Electronic Voting System Using an Enterprise Blockchain

Conventional electronic voting systems use a centralized scheme. A central administration of these systems manages the entire voting process and has partial or total control over the database and the system itself. This creates some problems, accidental or intentional, such as possible manipulation of the database and double voting. Many of these problems have been solved thanks to permissionless blockchain technologies in new voting systems; however, the classic consensus method of such blockchains requires specific computing power during each voting operation. This has a significant impact on power consumption, compromises the efficiency and increases the system latency. However, using a permissioned blockchain improves efficiency and reduces system energy consumption, mainly due to the elimination of the typical consensus protocols used by public blockchains. The use of smart contracts provides a secure mechanism to guarantee the accuracy of the voting result and make the counting procedure public and protected against fraudulent actions, and contributes to preserving the anonymity of the votes. Its adoption in electronic voting systems can help mitigate part of these problems. Therefore, this paper proposes a system that ensures high reliability by applying enterprise blockchain technology to electronic voting, securing the secret ballot. In addition, a flexible network configuration is presented, discussing how the solution addresses some of the security and reliability issues commonly faced by electronic voting system solutions.

Comparison of Turkey and the Netherlands Social Housing Policies

In this study, social housing policies developed for the housing needs of the poor citizens in Turkey and the Netherlands were examined. In this context, the aim of the study is to compare the extent of social housing policies implemented in Turkey and the Netherlands by presenting both countries policies on this subject. Another goal of this study is to develop suggestions based on research results. Most important roles in determining the social housing policies in Turkey belong to central administration. In the Netherlands, the central administration has transferred its authorization to local municipalities and housing associations. The data obtained were analyzed with the Maxqda data analysis program. At the end of the analysis, similar and different aspects of social housing policies have been presented. As a result, although there are similarities found in housing finance, it has been observed that there are different policies in terms of housing supply. In this context, policy transfer is a recommended approach that will contribute to the solution.

Neuropeptide S Attenuates the Alarm Pheromone-Evoked Defensive and Risk Assessment Behaviors Through Activation of Cognate Receptor-Expressing Neurons in the Posterior Medial Amygdala

Neuropeptide S (NPS) acts by activating its cognate receptor (NPSR). High level expression of NPSR in the posterior medial amygdala suggests that NPS-NPSR system should be involved in regulation of social behaviors induced by social pheromones. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of central administration of NPS or with NPSR antagonist on the alarm pheromone (AP)-evoked defensive and risk assessment behaviors in mice. Furthermore, H129-H8, a novel high-brightness anterograde multiple trans-synaptic virus, c-Fos and NPSR immunostaining were employed to reveal the involved neurocircuits and targets of NPS action. The mice exposed to AP displayed an enhancement in defensive and risk assessment behaviors. NPS (0.1–1 nmol) intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection significantly attenuated the AP-evoked defensive and risk assessment behaviors. NPSR antagonist [D-Val5]NPS at the dose of 40 nmol completely blocked the effect of 0.5 nmol of NPS which showed the best effective among dose range. The H129-H8-labeled neurons were observed in the bilateral posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) and posteroventral medial amygdala (MePV) 72 h after the virus injection into the unilateral olfactory bulb (OB), suggesting that the MePD and MePV receive olfactory information inputs from the OB. The percentage of H129-H8-labeled neurons that also express NPSR were 90.27 ± 3.56% and 91.67 ± 2.46% in the MePD and MePV, respectively. NPS (0.5 nmol, i.c.v.) remarkably increased the number of Fos immunoreactive (-ir) neurons in the MePD and MePV, and the majority of NPS-induced Fos-ir neurons also expressed NPSR. The behavior characteristic of NPS or with [D-Val5]NPS can be better replicated in MePD/MePV local injection within lower dose. The present findings demonstrated that NPS, via selective activation of the neurons bearing NPSR in the posterior medial amygdala, attenuates the AP-evoked defensive and risk assessment behaviors in mice.

