Prion crystalization model and its application to recognition pattern

This paper introduces APA (?Artificial Prion Assembly?): a pattern recognition system based on artificial prion crystalization. Specifically, the system exhibits the capability to classify patterns according to the resulting prion self- assembly simulated with cellular automata. Our approach is inspired in the biological process of proteins aggregation, known as prions, which are assembled as amyloid fibers related with neurodegenerative disorders.

Aplicaci��n de documentos de identificaci��n electr��nica a un esquema de voto telem��tico a escala paneuropea, seguro, auditable y verificable.

En este trabajo de tesis se propone un esquema de votaci��n telem��tica, de car��cter paneuropeo y transnacional, que es capaz de satisfacer las m��s altas exigencias en materia de seguridad. Este enfoque transnacional supone una importante novedad que obliga a identificar a los ciudadanos m��s all�� de las fronteras de su pa��s, exigencia que se traduce en la necesidad de que todos los ciudadanos europeos dispongan de una identidad digital y en que ��sta sea reconocida m��s all�� de las fronteras de su pa��s de origen. Bajo estas premisas, la propuesta recogida en esta tesis se aborda desde dos vertientes complementarias: por una parte, el dise��o de un esquema de votaci��n capaz de conquistar la confianza de gobiernos y ciudadanos europeos y, por otra, la b��squeda de una respuesta al problema de interoperabilidad de Sistemas de Gesti��n de Identidad (IDMs), en consonancia con los trabajos que actualmente realiza la UE para la integraci��n de los servicios proporcionados por las Administraciones P��blicas de los distintos pa��ses europeos. El punto de partida de este trabajo ha sido la identificaci��n de los requisitos que determinan el adecuado funcionamiento de un sistema de votaci��n telem��tica para, a partir de ellos,proponer un conjunto de elementos y criterios que permitan, por una parte, establecer comparaciones entre distintos sistemas telem��ticos de votaci��n y, por otra, evaluar la idoneidad del sistema propuesto. A continuaci��n se han tomado las m��s recientes y significativas experiencias de votaci��n telem��tica llevadas a cabo por diferentes pa��ses en la automatizaci��n de sus procesos electorales, analiz��ndolas en profundidad para demostrar que, incluso en los sistemas m��s recientes, todav��a subsisten importantes deficiencias relativas a la seguridad. Asimismo, se ha constatado que un sector importante de la poblaci��n se muestra receloso y, a menudo, cuestiona la validez de los resultados publicados. Por tanto, un sistema que aspire a ganarse la confianza de ciudadanos y gobernantes no s��lo debe operar correctamente, trasladando los procesos tradicionales de votaci��n al contexto telem��tico, sino que debe proporcionar mecanismos adicionales que permitan superar los temores que inspira el nuevo sistema de votaci��n. Conforme a este principio, el enfoque de esta tesis, se orienta, en primer lugar, hacia la creaci��n de pruebas irrefutables, entendibles y auditables a lo largo de todo el proceso de votaci��n, que permitan demostrar con certeza y ante todos los actores implicados en el proceso (gobierno, partidos pol��ticos, votantes, Mesa Electoral, interventores, Junta Electoral,jueces, etc.) que los resultados publicados son fidedignos y que no se han violado los principios de anonimato y de ���una persona, un voto���. Bajo este planteamiento, la soluci��n recogida en esta tesis no s��lo prev�� mecanismos para minimizar el riesgo de compra de votos, sino que adem��s incorpora mecanismos de seguridad robustos que permitir��n no s��lo detectar posibles intentos de manipulaci��n del sistema, sino tambi��n identificar cu��l ha sido el agente responsable. De forma adicional, esta tesis va m��s all�� y traslada el escenario de votaci��n a un ��mbito paneuropeo donde aparecen nuevos problemas. En efecto, en la actualidad uno de los principales retos a los que se enfrentan las votaciones de car��cter transnacional es sin duda la falta de procedimientos rigurosos y din��micos para la actualizaci��n sincronizada de los censos de votantes de los distintos pa��ses que evite la presencia de errores que redunden en la incapacidad de controlar que una persona emita m��s de un voto, o que se vea impedido del todo a ejercer su derecho. Este reconocimiento de la identidad transnacional requiere la interoperabilidad entre los IDMs de los distintos pa��ses europeos. Para dar soluci��n a este problema, esta tesis se apoya en las propuestas emergentes en el seno de la UE, que previsiblemente se consolidar��n en los pr��ximos a��os, tanto en materia de identidad digital (con la puesta en marcha de la Tarjeta de Ciudadano Europeo) como con el despliegue de una infraestructura de gesti��n de identidad que haga posible la interoperabilidad de los IDMs de los distintos estados miembros. A partir de ellas, en esta tesis se propone una infraestructura telem��tica que facilita la interoperabilidad de los sistemas de gesti��n de los censos de los distintos estados europeos en los que se lleve a cabo conjuntamente la votaci��n. El resultado es un sistema vers��til, seguro, totalmente robusto, fiable y auditable que puede ser aplicado en elecciones paneuropeas y que contempla la actualizaci��n din��mica del censo como una parte cr��tica del proceso de votaci��n. ABSTRACT: This Ph. D. dissertation proposes a pan���European and transnational system of telematic voting that is capable of meeting