SPIDE: sybil-proof, incentivized data exchange

Decentralized, open-access blockchain systems opened up new, exciting possibilities—all without reliance on trusted third parties. Regardless of the employed consensus protocol, the overall security, decentralization and effectiveness of such systems, largely depend upon properly structured incentives. Indeed, as has been previously spotted by Babaiaff et al. Bitcoin-like systems, oftentimes lack some of these. Specifically, current blockchain-systems fail to incentivize one of their crucial aspects–the underlying data exchange. As we rationalize, proper incentivization of that layer could lead to lower transactions’ confirmation-times, improved finalization guarantees and at the same time to discouragement of malicious behaviours such as block-withholding attacks. Indeed, incentivization of the data-exchange layer allows the system to remain operational when all agents, including routing nodes, are assumed to be rational. In this work, while focusing on the problem of sybil-proof data exchange, we revisit previous approaches, showcasing their shortcomings and lay forward the first information exchange framework; with integrated routing and reward-function mechanics, provably secure in thwarting Sybil-nodes in 1-connected or eclipsed networks. The framework neither requires nor assumes any kind of constraints in regard to the network’s topology (i.e. the network is modelled as a random-connected graph) and rewards information propagators through a system-intrinsic virtual asset maintained by the decentralized state-machine. The proposal, while being storage and transmission efficient is suitable for rewarding not only consensus-related datagrams (both data-blocks and transactions) but consensus-extrinsic information as well, thus facilitating an universal sybil-proof data-exchange apparatus, provably valid under the assumption of existence of a data store whose property of non-malleability emerges as time approaches infinity. Our research was conducted under two scenarios—with round leader known and unknown in advance of each transactional round.

On efficient designing of protograph LDPC codes

This paper designs two protograph LDPC codes with code-rate $R > 1/2$. A simple method using the protograph extrinsic information transfer (PEXIT) to design the codes with a low decoding threshold and the asymptotic weight enumerator (AWE) to evaluate the error floor of the codes is deployed. Simulation results show that the proposed codes have a better error floor than prior art protograph codes and offer higher rate protographs.

Awareness and integrated information theory identify plant meristems as sites of conscious activity

Lacking an anatomical brain/nervous system, it is assumed plants are not conscious. The biological function of consciousness is an input to behaviour; it is adaptive (subject to selection) and based on information. Complex language makes human consciousness unique. Consciousness is equated to awareness. All organisms are aware of their surroundings, modifying their behaviour to improve survival. Awareness requires assessment too. The mechanisms of animal assessment are neural while molecular and electrical in plants. Awareness of plants being also consciousness may resolve controversy. The integrated information theory (IIT), a leading theory of consciousness, is also blind to brains, nerves and synapses. The integrated information theory indicates plant awareness involves information of two kinds: (1) communicative, extrinsic information as a result of the perception of environmental changes and (2) integrated intrinsic information located in the shoot and root meristems and possibly cambium. The combination of information constructs an information nexus in the meristems leading to assessment and behaviour. The interpretation of integrated information in meristems probably involves the complex networks built around [Ca2+]i that also enable plant learning, memory and intelligent activities. A mature plant contains a large number of conjoined, conscious or aware, meristems possibly unique in the living kingdom.

On the Performance of Self-Concatenated Coding for Wireless Mobile Video Transmission Using DSTS-SP-Assisted Smart Antenna System

In the current age of advanced technologies, there is an escalating demand for reliable wireless systems, catering to the high data rates of mobile multimedia applications. This article presents a novel approach to the concept of Self-Concatenated Convolutional Coding (SECCC) with Sphere Packing (SP) modulation via Differential Space-Time Spreading- (DSTS-) based smart antennas. The two transmitters provide transmit diversity which is capable of recuperating the signal from the effects of fading, even with a single receiving antenna. The proposed DSTS-SP SECCC scheme is probed for the Rayleigh fading channel. The SECCC structure is developed using the Recursive Systematic Convolutional (RSC) code with the aid of an interleaver. Interleaving generates randomness in exchange for extrinsic information between the constituent decoders. Iterative decoding is invoked at the receiving side to enhance the output performance by attaining fruitful convergence. The convergence behaviour of the proposed system is investigated using EXtrinsic Information Transfer (EXIT) curves. The performance of the proposed system is ascertained with the H.264 standard video codec. The perceived video quality of DSTS-SP SECCC is found to be significantly better than that of the DSTS-SP RSC. To be more precise, the proposed DSTS-SP SECCC system exhibits an E b / N 0 gain of 8 dB at the PSNR degradation point of 1 dB, relative to the equivalent rate DSTS-SP RSC. Similarly, an E b / N 0 gain of 10 dB exists for the DSTS-SP SECCC system at 1 dB degradation point when compared with the SECCC scheme dispensing with the DSTS-SP approach.

