Background. With the increasing demand for cybersecurity, there is a growing interest in understanding cyber-attack surfaces and vectors. Security Operation Centers (SOCs) play a crucial role in defensive cybersecurity, and Security Informationand Event Management (SIEM) systems are used to monitor and analyze the security status of computer systems. However, SIEM systems face challenges such asdata overload and the need for effective data selection.Objectives. This research aims to develop a method for reducing the number ofsets of Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) processed by SIEM systems while maintaining maximum coverage. The objectives include conducting a literature review onIOCs processing and data reduction, preparing data from the Open Threat Exchange(OTX) platform, developing a method for minimizing IOCs sets, and evaluating theeffectiveness of the proposed solution.Methods. The evaluation of the methods is performed numerically using a FuzzyTable. The research also involves developing a mathematical model that describesthe relationships between different types of IOCs and the possibility of various representations for the same object. The model takes into account weight assignmentto each indicator. Software implementation is carried out. The effectiveness of thedeveloped method is evaluated using metrics such as the coverage of the initial setof IOCs and the data reduction rateResults. Unfortunately, none of the methods fully met all the criteria. Fuzzy logicwas selected as the decision-making approach. A mathematical data model was developed to represent IOCs and associated pulses as sets. Dependencies were described tofilter out duplicate indicators. Implementation was done using the Python programming language. Three algorithms were implemented: Set cover problem, Weightedcoverage maximization, and Budget cover problem. Tests were conducted on theentire data set and subsets to analyze performance. The number of IOCs decreasedfrom 4115 to 3341, representing a reduction of 25.5% to 93% according to the Totaldata reduction metric. Conclusions. Overall, the developed method reduced information and minimizedindicator sources, offering a valuable approach for reducing data in IOC processing.

Objectives: Dental instrument sterilization with steam autoclaves is critical to maintaining infection control standards in dental practice, and preventing patient-to-patient transmission of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. The American Dental Association and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend, and many state dental laws require, weekly use of biological spore tests to verify dental instrument sterilization outcomes. However, the most widely used biological spore test needs microbial culture incubation for 2 days after autoclave exposure, which limits swift identification of sterilization failure. To address this issue, this study evaluated the reliability of a new rapid biological spore test for determining the sterilization efficacy of dental steam autoclaves within 20 minutes. Methods: Two commercial biological spore tests were evaluated in Temple University dental school steam autoclaves, 1.) the Steris Celerity 20 Steam Biologic Indicator with a 20-minute outcome time requirement, and 2.) the 3M Attest 1262 Biological Indicator with a 48-hour outcome time requirement. Both biological spore tests employed live thermoresistant Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores as an indicator of whether sterilization conditions in steam autoclaves were met or not. To compare their efficacy, a total of 157 pairs of the two biological spore tests were placed into dental steam autoclaves with dental instrument cassettes, and subjected to manufacturer-recommended steam autoclave temperature and air pressure operating conditions for an adequate sterilization time of 15 minutes. Two additional groups of 10 pairs each of the two biological indicators were subjected to appropriate steam autoclave temperature and air pressure settings, but only for aborted non-sterilizing time periods of 10 and 5 minutes, respectively. Subsequent aseptic processing and laboratory incubation of both biological indicators was initiated within 2-24 hours, and followed manufacturer recommendations. After autoclave exposure, Steris Celerity 20 Steam Biologic Indicator test ampoules were incubated in a specialized instrument for 20 minutes at 57 °C, which also spectrophotometrically evaluated the microbial culture medium for fluorescent α- glucosidase enzyme signal changes. No change in fluorescent intensity represented successful sterilization, whereas increased fluorescence indicated survival of viable G. stearothermophilus spores germinating into vegetative bacterial cells after failed sterilization. 3M Attest 1262 Biological Indicator ampoules were incubated for 48 hours in a laboratory heating block at 57 °C, after which a pH-based color change in the microbial culture broth was visually assessed. No change in the color of the culture broth (purple color remains) indicated successful sterilization, whereas development of a yellow color in the culture broth, as a result of viable G. stearothermophilus spore germination into vegetative bacterial cells, denoted failed sterilization. Results: A total of 354 biological indicators were exposed to dental steam autoclaves sterilization cycles, incubated for either 20 minutes or 48 hours, and evaluated for G. stearothermophilus spore growth. The Steris Celerity and 3M Attest biological spore tests both uniformly detected successful sterilization, with no G. stearothermophilus spore growth, after 15 minutes of steam autoclave exposure at manufacturer recommended steam autoclave temperature and air pressure operating conditions. This provided 100% agreement, and no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of successful sterilization outcomes, between 157 pairs of both biological indicator types after 15 minutes of steam autoclave exposure. Similarly, both biological spore test systems were also in complete agreement after only 5 minutes of steam autoclave exposure, with 100% of both biological indicators positive for G. stearothermophilus spore growth, indicating failed sterilization. In contrast, after 10 minutes of steam autoclave exposure, there was a complete lack of agreement between the two types of biological indicators. All 10 Steris Celerity spore tests were positive, whereas all 10 3M Attest ampoules were negative, for G. stearothermophilus spore growth after 10 minutes of steam autoclave exposure. Relative to this disagreement, a non-biological chemical indicator strip that was part of the Steris biological indicator test system failed to have a darkened bar develop and extend into the “Accept (OK)” portion of the strip for all Steris Celerity spore tests exposed to either 5 minutes or 10 minutes of steam autoclave exposure, indicating that adequate autoclave steam, temperature and/or time parameters had not been attained for sterilization. Conclusions: The Steris Celerity biological spore test was successful in rapidly determining the sterilization efficacy of dental steam autoclaves within only a 20-minute incubation time period, as compared to 48 hours of incubation required by the widely-used 3M Attest biological spore test. As a result, this rapid assay offers earlier detection of steam autoclave sterilization failure before potentially contaminated dental instruments are used in clinical patient care. The alarming failure of 3M Attest biological spores to grow after a non-sterilizing 10-minute steam autoclave exposure time warrants further product evaluation. / Oral Biology