Las Salas de Prensa Virtual como herramientas de Relaciones Públicas para la comunicación con los medios en Cuba. Un estado de la cuestión / Virtual Press Room as Public Relations tool for communication with media in Cuba. A state of affairs

Public Relations have found in digital platforms an ideal device to build contact and interactivity with corporation's audiences. Within the field, new possibilities emerge to address the issue of generating interactivity with communication media, which has always been a core activity of Public Relations offices. Over the last decade, the Cuban institutional and communicative scenario has witnessed an upsurge of Press Cabinets and Communication Offices, which are expanding their traditional functions mainly due to digitization and hypermedia convergence. Thus, new resources like Virtual Press Rooms aim to assist corporations in their quest to build interactive channels for contact with media and citizenship, to manage information flows with journalists and to promote the dialogue with the stakeholders. These tools are considered a natural evolvement of the traditional routines of communication offices to enhance interactive channels and nurtured relationships with press officers. Many researchers have pointed out the relevant role of Virtual Press Rooms as substitutes for common PR strategies like press kit and mailing. This research analyzes the integration of Virtual Press Rooms within the main organism of Cuban state’s central administration. This research has been carried out using a quantitative content analysis, based on a categorical system validated by the Bitartez Group of the Basque University System for developing similar researches in the field. The study assesses the common features of Virtual Press Rooms in Cuban corporations and its adaptation to Cuban journalistic and communicative landscape. The results of the study show that Cuban Online Press Rooms perform as a container for files and corporate content, while exalting a documentary function. In many cases, the informative role is prioritized, while the contents designed for media are relegated to less visible spaces within the website. Even though they improve the access to relevant and quality information that facilitates journalistic practices, they still lack of a better approach to nurture the interactions between journalists and corporate sources. The whole analysis shows that Cuban corporations do not take full advantage of digital capabilities to nurture the information flows and the interactions between the organization and their stakeholders. Whether it is suitable to assess that Cuban communication`s practices are, indeed, in a process of transition to the digital landscape, it is still relevant to find out if the limitations exposed in the previous paragraphs obey to some strategical and political-ideological conditioning factors.

Fibroblast Growth Factor-1 Activates Neurons in the Arcuate Nucleus and Dorsal Vagal Complex

Central administration of fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF1) results in long-lasting resolution of hyperglycemia in various rodent models, but the pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms mediating the central effects of FGF1 are unknown. Here we utilize electrophysiology recordings from neuronal populations in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH), nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), and area postrema (AP) to investigate the mechanisms underlying FGF1 actions. While FGF1 did not alter membrane potential in ARH-NPY-GFP neurons, it reversibly depolarized 83% of ARH-POMC-EGFP neurons and decreased the frequency of inhibitory inputs onto ARH-POMC-EGFP neurons. This depolarizing effect persisted in the presence of FGF receptor (R) blocker FIIN1, but was blocked by pretreatment with the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX). Non-FGF1 subfamilies can activate vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR). Surprisingly, the VEGFR inhibitors axitinib and BMS605541 blocked FGF1 effects on ARH-POMC-EGFP neurons. We also demonstrate that FGF1 induces c-Fos in the dorsal vagal complex, activates NTS-NPY-GFP neurons through a FGFR mediated pathway, and requires VGSCs to activate AP neurons. We conclude that FGF1 acts in multiple brain regions independent of FGFRs. These studies present anatomical and mechanistic pathways for the future investigation of the pharmacological and physiological role of FGF1 in metabolic processes.

Points of View on the Functioning of Autonomy in the Local Public Administration. The Case of The Radauti Municipality City Hall Institution, Suceava County, Romania

Fundamental to the governance of local public administration, the principle of autonomy recognizes for those who manage the decision-making power in taking measures to solve the problems of the community. This paper has as main objective the analysis of the functioning of the principle of autonomy in the local public administration, with particularization at the level of the institution of the City Hall of Rădăuţi Municipality from Suceava County. By interpreting the perceptions expressed by public officials (including local councilors), civil servants, as well as contract staff working in this structure, the present micro-research highlights that the largest share of human resources surveyed: considers that the legislation in force covers the legal framework necessary for the proper functioning of the autonomy, declares that the limits of intervention and control of the central administration are largely respected, supports the importance of autonomy in the functioning of the City Hall institution. Regarding the right of initiative of staff and the freedom to decide on the execution of orders of the hierarchical superior, the results recorded show that most of the respondents adopted a neutral position. Also, regarding the degree of satisfaction of the questioned human resources in relation to the autonomy held in the position exercised, most of them declare neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with the autonomy they have in the City Hall institution.

