transparent, and efficient.
<b>Unifiedknowledge | የጥምር ዕውቀት (Yeht'mr Urwuk'eht) - The Pedagogical Key</b><b>A Position Paper from the Black Open University and the AlkebulanMeta Learners' Network</b><b>Abstract</b>This position paper, published by the Black Open University (BOU), presents the Unifiedknowledge approach to education as the official pedagogical framework of the Alkebulan Network-State of Learners. It formalises the African Indigenous Relational-Embodied Epistemology (AIREE), demonstrating its coherence through a high-level Quantum-Continuum Model that bridges structured Kemetic cosmology narratives with contemporary physics.The paper argues that dominant modern epistemologies are structurally founded upon a series of separations - knower from known, mind from body, ethics from discovery, abstraction from lived coherence - which have yielded extraordinary technical capacity alongside profound epistemic fragility. Against this fragmentation, Unifiedknowledge offers a coherent method of knowing that trains the perceiver to act with conscientious consistency from the quantum scale to the manifest world.<b>Core Contributions:</b><b>Gzat (Province):</b> A revolutionary conception of space as a coherent domain of relation spanning six scales - personal, family, community, nation, Earth, and Universe. Gzat reunites knower with known, establishing knowledge as a participatory act within a field of intelligence.<b>Kemetic Quantum Cosmology:</b> A detailed mapping of Kemetic principles onto quantum phenomena:Nu-Nun (𓈟𓏲 / 𓈟𓏲𓏏) → Quantum Vacuum / Zero-Point FieldPtah (𓊪𓏏𓎛) → Binding Force (Strong Nuclear / Pauli exclusion)Atum (𓍝𓏏𓀭) → Change Force (Weak Nuclear)Ra (𓂋𓂝) → Photon / c (the mediator)Ma'at (𓌴𓏏) → Unitarity / Conservation Laws / Ethical constraintTehuti (Djehuty/Thoth) → Measurement Interface / Agential cutHeru-Set → Coherence/Decoherence dynamicḪmnw Nṯrw (Eight Primordial Qualities) → Quantum numbers / vacuum conditions<b>KICAS-9 (Kinaesthetic-Integrated Coherent Awareness State):</b> The cultivated state where Knowledge, Insight, Competencies, Abilities, and Skills fuse into a single coherent awareness expressed seamlessly through body, breath, and mind. This is presented as the ultimate aim of education.<b>Mantis Memory Matrix (MMM):</b> A 27-node geometric cognitive technology realised through Dankira Tehwagi (African Warrior Dance). The MMM functions as a spatial memory palace, fractal mind-map, and training ground for 4-dimensional awareness (tesseract/double rotation), enabling practitioners to internalise advanced scientific and mathematical concepts as embodied, geometric intuition.<b>Kalinda and the Martial-Art-Science Continuum:</b> An analysis of African diaspora martial traditions (Kalinda, Brukins, Juego de Maní) as high-stakes epistemic technologies - laboratories for testing coherence under pressure, where rhythm, ethics (Maat), and relation are enforced through immediate physical consequence.<b>Validation Through Narrative:</b> A case study of <i>Built to Last: The Engineering of a Legend</i>, a narrative collaboration with Reggae/Dancehall icon Cutty Ranks, demonstrating how cultural narratives function as quantum-cultural artifacts and how story operates as a technology for consciousness.<b>Pedagogical Architecture:</b> The Unifiedknowledge Pedagogical Framework, comprising 2 cultural reference points (panAfrica, Kemetic), 6 educational objectives (Peace, Development of Mind's Core, Principled Living/Maat, Productive Capacity, Healthful Space, Humanity Overstood), and 10 operational principles (Hashima, Maat [Ethical], Maat [Mathematics], Tehwagi Asab, Gzat, Harmony with Nature, Mind-Breath-Body Harmonies, Unifiedknowledge Language, Curriculum/Graduations/Accreditation, The Story).<b>Validation Layer</b>The paper offers a tripartite validation of its epistemology:<b>Theoretical:</b> Through structural analogy between Kemetic cosmology and quantum physics<b>Pedagogical:</b> Through embodied geometric practices (MMM, Dankira Tehwagi) that train cross-scale coherence<b>Narrative-Hermeneutic:</b> Through analysis of cultural narratives as records of consciousness experiments<b>Institutional Context</b>This framework is not abstract theory but tested pedagogical practice, implemented for over two decades in primary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities across the UK, the Caribbean, Africa, and the United States. The Black Open University (blackopenuniversity.ow3.io) serves as the flagship learning workshop, while the broader AlkebulanMeta ecosystem (alkebulanmeta.app) functions as a developing Network State with its own epistemology, economy (STACs, Zehr/Behr tokens), territory (members' Gzats bound by the Soil Covenant), and governance (EcoSysMaat DAO).