Standards play an important role within information and communication technology as it becomes networked and complex. No single model has yet been developed to address how successful standards emerge. We propose a dynamic process model of standardization that integrates separate lines of inquiry to standardization activities including Simon’s theory of artifact design (D), Weick’s concept of se...

We describe a variation of the Prêt-à-Voter voting protocol that keeps the same ballot layout but borrows and slightly modifies the underlying cryptographic primitives from Punchscan, which is based on bit commitments. By using unconditionally hiding bit commitments, our protocol obtains unconditional privacy. We suggest a way to make cheating on the computational binding bit commitments imposs...

The laboratory criteria that define patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) include lupus anticoagulant (LAC), anticardiolipin antibodies and anti-β2 glycoprotein I antibodies (aβ2GPI). All assays show methodological shortcomings and the combination of the three tests, each with different sensitivity and specificity, and hence, differences in clinical utility make the laboratory diagnosis...

The Helios voting scheme is well studied including formal proofs for verifiability and ballot privacy. However, depending on its version, the scheme provides either participation privacy (hiding who participated in the election) or verifiability against malicious bulletin board (preventing election manipulation by ballot stuffing), but not both at the same time. It also does not provide receipt...

A task common to nearly all types of election auditing is that of human auditors physically counting ballots by hand. This task, fundamental to the goal of accuracy in an audit, can be a source of error. While somewhat basic in its nature, the process of counting can be strongly influenced by many procedural and legal factors. In the current study, we examine how specific group counting procedu...

BACKGROUND Construction of electrochemical impedance sensors by the self-assembly technique has become a promising strategy for the 'label-free' detection of protein-ligand interactions. However, previous impedance sensors are devoid of an inherent electrochemical signal, which limits the standardization of the sensors for protein recognition in a reproducible manner. RESULTS We designed and ...

Proficiency testing (PT) schemes seek to improve and maintain consistency in asbestos fibre counting by circulating mounted samples to laboratories, which return counts for comparison with consensus reference values. This study compares the level of these consensus values in three (Spanish, Belgian and UK) national PT schemes. It also assesses the effect of the imminent change in the European s...

BACKGROUND Proficiency testing (PT) is a means of verifying the reliability of laboratory results, but such programmes are not readily available to laboratories in developing countries. This project provided PT to laboratories in Nigeria. OBJECTIVES To assess the proficiency of laboratories in the diagnosis of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. METHODS This was a prospective study carried out b...

UNLABELLED Although nanoparticles research is ongoing since more than 30years, the development of methods and standard protocols required for their safety and efficacy testing for human use is still in development. The review covers questions on toxicity, safety, risk and legal issues over the lifecycle of inorganic nanoparticles for medical applications. The following topics were covered: (i) ...

The diagnosis of endemic and invasive fungal disease remains challenging. Molecular techniques for identification of fungi now play a significant and growing role in clinical mycology and offer distinct advantages as they are faster, more sensitive and more specific. The aim of this mini-review is to provide an overview of the state of the art of molecular diagnosis of endemic and invasive fung...