Transition services at the high school level can make a positive difference in the postsecondary outcomes of students with disabilities by providing them a program of study or training at the secondary level. Transition services can also assist them in aquiring an education, vocational training, rehabilitative services, and work opportunities as they enter the postsecondary world of young adulthood. The purpose of this study is to compare the transition programs of 3 Southwest Virginia school systems in an effort to determine the difference a full-time transition coordinator could make in the postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities. Findings revealed significant differences in the outcomes of students with disabilities in the 3 Southwest Virginia county school systems and the Commonwealth of Virginia Public Schools. Differences were revealed in (1) the percentage of students with disabilities who graduated with regular diplomas (either advanced or standard diplomas) and (2) the percentage of students who met the definition of Indicator 14. Each of the 3 Southwest Virginia county school systems has fewer positive outcomes than did students in the Commonwealth of Virginia Public Schools. Analysis also revealed there were no significant differences between Southwest Virginia school systems with and without a full-time transition coordinator in relation to postsecondary education, vocational training, and employment outcomes. The system with a full-time transition coordinator (Wise County) had least positive outcomes than did each of the other 2 Southwest Virginia county school systems. While there were no significant differences in the county with a full-time transition coordinator and the 2 counties without the coordinators, the graduation rates could have been even lower if the one county did not have a full-time transition coordinator.

Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris ) has been established in Uluṟu‐Kata Tjuta National Park since 1968. To date, the influence of buffel grass on the Park's flora and fauna has been largely unassessed. The objectives of this study were to determine if buffel grass dominates vegetation communities at the base of Uluṟu and if buffel grass habitats are associated with lower reptile and amphibian species richness than endemic vegetation communities. We used vegetation transects to measure the amount of buffel grass and genera of endemic vegetation at 26 sampling locations around the base of Uluṟu. The vegetation survey data were paired with pitfall trap data from reptile and amphibian captures at the same sampling locations. Indicator species analysis and non‐metric multidimensional scaling were used to analyse the vegetation and herpetofaunal community data. Our analyses determined five distinct vegetation communities around Uluṟu. At the base of Uluṟu, buffel grass dominated half of sampled areas and the rest of the inselberg's base was dominated by Themeda grasses. Buffel grass habitats had significantly higher herpetofaunal species richness than the Themeda habitats that dominated other areas at Uluṟu's base. Herpetofauna species richness in buffel grass‐dominated habitats was also significantly higher than all vegetation communities except for Triodia‐dominated habitats. These observations do not directly indicate that buffel grass presence promotes higher species richness of reptiles and amphibians since the observed patterns may be driven by factors such as proximity to breeding sites and abiotic variables not directly related to the grass itself.

