Navigating hybrid threats : advanced security solutions for modern organizations

PURPOSE: Hybrid threats can include a variety of activities, such as cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, acts of sabotage, as well as military and paramilitary activities. They aim to destabilize, disorganize, and weaken organizations, both private and public. The goal of the article is to identify the impact of hybrid threats on the security of organizations.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Effective security management in the era of hybrid threats requires continuous monitoring, analysis, and adaptation to changing reality. The research aimed to answer what the threat to the security of organizations posed by hybrid threats is. Obtaining answers to the above questions required the use of appropriate research methods. For the study, literature analysis and reliable Internet sources in the fields of management, economics, and security were used.FINDINGS: Organizations need to be ready for action concerning security in advance, identifying potential threats and taking steps to mitigate them before they become a major concern. The ability to respond quickly to changing threats is also crucial. The implementation of innovative technological and procedural solutions is essential for effective safety management. It is important to integrate activities from various areas of the organization's operations, which will allow for the creation of a coherent security management system.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: In the era of increasing hybrid threats that destabilize information security, organizations must effectively manage their security by integrating various strategies and technologies. Security should be treated holistically, covering all aspects of the organization's operations. Only then can risks be effectively identified and managed. It is important to develop universal methods of dealing with hybrid attacks.peer-reviewe

Influence of scanning strategy parameters on residual stress in the SLM process according to the Bridge Curvature Method for AISI 316L stainless steel

The present paper deals with the investigation and comparison of the influence of scanning strategy on residual stress in the selective laser melting (SLM) process. For the purpose of the experiment, bridge geometry samples were printed by a 3D metal printer, which exhibited tension after cutting from the substrate, slightly bending the samples toward the laser melting direction. Samples were produced with the variation of process parameters and with a change in scanning strategy which plays a major role in stress generation. It was evaluated using the Bridge Curvature Method (BCM) and optical microscopy. At the end, a recommendation was made.Web of Science137art. no. 165

New Analytical Methods Developed for Determination of Perfluorinated Surfactants in Waters and Wastes

Perfluorinated organic compounds have been recognized in recent years as globally distributed persistent organic pollutants of an entirely anthropogenic origin, but present already even in the most remote places of the globe, including organisms of wild fauna. Numerous studies have also shown that they are contained in human organisms all over the world. In this work a special attention is given to perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs), widely used in various areas of modern life. New methods developed for their determination using the HPLC with fluorescence detection and capillary electrophoretic methods are discussed, as well as the new method for the determination of total organic fluorine (TOF). (doi: 10.5562/cca1776

Prognostic value of selected risk scales in patients with end-stage heart failure

Background: Due to the increasing number of patients placed on waiting lists for orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT), the selection of patients with the highest risk of death has become paramount.Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the Model for End-stage Liver Disease eXcluding INR (MELD-XI) and Meta-Analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure (MAGGIC) scales in ambulatory patients awaiting OHT and compare them to the Heart Failure Survival Score (HFSS).Methods: The study was a retrospective review of 370 adult ambulatory patients with end-stage heart failure, who were added to the OHT waiting list at our institution between 2012 and 2016.Results: The median age of the patients was 54.0 (46.0–60.0) years, and 324 (87.6%) of them were male. The overall one-year mortality was 27.6%. The areas under the curve (AUCs) for the MAGGIC and HFSS scales were comparable: 0.771 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.720–0.823); sensitivity 77%, specificity 68% vs. 0.781 (95% CI 0.732–0.829); sensitivity 90%, specificity 58%, respectively. The AUC for the MELD-XI scale was higher than that for the HFSS scale: 0.812 (95% CI 0.769–0.856); sensitivity 91%, specificity 63% vs. 0.781 (95% CI 0.732–0.829) sensitivity 90%, specificity 58%, respectively.Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that elevated MELD-XI and MAGGIC scores and lowered HFSS scores were associated with an increased risk of death during one-year follow-up. The prognostic utility of the MELD-XI scoring system was better than that of the HFSS scale, while the MAGGIC scale was comparable to the HFSS

Effects of equal channel angular pressing and heat treatments on the microstructures and mechanical properties of selective laser melted and cast AlSi10Mg alloys

This study investigated the impact of the equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) combined with heat treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AlSi10Mg alloys fabricated via selective laser melting (SLM) and gravity casting. Special attention was directed towards determining the effect of post-fabrication heat treatments on the microstructural evolution of AlSi10Mg alloy fabricated using two different routes. Three initial alloy conditions were considered prior to ECAP deformation: (1) as-cast in solution treated (T4) condition, (2) SLM in T4 condition, (3) SLM subjected to low-temperature annealing. Light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction line broadening analysis, and electron backscattered diffraction analysis were used to characterize the microstructures before and after ECAP. The results indicated that SLM followed by low-temperature annealing led to superior mechanical properties, relative to the two other conditions. Microscopic analyses revealed that the partial-cellular structure contributed to strong work hardening. This behavior enhanced the material's strength because of the enhanced accumulation of geometrically necessary dislocations during ECAP deformation.Web of Science213art. no. 9

The impact of IT systems on the safety and competitiveness of construction enterprises

PURPOSE: The article aims to show the impact of IT systems on the safety and competitiveness of construction enterprises.APPROACH/METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: The main research methods are a review of national and world scientific and practical literature and a quantitative survey among construction companies in selected European Union countries.FINDINGS: The growing importance of IT systems in construction companies contributes to their development, resulting in the availability of information to an increasing number of employees, which translates into a higher quality of decisions made and, in turn, a competitive position.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The practical implications of the research results included in the article will constitute recommendations for activities in managing companies that can be used in business practice, which will translate into higher financial results.The need to replace software is dictated by the pace of scientific and technical progress, because the condition for purchasing it is the desire to have innovative IT tools that provide a temporary advantage over the competition.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The original value of the article is the quantitative analysis of the impact of introduced IT systems on the competitiveness of construction companies.peer-reviewe