University of Massachusetts Boston

About: University of Massachusetts Boston is a education organization based out in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 6541 authors who have published 12918 publications receiving 411731 citations. The organization is also known as: UMass Boston.

Energy Theft Detection With Energy Privacy Preservation in the Smart Grid

Abstract: As a prominent early instance of the Internet of Things in the smart grid, the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) provides real-time information from smart meters to both grid operators and customers, exploiting the full potential of demand response. However, the newly collected information without security protection can be maliciously altered and result in huge loss. In this paper, we propose an energy theft detection scheme with energy privacy preservation in the smart grid. Especially, we use combined convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to detect abnormal behavior of the metering data from a long-period pattern observation. In addition, we employ Paillier algorithm to protect the energy privacy. In other words, the users’ energy data are securely protected in the transmission and the data disclosure is minimized. Our security analysis demonstrates that in our scheme data privacy and authentication are both achieved. Experimental results illustrate that our modified CNN model can effectively detect abnormal behaviors at an accuracy up to 92.67%.

Energetics of life on the deep seafloor

Abstract: With frigid temperatures and virtually no in situ productivity, the deep oceans, Earth’s largest ecosystem, are especially energy-deprived systems. Our knowledge of the effects of this energy limitation on all levels of biological organization is very incomplete. Here, we use the Metabolic Theory of Ecology to examine the relative roles of carbon flux and temperature in influencing metabolic rate, growth rate, lifespan, body size, abundance, biomass, and biodiversity for life on the deep seafloor. We show that the relative impacts of thermal and chemical energy change across organizational scales. Results suggest that individual metabolic rates, growth, and turnover proceed as quickly as temperature-influenced biochemical kinetics allow but that chemical energy limits higher-order community structure and function. Understanding deep-sea energetics is a pressing problem because of accelerating climate change and the general lack of environmental regulatory policy for the deep oceans.

Choosing Employment: Factors That Impact Employment Decisions for Individuals With Intellectual Disability

Abstract: Little is known about the factors that shape the employment-related decisions of individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Findings from qualitative interviews with individuals, their family members, and employment-support professionals from four community rehabilitation providers throughout Massachusetts were reported. Recognizing the value of participatory action research, we also included a co-researcher with intellectual disability who participated in all facets of the research process. Findings revealed a collection of people and factors considered influential in employment-related decision-making. The family in the formative years, school-based staff and early employment experiences, the culture of the community rehabilitation providers, the job developer, and personal preferences all influenced participants' decisions. Through understanding these persuasive elements, we offer recommendations to those in the intellectual and developmental disabilities field to optimize employment choices and outcomes.