the strictest security standards. This transnational approach is a significant innovation that entails identifying citizens beyond the borders of their own country,thus requiring that all European citizens must have a digital identity that is recognized beyond the borders of their country of origin. Based on these premises, the proposal in this thesis is analyzed in two mutually���reinforcing ways: first, a voting system is designed that is capable of winning the confidence of European governments and citizens and, second, a solution is conceived for the problem of interoperability of Identity Management Systems (IDMs) that is consistent with work being carried out by the EU to integrate the services provided by the public administrations of different European countries. The starting point of this paper is to identify the requirements for the adequate functioning of a telematic voting system and then to propose a set of elements and criteria that will allow for making comparisons between different such telematic voting systems for the purpose of evaluating the suitability of the proposed system. Then, this thesis provides an in���depth analysis of most recent significant experiences in telematic voting carried out by different countries with the aim of automating electoral processes, and shows that even the most recent systems have significant shortcomings in the realm of security. Further, a significant portion of the population has shown itself to be wary,and they often question the validity of the published results. Therefore, a system that aspires to win the trust of citizens and leaders must not only operate correctly by transferring traditional voting processes into a telematic environment, but must also provide additional mechanisms that can overcome the fears aroused by the new voting system. Hence, this thesis focuses, first, on creating irrefutable, comprehensible and auditable proof throughout the voting process that can demonstrate to all actors in the process ��� the government, political parties, voters, polling station workers, electoral officials, judges, etc. ���that the published results are accurate and that the principles of anonymity and one person,one vote, have not been violated. Accordingly, the solution in this thesis includes mechanisms to minimize the risk of vote buying, in addition to robust security mechanisms that can not only detect possible attempts to manipulate the system, but also identify the responsible party. Additionally, this thesis goes one step further and moves the voting scenario to a pan���European scale, in which new problems appear. Indeed, one of the major challenges at present for transnational voting processes is the lack of rigorous and dynamic procedures for synchronized updating of different countries��� voter rolls, free from errors that may make the system unable to keep an individual from either casting more than one vote, or from losing the effective exercise of the right to vote. This recognition of transnational identity requires interoperability between the IDMs of different European countries. To solve the problem, this thesis relies on proposals emerging within the EU that are expected to take shape in the coming years, both in digital identity ��� with the launch of the European Citizen Card ��� and in the deployment of an identity management infrastructure that will enable interoperability of the IDMs of different member states. Based on these, the thesis proposes a telematic infrastructure that will achieve interoperability of the census management systems of European states in which voting processes are jointly carried out. The result is a versatile, secure, totally robust, reliable and auditable system that can be applied in pan���European election, and that includes dynamic updating of the voter rolls as a critical part of the voting process.

A group decision-making methodology with incomplete individual beliefs applied to e-Democracy

We consider the situation where there are several alternatives for investing a quantity of money to achieve a set of objectives. The choice of which alternative to apply depends on how citizens and political representatives perceive that such objectives should be achieved. All citizens with the right to vote can express their preferences in the decision-making process. These preferences may be incomplete. Political representatives represent the citizens who have not taken part in the decision-making process. The weight corresponding to political representatives depends on the number of citizens that have intervened in the decision-making process. The methodology we propose needs the participants to specify for each alternative how they rate the different attributes and the relative importance of attributes. On the basis of this information an expected utility interval is output for each alternative. To do this, an evidential reasoning approach is applied. This approach improves the insightfulness and rationality of the decision-making process using a belief decision matrix for problem modeling and the Dempster?Shafer theory of evidence for attribute aggregation. Finally, we propose using the distances of each expected utility interval from the maximum and the minimum utilities to rank the alternative set. The basic idea is that an alternative is ranked first if its distance to the maximum utility is the smallest, and its distance to the minimum utility is the greatest. If only one of these conditions is satisfied, a distance ratio is then used.