Improving Polar-Coded SCMA System by Information Coupling and Parity Check

In this paper, the uplink information-coupled polar-coded sparse code multiple access (PC-SCMA) system is proposed. For this system, we first design the encoding method of systematic joint parity check and CRC-aided (PCCA) polar code. Using the systematic PCCA-polar code as base code, the partially information-coupled (PIC) polar code is constructed. Then, a joint iterative detection and successive cancellation list (SCL)-decoding receiver is proposed for the PC-SCMA system. For the receiver, the coupled polar decoder’s extrinsic messages are calculated by the Bayes rule and soft cancellation (SCAN) algorithm. Based on the extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) idea, the PIC PCCA-polar code is optimized. Simulation results demonstrate that the PIC PCCA-PC-SCMA system outperforms the other polar (or LDPC) coded SCMA systems at various code rates and channel configurations. Additionally, compared with an uncoupled PC-SCMA system with SCL decoder, the complexity of PIC PCCA-PC-SCMA is reduced at a high Eb/N0

Optimized Design for NB-LDPC-Coded High-Order CPM: Power and Iterative Efficiencies

In this paper, a non-binary low-density parity-check (NB-LDPC) coded high-order continuous phase modulation (CPM) system is designed and optimized to improve power and iterative efficiencies. Firstly, the minimum squared normalized Euclidean distance and the 99% double-sided power bandwidth are introduced to design a competitive CPM, improving its power efficiency under a given code rate and spectral efficiency. Secondly, a three-step method based on extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) and entropy theory is used to design NB-LDPC codes, which reduces the convergence threshold approximately 0.42 and 0.58 dB compared with the candidate schemes. Thirdly, an extrinsic information operation is proposed to address the positive feedback issue in iterative detection and decoding and the value of bit error rate (BER) can approximately be reduced by 5×10−3. Finally, iteration optimization employing the EXIT chart and mutual information between demodulation and decoding is performed to achieve a suitable tradeoff for the communication reliability and iterative decoding delay. Simulation results show that the resulting scheme provides an approximately 3.95 dB coding gain compared to the uncoded CPM and achieves approximately 0.5 and 0.7 dB advantages compared with the candidate schemes. The resulting NB-LDPC-coded high-order CPM for a given code rate and spectral efficiency converges earlier into a turbo cliff region compared with other competitors and significantly improves power and iterative efficiencies.

Sentience and the Origins of Consciousness: From Cartesian Duality to Markovian Monism

This essay addresses Cartesian duality and how its implicit dialectic might be repaired using physics and information theory. Our agenda is to describe a key distinction in the physical sciences that may provide a foundation for the distinction between mind and matter, and between sentient and intentional systems. From this perspective, it becomes tenable to talk about the physics of sentience and ‘forces’ that underwrite our beliefs (in the sense of probability distributions represented by our internal states), which may ground our mental states and consciousness. We will refer to this view as Markovian monism, which entails two claims: (1) fundamentally, there is only one type of thing and only one type of irreducible property (hence monism). (2) All systems possessing a Markov blanket have properties that are relevant for understanding the mind and consciousness: if such systems have mental properties, then they have them partly by virtue of possessing a Markov blanket (hence Markovian). Markovian monism rests upon the information geometry of random dynamic systems. In brief, the information geometry induced in any system—whose internal states can be distinguished from external states—must acquire a dual aspect. This dual aspect concerns the (intrinsic) information geometry of the probabilistic evolution of internal states and a separate (extrinsic) information geometry of probabilistic beliefs about external states that are parameterised by internal states. We call these intrinsic (i.e., mechanical, or state-based) and extrinsic (i.e., Markovian, or belief-based) information geometries, respectively. Although these mathematical notions may sound complicated, they are fairly straightforward to handle, and may offer a means through which to frame the origins of consciousness.