Caravan trade of Central Asian merchants with Russia in the first quarter of the 19th century

The article analyzes the everyday business activity of Asian entrepreneurs who participated in caravan trade with the Russian Empire through the cities of Orenburg region in the first quarter of the 19th century. The specifics of foreign trade operations of merchants from Bukhara, Khiva and Kokand during this period were almost completely ignored by Russian historians in the pre-revolutionary, Soviet and modern periods. The source base of this article consists of unpublished archival documents that shed light on the details of the business activities of merchants from Asia. Letters to the regional and Imperial administration made by Asian entrepreneurs, as well as personal letters from foreign merchants are particularly valuable in this regard. Traders had to deal with a long list of tasks. Before the caravan could go along the required route, it was necessary to hire responsible guides, which was not always possible (guides often turned out to be unreliable, which led to additional expenses for the cargo owners), acquire pack animals, take care of security and prepare a considerable amount of money for various road tolls for travelling through the Kazakh steppe. The merchants who were successful in the caravan trade were characterized by moral and psychological stability, the ability to restrain themselves, not succumbing to momentary desires, and even the skills of using cold weapons and firearms. To resolve issues that were exclusively within the competence of representatives of the Russian regional or central administration, Asian merchants had to possess certain communication skills.

Międzyrządowy wymiar polsko-rosyjskiej współpracy transgranicznej i międzyregionalnej

This article offers a presentation of the Polish-Russian cross-border and interregional cooperation at the intergovernmental level. To this end, it refers to specific international documents on the basis of which three Polish- Russian institutions have been established to coordinate this area of cooperation. In addition to a conceptual framework outlined, the text includes a short historical outline to help the reader trace the beginnings and development of the Polish-Russian cross-border and interregional cooperation in the adopted approach. When describing the activities of intergovernmental councils and commissions, the author draws attention to their positions in the central administration and their structures, listing specific areas of mutual cooperation. The presentation ends with an attempt to evaluate the activities of the said bodies and the search for new perspectives in the context of the upcoming thirtieth anniversary of the agreement on cross-border cooperation with Russia.

Personajes y cortesanos en el Albacete del siglo XVI. Agentes y medios de relación entre el ámbito de la corte y un pequeño municipio

Once the regimental offices were alienated in the council of Albacete in 1543, becoming life-long and royally appointed, we find during the second half of the 16th century the presentation as aldermen in this council of Albacete of external characters, related to the Royal Court and to the areas of power at the level of the Central administration.

CNS GNPDA2 Does Not Control Appetite, but Regulates Glucose Homeostasis

GNPDA2 has been associated with human obesity and type-2 diabetes by using a GWAS approach. GNPDA2 is an enzyme involved in the hexosamine biosynthesis pathway, which is known to be important for nutrient sensing in various organism. Its counter enzyme, GFAT, has previously been shown to be important to the development of insulin resistance in diabetes. The implication of GNPDA2 and GFAT in metabolism is scarce and the effect of both enzymes over appetite and glucose homeostasis is unknown.Aim: Identify the role of GNPDA2 and GFAT in nutrient sensing circuits of the CNS that are important for the regulation of both appetite and glucose homeostasis.Methods: Using Long Evans rats, we administered either a GNPDA2 or GFAT antagonist or vehicle in i3vt.Key Findings:GNPDA2 is highly expressed in hypothalamus and adipose tissue, followed by muscle and liver. GNPDA2 is expressed in different hypothalamic nuclei (ARC, DMH, LHA, PVN). GNPDA2 is downregulated in hypothalamus under diet-induced obesity (as previously described), but GFAT expression does not change. Moreover, i3vt infusion of GNPDA2 or GFAT inhibitor resulted in increased c-Fos in areas related to appetite and glucose homeostasis control as PVN and DMH and to a lesser extent in the LHA and ARC. Central inhibition of GNPDA2 does not alter either acute food intake or body weight; however, GFAT inhibition diminished appetite and body weight due to visceral illness. In addition, central administration of the GNPDA2 antagonist, prior to an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test, resulted in glucose intolerance in comparison to vehicle without altering insulin levels.Significance: These results suggest that central GNPDA2 does not control appetite, but regulates glucose homeostasis.