The increasing reliance on healthcare infrastructures makes them highly vulnerable to cyber threats, requiring robust and adaptable security strategies. This study integrates the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF 2.0) with the OCTAVE methodology to assess cybersecurity risks and support the definition of mitigation strategies in the technological infrastructure of a private healthcare provider in Ecuador. Beyond the Protect function, the audit framework considers Identify, Detect, Respond, and Recover, complemented by the Governance and Supply Chain risk management functions introduced in CSF 2.0. OCTAVE facilitated the systematic identification of threats, vulnerabilities, and residual risks, while NIST CSF guided policy alignment. The analysis revealed that approximately 75% of critical assets presented vulnerabilities which, if addressed through the proposed controls, could potentially lead to modeled residual risk reductions of over 40%. While these findings are based on qualitative projections rather than implemented results, the framework establishes a structured and reproducible pathway for empirical validation and long-term cybersecurity resilience. This combined approach provides practical guidance for healthcare organizations seeking to structure cybersecurity audits and align with international standards.
The construction sector continues to grow, but it is always looking for materials that do not generate CO2 during their production. Therefore, this research evaluates the physical and mechanical properties of concrete by using fly ash (FA) as a partial substitute for cement and adding steel fiber from tires (SFT). The experimental treatments were carried out with proportions of 3, 6, 9 and 12% FA to determine the optimal percentage, which was then combined with 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2% SFT of the total volume of the concrete. Physical tests revealed that workability decreased with the addition of FA, as well as with increasing SFT percentages, while temperature and unit weight remained stable. The air content increased with the use of FA and then decreased with the addition of SFT. In the mechanical tests, the optimal FA percentage was 3%, with decreasing results as the percentage increased. With the addition of SFT, the optimal percentage was 1%, followed by a decrease in results with higher percentages. The combination of 3% FA and 1% SFT improved the compressive, tensile and flexural strength by 7.98, 29.18 and 21.73%, respectively, compared to the master concrete. The elasticity modulus reached its optimum with 3% FA, improving by 8.18% in relation to the standard concrete. In conclusion, FA and SFT reduce CO2 emissions and improve concrete properties.
The consumption of large volumes of natural resources in construction has led to the depletion of its sources of supply, that´s why it has become a necessity to take advantage of the waste generated in different industrial processes. The slag obtained in the steel manufacturing process constitutes one of those sources, to which added value could be given, also reducing environmental pollution. The research studies the performance of concrete by replacing Portland cement with white granulated steel slag in proportions between 35% and 45% at ages of 7, 28 and 180 days, evaluating their physical, mechanical and durability properties, as well as the influence of the type of slag cooling in this process. It is concluded that at late ages, slag can be used to partially replace Portland cement, without significant effects on the properties of concrete, although further improvement of its rapid cooling procedures is necessary.
Surface sediment samples from 46 sites along the Unete River in Casanare, Colombia, were analysed to assess the ecological risk and sources of heavy metals—arsenic (As), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). The study applied a comprehensive approach that included descriptive statistical analysis, comparison with Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs), calculation of enrichment factors (EF), potential ecological risk index (PERI), and toxicity risk index (RI), as well as multivariate statistical methods such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF). Arsenic concentrations showed a highly heterogeneous distribution, while Pb emerged as the most critical contaminant. Elevated Pb levels indicated contamination of concern in at least 5% of the sampling sites. Both As and Pb showed environmentally significant contamination levels. EF results indicated that Zn, As, and Pb primarily originate from anthropogenic sources, while Cu and Ni are associated with natural sources. PERI and RI values for As and Pb classified them as contaminants of concern, with a higher potential environmental risk at sites where both metals were detected together. Multivariate statistical analysis, supported by findings in the literature, identified two likely pollution sources for these heavy metals: (i) agricultural activities and (ii) vehicular emissions. These results are consistent with the observation that As concentrations were highly localized, whereas Pb displayed a broader spatial distribution across the study area
La evaluación de confiabilidad en los sistemas de distribución eléctrica es esencial para determinar la calidad del servicio. Las redes convencionales, especialmente en áreas boscosas, son propensas a altas tasas de fallas que afectan negativamente los indicadores de calidad. Este estudio tiene como objetivo implementar un sistema de predicción para evaluar el comportamiento futuro de los índices de calidad FMIK y TTIK al migrar de una red convencional a una red semiaislada en el alimentador Esperanza 2 de la empresa EMELNORTE. El sistema de predicción se diseñó utilizando una red neuronal con datos históricos del 2013 a 2023, generando un modelo de 4 capas con 128, 64, 32 y 3 neuronas, logrando un MAE de 0.072 y un MSE de 0.011. La proyección se realizó para el periodo 2025-2035, obteniendo promedios de FMIK y TTIK de 14.3769 y 10.11672 para la red convencional, y 4.9442 y 2.033 para la red semiaislada. El modelo predictivo de la red neuronal fue comparado con simulaciones realizadas en CYME, encontrando un error promedio de 3.17% y 1.79% para el FMIK y TTIK en la red convencional, y de 4.16% y 3.14% en la red semiaislada. Finalmente, se analizó el impacto económico derivado de las sanciones por incumplir los estándares de calidad del TTIK y FMIK establecidos en la Regulación Nro. ARCERNNR 002/20 para ambas configuraciones de red.