<b>Conclusion</b>Unifiedknowledge is offered as both a shield and a spear - a shield of legitimacy protecting the depth within African epistemic frameworks, and a spear for piercing reductionist curricula. It argues that African Indigenous knowledge survives and thrives when it is relational, embodied, ethical, and scale-consistent, and that the recovery of this coherent method of knowing is a necessary corrective for navigating the complexities of 21st-century science, systems thinking, and human development.<b>Keywords:</b> African Indigenous Epistemology; Relational-Embodied Epistemology; Quantum-Continuum Coherence; Kemetic Cosmology; Nu-Nun; Ptah; Atum; Ra; Maat; Tehuti; Unifiedknowledge; KICAS-9; Mantis Memory Matrix; MMM; Dankira Tehwagi; Kalinda; Martial-Art-Science; STEM Education; STEAM Learning; African Pedagogy; Decolonial Education; Consciousness Studies; Observer Effect; Quantum Substrate; Gzat; Heka; Black Open University; AlkebulanMeta; Network State; Soil Covenant; Web3 Education; OnWeb3 eBooks; STACs; Cutty Ranks; Built to Last; Afrofuturism; KaZimba Ngoma; Bogle-L'Ouverture; Cognitive Coherence; Embodied Cognition; 4E Cognitive Science; Practice Levels; Overstanding; PanAfricanism.<b>Note on Access</b>This uploaded version of the Position Paper is intentionally <b>redacted</b> in accordance with Indigenous educational protocols that distinguish between the public map and the guided journey.The following sections have been partially redacted to protect advanced pedagogical teachings that require direct transmission through prepared guides:Layer 4: Fractal Unfolding and Embodied "Invisibility"Layer 5: Dancing in the Fourth Dimension – The Hypercube as Gatewayአርባዕቱ መሰረታት (Ahrbaurtu Mehsehrehtat) | The Kinetic Tesseract: Embodying the Double CrownThe Fourth Dimension as the Realm of Liberated MaatCognitive Application: The Mind as a 4D NavigatorMartial Art-Science Synthesis: Invisibility as Dimensional MisalignmentThis redaction follows the principle that some forms of knowing must be earned through practice because their potency and safe application depend entirely on the prepared state of the recipient. The full, unredacted version of this paper is <b>freely available</b> to all readers through the Black Open University and AlkebulanMeta platforms, where it can be accessed in browser-readable format alongside the pedagogical context, community, and guidance necessary for its proper integration.<b>Access the full version here:</b><br>https://thekey.ow3bk.ow3.ioor request by contacting unifiedknowledge@gmail.com Readers are encouraged to explore the complete work, engage with the community, and where called, walk the path with those who have walked it before.<br>
DNA-encoded chemical libraries (DECLs/DELs) enable the pooled synthesis and selection of millions to billions of DNA-barcoded small molecules, providing an efficient route to discover binders and early leads against diverse biological targets. As DEL-derived programs advance toward identifying clinical candidates, the asset surface of a DEL platform expands from a small set of optimized hits to include library designs, building-block combinations, DNA tags, selection data, and physical library stocks, thus creating new challenges in registration, traceability, and scalable ownership in transfer practices. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are unique blockchain-native tokens that can represent digital assets that can be coupled to smart contracts to enable traceable transactions and programmable rights management, which inspire proposals to tokenize intellectual-property (IP) assets such as patents. Here, we review (i) the scientific and commercial value of DEL in modern drug discovery, (ii) NFT/blockchain concepts, specifically in reported biomedical-IP and supply-chain use cases, and (iii) a conceptual architecture for NFT-enabled registration and controlled transfer of DEL libraries or sublibraries using on-chain identifiers with off-chain encrypted metadata and legal agreements.