An indicator of compromise is a digital artefact that detects data compromise. They sense the compromise happening, trace the intrusion and collect data. This data includes breached data and the address. All indicators have a limited period of a lifetime, in which these work the best time in their peak. Once the indicator starts decaying, then its performance of it deteriorates. Meaning there is an increase in false alarms of compromise. The most influential parameters in the performance of an IOC are related pulse, alerts, file score and IDS. These parameters influence both the working and decay of an indicator. But the relation between these is unknown; therefore, this thesis investigates the nature of the correlation between these parameters. Evaluating an IOC and its performance or decay is essential as these determine the quality of an indicator known as confidence in cybersecurity. In cybersecurity management, confidence (quality) is crucial in preventing or detecting threats. By understanding IOC's performance and decay, we can determine its confidence level. There has been a model generated to find confidence levels, and this thesis aims to improve those models. Here, the thesis proposes a case study to find the relation between parameters and use the findings in making an improved model finding confidence level.

The master thesis at Sandvik Additive Manufacturing Division, Sandviken, aims at three things. The first step is to estimate the cost of a Binder jet Additive Manufacturing method and identify the key cost drivers in the manufacturing process, since cost estimation can help the organisation to understand the cost factors that are affecting the product's price. Also assisting the sales team to create a foundation to price quote their customers and raise profit margins. Hence the first part of the thesis emphasizes creating an easy-to-use template for the organization's production and sales teams. The second part of the thesis is to provide an Excel sheet that is simple to use for computing the yearly budgets so that it serves as a technique for forecasting impending outflows within the company. Hence, a quarterly and yearly budgeting template that the sales and production team can use at Sandvik AM division is designed. The final objective of this thesis is to establish the Binder Jet machine's Overall Equipment Efficiency key performance indicator. This is done by taking into account availability, performance, and quality. These three factors are tracked from the additive manufacturing machines using an automated OEE Key Performance Indicator calculator that collects data from the build reports into Excel using the power query tool. / Examensarbetet vid Sandvik Additive Manufacturing Division, Sandviken, syftar till tre saker. Det första steget är att uppskatta kostnaden för en Binder jet Additive Manufacturing-metod och identifiera de viktigaste kostnadsdrivkrafterna i tillverkningsprocessen, eftersom kostnadsuppskattning kan hjälpa organisationen att förstå de kostnadsfaktorer som påverkar produktens pris. Hjälper även säljteamet att skapa en grund för att prissätta sina kunder och höja vinstmarginalerna. Därför fokuserar den första delen av avhandlingen på att skapa en lättanvänd mall för organisationens produktions- och säljteam. Den andra delen av uppsatsen är att tillhandahålla ett Excel-ark som är enkelt att använda för att beräkna den årliga budgeten så att det fungerar som en teknik för att prognostisera förestående utflöden inom företaget. Därför utformas en mall för kvartalsvis och årlig budgetering som sälj- och produktionsteamet kan använda på Sandvik AM-divisionen. Det slutliga målet med denna avhandling är att fastställa Binder Jet-maskinens övergripande utrustningseffektivitets nyckelprestandaindikator. Detta görs genom att ta hänsyn till tillgänglighet, prestanda och kvalitet. Dessa tre faktorer spåras från de additiva tillverkningsmaskinerna med hjälp av en automatiserad OEE Key Performance Indicator-kalkylator som samlar in data från byggrapporterna till Excel med hjälp av kraftfrågeverktyget.

No description available.

The goal of this research is to improve an IDS so that the percentage of true positives is high, an organisation can cut time and cost and use its resources in a more optimal way. This research goal was to prove that the precision of an intrusion detection system (IDS), in terms of producing lower rate of false positives or higher rate of true alerts, can be achieved by parsing indicators of compromise (IOC) to gather information, that combined with system-specific knowledge will be a solid base for manual fine-tuning of IDS-rules. The methodology used is Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) because it is used for research that aims to answer an existing problem with a new or improved solution. A part of that solution is a proposed process for tuning of an arbitrary intrusion detection system. The implemented and formalized process Tuned Intrusion Detection System (TIDS) has been designed during this research work, aiding us in presenting and performing validation tests in a structured and robust way. The testbed consisted of a Windows 10 operating system and a NIDS implementation of Snort as an IDS. The work was experimental, evaluated and improved regarding IDS rules and tools over several iterations. With the use of recorded data traffic from the public dataset CTU-13, the difference between the use of tuned versus un-tuned rules in an IDS was presented in terms of precision of the alerts created by the IDS. Our contributions were that the concept holds; the precision can be improved by adding custom rules based on known parameters in the network and features of the network traffic and disabling rules that were out of scope. The second contribution is the TIDS process, as designed during the thesis work, serving us well during the process.