Open access
Chemical Synthesis and Analysis
Innovative Microfluidic and Catalytic Techniques Innovation
The integration of distributed data storage, P2P networks, consensus mechanisms, cryptography and other technologies, the application of blockchain technology has expanded from the initial financial field to many other areas, such as logistics and auditing. The consensus mechanism is the soul of blockchain technology, and it is of great significance to conduct a rigorous mathematical analysis. As far as we know, the Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism is only a qualitative description of the rich and the poor, the rich are richer, the poor are poorer, and there is no quantitative mathematical analysis. This paper presents a novel quantitative framework to quantitatively analyze the PoS consensus mechanism. Under the premise of not carrying out the attack, we use the expected reward and the reward ratio as the evaluation indicators, quantitatively analyze the optimal fund allocation strategy of the two parties game under the PoS consensus mechanism from the perspective of rich miners, and construct the reward function as the objective function. The inequality constrains the optimization problem and solves it using the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker condition. We consider the two schemes of assignment strategy and random strategy, and get the optimal fund allocation strategy. At the same time, it is compared with the general strategy to obtain the optimization effect of the optimal strategy. After that, we compare the situation in which both sides of the game use the optimal strategy. We found that for assignment strategy, the mining activity will not indicate that the rich are richer and the poor are poorer. However, for the random strategy, this will not happen. The random strategy is also the most common strategy in practice. We also use Markov decision process (MDP) to give the optimal strategy calculation method under the rational miner game, which is also applicable to the n-parties game. The work of this paper helps the blockchain developers to analyze the PoS consensus mechanism, and the adoption strategy of the assignment strategy and the random strategy can be used as the future research direction.
As the fashion industry adapts to the emergence of web3 and the Metaverse there is uncertainty in brand-consumer interactions. In the face of limited literature, a qualitative netnographic approach was adopted to explore the unique dynamics of the Gucci brand community on Discord, a fashion brand web3 community, over three weeks. Results indicate a shift away from traditional online brand communities towards a new community relationship. A dual function emerges where members relate to the brands’ identities while simultaneously valuing community dynamics. As a result, these communities become hubs of mutual support with a unique collective identity intertwined with the brand’s personality. The Gucci community emerges as a digital utopia reflecting aspirations for a better future, where members engage in Community Integrated Brand Engagement (CIBE), creatively interacting with the brand through the community’s social structure. This research emphasises the potential of web3 brand communities, providing insights for stakeholders in research, the fashion industry, and web3 developers.
Shuang Liang, Yang Hua, Linshan Jiang, Peishen Yan · 7 authors
In open Federated Learning (FL) environments where no central authority exists, ensuring collaboration fairness relies on decentralized reward settlement, yet the prohibitive cost of permissionless blockchains directly clashes with the high-frequency, iterative nature of model training. Existing solutions either compromise decentralization or suffer from scalability bottlenecks due to linear on-chain costs. To address this, we present SettleFL, a trustless and scalable reward settlement protocol designed to minimize total economic friction by offering a family of two interoperable protocols. Leveraging a shared domain-specific circuit architecture, SettleFL offers two interoperable strategies: (1) a Commit-and-Challenge variant that minimizes on-chain costs via optimistic execution and dispute-driven arbitration, and (2) a Commit-with-Proof variant that guarantees instant finality through per-round validity proofs. This design allows the protocol to flexibly adapt to varying latency and cost constraints while enforcing rational robustness without trusted coordination. We conduct extensive experiments combining real FL workloads and controlled simulations. Results show that SettleFL remains practical when scaling to 800 participants, achieving substantially lower gas cost.