Addressing environmental burdens associated with the operation and infrastructure of the electrical transmission system products is imperative. Implementing Ecodesign practices in the early stages of product development and adopting circularity approaches throughout the product value chain is crucial to mitigate adverse impacts. However, transitioning from a traditional to a circular business model necessitates a well-defined strategic plan enabling organisations to assess their current situation and develop effective tactics. Nevertheless, trade-offs between circularity and sustainability must be carefully considered, as circular practices may not always align with the triple bottom line. Therefore, accurately prioritising circular strategies is essential for establishing a circular and sustainable product life cycle. This research evaluates business practices of Grid Solutions and proposes priority strategies, guidelines and KPIs to enhance product circularity. For this purpose, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methodology based on expert’s judgment, is implemented. The prioritised strategies are analysed using an Importance vs Difficulty matrix to identify high-value and strategic actions. Simultaneously, product circularity indicators are evaluated and ranked based on the AHP outcomes. Subsequently, the most relevant indicator is assessed through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in the prioritised guidelines, through High Voltage (HV) equipment. Results highlight that minimising energy consumption is essential for improving product circularity, as LCA analysis confirms. The chosen circular indicator is tested by comparing an HV product version with lower energy losses to the product baseline, exhibiting a 51.45% increase in sustainable circularity and approximately 20% reduction in adverse environmental impacts. Additionally, prioritising efforts to minimise non-conformities, promote repairability, and enable upgrades are also of high relevance. Finally, the research provides recommendations for New Product Introduction (NPI) frameworks and sustainable reporting.

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs, 15-39 years of age) with cancer face unique challenges. Efforts have been made to improve both care and outcomes for this population. Metrics to evaluate AYA cancer care efforts help to ensure that objectives and outcomes are being met. This thesis comprises 7 papers which explore system performance metrics for cancer care and control in AYAs. A scoping review introduces the topic and addresses the current state of indicator metrics for the AYA cancer population. The second paper extends this work and develops a consensus-based list of relevant indicators. The subsequent papers focus on further development of two of the identified indicators for implementation in Canada (identification of patient reported outcome measures (PROMS) for assessing distress; a referral indicator for oncofertility care). This thesis describes 14 indicators in 5 care areas. Two identified indicators were further developed to aid in implementation (“Proportion of AYA patients screened for distress with standardized AYA specific tools” and “Proportion of AYA patients who had fertility preservation discussion before treatment”). Criteria from the National Quality Forum (NQF) were used to assess commonly used PROMs for distress. It was found that although all PROMs had acceptable psychometric properties, only the “Impact of Cancer” scale of the CDS-AYA had strong content validity for AYA with cancer. For Oncofertility, the indicator “Proportion of cases attending a fertility consult visit ≤ 30 days from diagnosis of cancer” was recommended for use. Finally, factors associated with attending such a fertility consult were identified. Important factors for both men and women included: age at diagnosis, risk to fertility, year of diagnosis, treatment with radiation or chemotherapy, region of care, income and residential instability. The information presented in this thesis can be applied to national system performance initiatives to identify and implement metrics to monitor and evaluate cancer care in AYA. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / A person 15 to 39 years old with cancer will face many challenges. This is a time of life with many changes such as continuing schooling, getting married, starting a career, or starting a family. To make sure that young people with cancer are getting the best care, and that they have the best chance to achieve their goals and contribute to society, we need to measure what is important to this group. These measures can be used to compare hospitals, or changes over time to help make care better. This paper looks at what we already measure in this group, and what patients, researchers and healthcare workers think also should be measured to help provide the best care for these patients. Measures discussed in this paper could be used in programs to monitor the quality of care given to young people with cancer.