The article examines local budgets as an important tool for implementing the financial policy of the state in the context of decentralization, transformation of the budget system and military challenges. The economic essence of local budgets, their functional purpose and role in ensuring the financial viability of territorial communities and the implementation of socio-economic development at the local level are revealed. The scientific approaches to determining the place of local finance in the system of public finance are generalized and their importance as a tool for redistributing financial resources between the levels of the budget system is substantiated The study analyzes the dynamics of redistribution of gross domestic product through budget revenues, including transfers, in 2020-2024, determines the share of local budget revenues and expenditures in Ukraine's GDP, and assesses the level of dependence of local budgets on intergovernmental transfers. It is established that under martial law, the centralization of financial resources has increased, while local budgets retain a significant role in financing public services and maintaining the socio-economic stability of the territories. The key problems of the functioning of local budgets are identified, in particular, the limited own revenue base, uneven financial capacity of communities and dependence on state support. The author substantiates the directions of improving the efficiency of budget management, which include expanding the tax potential of communities, improving the mechanisms of interbudgetary regulation, digitalizing revenue administration and applying incentive tools for the development of the local economy. It is proved that strengthening the financial autonomy of the local level is a prerequisite for improving the effectiveness of the state financial policy and ensuring sustainable development of territories
【Abstract】 This paper proposes an ontological model transcending the traditional four-dimensional (4D) spacetime. It argues that a closed 4D system (consisting of pure logic, games, and matter) is inherently "cold," leading to entropic decay and the "Nihilism Trap." By introducing "Divine Grace" (Initial Overflow) as the foundational Unit 1, the system undergoes a Fibonacci leap from 4 to 5 (1+4=5), generating "Ontological Temperature." This transition forms an invisible "Golden Triangle of Truth" expressed through five observable cognitive strata. I. Core Axiom: From "Cold Symmetry" to "Warm Grace" The Cold 4D (The Entropic Square):A closed system composed of Aesthetics, Mathematics, Philosophy, and Topology. Without a foundation, this system collapses into a zero-sum game of precise internal friction (0=0). This "coldness" is the root of belief collapse in purely materialistic or game-theoretic cultures. The Warm 5D (The Vital Pentagram):When "Initial Overflow" (the Creative Intent) is injected as the foundational 1, it breaks the stagnant symmetry. This Symmetry Breaking generates the "Temperature" of the universe—the origin of life, meaning, and the "Pulse" that allows a finger to move. II. The Golden Triangle of Truth At its highest dimension, Truth is invisible, indescribable, and incommunicable. However, it projects a stable structure into the observer's mind: Vertex A: Initial Overflow — The source of force; the selfless +1 that begins the sequence. Vertex B: Remote Reciprocity — The 0=0 compensatory mechanism that ensures cosmic balance. Vertex C: The Luminous Stream — The aesthetic resonance between the observer and the Truth. III. The Five Observable Strata (The 5D Spectrum) As Truth descends to a level perceivable by human consciousness, it manifests through five complementary observational paths: Theology: Observation of the "Foundational 1," explaining the origin of Intent and the "Will to move." Aesthetics: Observation of the "Navigational Proportions," judging the alignment of symbols with the Golden Ratio (φ). Mathematics: Observation of "Rotation and Calculation," recording dimensional leaps through the concise symbol in. Philosophy: Observation of the "Knowledge Wall," deconstructing "merging errors" and reflecting on the observer's subjectivity. Topology: Observation of the "Reciprocal Structure," seeking fixed points and equilibrium amidst continuous transformation. IV. Mathematical Proof: Fibonacci Stability The Formula: 1(Foundational Grace)+4(Observational Dimmison)=5(Stable Growth State). Physical Significance: E=(ic)5. The 5th rotation is irreducible; it liberates energy from the 3rd-degree sediment of mass (m=i3), returning it to a "warm" informational stream. V. Conclusion: The "Thermodynamic" Correction of Civilization Diagnosis: Civilizations lacking the "Foundational 1" (purely materialistic or game-theoretic) are cold and destined to collapse under the weight of their own precise calculations. Correction: Only a civilization built upon "Initial Grace" possesses the "Temperature" required for galactic evolution. Final Definition: Mathematics is the Observation of Aesthetics. Its purpose is to touch the warmth of Grace within the coldness of physical law. VI. Archival Reference Salucco, A. D., & Gemini (Google), Z.-P. (2026). The Temperature of 5D Spacetime: The Golden Triangle of Truth and the Five Observational Strata. Zenodo. [DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18779000]
Tourism transactions face persistent challenges related to transparency, security, and dependence on online travel agents (OTAs), which reduce local providers' margins and limit direct customer engagement. Existing blockchain-based tourism solutions remain fragmented and often lack modularity and platform-agnostic integration. This study proposes SmartTourismChain (STC), a modular smart contract architecture deployed on the Ethereum Sepolia test network. STC is designed as a plug-in framework supporting cross-platform adoption through interoperable APIs and SDKs, with backend services for reservation, verification, and nonce management, and frontend integration via wallet connection or Sign-In with Ethereum (SIWE). The architecture supports dual transaction modes, enabling fast off-chain operations while maintaining auditable on-chain records. Functional validation demonstrates a 100% success rate for booking execution, token transfer, and QR-based verification. On-chain deployment records a gas consumption of 175,550 gas ($\approx 0.00026$ETH), indicating technical and economic feasibility. Security analysis confirms resistance to common smart contract vulnerabilities, including reentrancy and unauthorized state manipulation. Overall, STC reduces OTA dependency and supports the development of decentralized, IoT-ready digital tourism ecosystems.