Legislative Oversight of Administrative Rulemaking in New Hampshire

This paper explains how administrative rules are made in a small state. It also analyzes the role of a joint legislative committee which oversees the process and concludes that such oversight generally increases opportunities for public scrutiny of rules and public participation in rule making

Accelerated Poisoning of Diesel Oxidation Catalysts by Zinc Dialkyldithiophosphate-Derived Phosphorus

The phosphorus poisoning of diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs) by the lube-oil additive zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) is investigated in the present study. A 517 cc single-cylinder, naturally aspirated direct-injection diesel engine is used to accelerate the phosphorus poisoning of DOCs by artificially increasing the ZDDP consumption to approximately 700 times of that found during normal engine operation. Three methods of accelerating the ZDDP consumption rate are investigated, which have been shown in previous literature to cause phosphorus poisoning. These include the injection of high concentration ZDDP-doped lube-oil blended with diesel fuel though the fuel injector as well as injecting ZDDP-doped lube-oil directly into the intake manifold and exhaust manifold, respectively. Each method is shown to produce a different phosphorus poisoning behavior on automotive catalysts by creating unique poisoning exhaust environments causing different deactivation mechanisms; ZDDP passing through the combustion chamber results in phosphoric acid, ZDDP injected into the exhaust results in whole ZDDP molecules and their molecular fragments. The deactivation resulting from each poisoning method is characterized using both total hydrocarbon (THC) and carbon monoxide (CO) light-off degradation as well as phosphorus adsorption and phosphorus chemistry identified within the DOC. Washcoat surfaces evaluated for lube-oil derived contamination using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometers (SEM-EDS) shows that topography depends on the method of ZDDP introduction. Exhaust manifold injection produces a zinc-phosphate glaze, which masks active sites and inhibits gaseous diffusion to the washcoat surface. Fuel and intake manifold injection methods produce chemically absorbed phosphorus, which poison active sites. THC and CO light-off performance degradation is also found to depend on the method of ZDDP introduction, with an increase in light-off temperature between 40 to 100oC. Total phosphorus, zinc, and sulfur accumulation within the DOCs is measured using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and found to vary with both the ZDDP introduction method and the exhaust temperature during poisoning. Elemental (X-ray) maps and line-scans performed using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) show a decreasing phosphorus concentration profile along the DOC length with phosphorus being confined to the uppermost layer of the washcoat. Three high-mileage, two brick, field-deactivated DOCs were obtained from a bus fleet, which were removed from service due to a catastrophic event, to make comparisons in THC and CO light-off behavior as well as phosphorus poisoning with those undergoing accelerated ZDDP introduction methods. The field-deactivated DOCs are of similar formulation as those used during laboratory tests. It is shown that field- deactivated DOC THC and CO light-off behavior as well as phosphorus accumulation and surface contamination is reproduced using accelerated ZDDP introduction methods. Based on the surface characterization observations and light-off performance, the intake manifold injection method offers the best correlations between accelerated poisoning methods and field-deactivated passenger bus DOCs. In order to accurately quantify the poisoning of DOCs by phosphorus, a bench- flow reactor system (BFR) is utilized to provide supplementary THC and CO light-off evaluations for more precise control of both DOC temperature and exhaust gases composition. It is found that light-off temperature measurements using the BFR are highly repeatable and show a correlation in the poisoning mechanisms between accelerated ZDDP introduction methods and field-deactivated DOCs. As a byproduct of the BFR evaluations, it is shown that DOC regeneration occurs in both the accelerated ZDDP injection methods and the field-deactivated DOCs by the high temperature oxidation and removal of soot and lube-oil contamination on washcoat surfaces. THC and CO light-off temperatures after regeneration are identical to those obtained for a fresh DOC. Subsequent EPMA and XRF analyses of regenerated DOCs reveal the presence of the phosphorus, sulfur and zinc within the washcoat, indicating that lube-oil derived poisons do not highly influence the THC and CO light-off behavior of DOCs, but rather, DOC performance is more susceptible to the presence of soot and lube-oil contamination on the washcoat surface

Investigating the Heat Release from a Single-Cylinder Diesel Engine

This project develops a dynamic measuring processes and filtering technique to acquire accurate engine thermodynamic data using LabVIEW. A single-cylinder Kohler diesel engine (model KD440) is instrumented with an in-cylinder pressure monitoring transducer to obtain cylinder pressure and volume data as a function of crank angle position. From this data, several calculations will be made using thermal analysis to understand the engine\u27s performance. An additional objective of the project is to increase the efficiency of the engine\u27s air intake system by modifying the current configuration. We show that the monitoring software accurately measures real-time engine efficiency and combustion dynamics enabling future fuel and combustion research at USM

Design of a Constant Volume Combustion Chamber

This project designs a high-temperature, high-pressure fuel injection chamber for the visualization of diesel fuel injection spray patterns. The study and characterization of diesel fuel spray is important for the development of new engine designs and adoption of alternative fuels. In addition, the chamber can be used to support teaching research projects at the University of Southern Maine. A 3-D SolidWorks model is developed to meet visual accessibility and operating temperature and pressure requirements. Three experimental imaging techniques will be compared, with an emphasis on schlieren photography and videography. Data acquisition and controls systems will be developed including digital imaging through optical sensors

A computational framework for nucleic acid sub-sequence identification

Identification of nucleic acid sub-sequences within larger background sequences is a fundamental need of the biology community. The applicability correlates to research studies looking for homologous regions, diagnostic purposes and many other related activities. This paper serves to detail the approaches taken leading to sub-sequence identification through the use of hidden Markov models and associated scoring optimisations. The investigation of techniques for locating conserved basal promoter elements correlates to promoter thus gene identification techniques. The case study centred on the TATA box basal promoter element, as such the background is a gene sequence with the TATA box the target. Outcomes from the research conducted, highlights generic algorithms for sub-sequence identification, as such these generic processes can be transposed to any case study where identification of a target sequence is required. Paths extending from the work conducted in this investigation have led to the development of a generic framework for the future applicability of hidden Markov models to biological sequence analysis in a computational context

Perceptions of Stress and Coping in the First Year of Police Work

The pressures associated with a career in law enforcement are considerable and often result in significant detriment to an officer\u27s personality, behavior, and overall mental health, ultimately impacting job performance and work engagement. Although there is extensive research on the influence of stress encountered in police work, an understanding of those stressors and ways of coping in the first year of police work has yet to be fully explored. The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of 5 police officers who have been subject to stress in their first year and to identify the coping skills, whether adaptive or maladaptive, used by these individuals. The theoretical framework for this research was grounded in the dynamic system theory of development. A phenomenological approach was used to obtain an understanding of the lived experiences of officers in their first year of policing. Data sources included semi-structured interviews and direct observation. Three themes emerged: external stressors, mental health stigmatization, and emotion-focused coping. Study findings may contribute to positive social change by providing police administrators with insight on prevention, intervention, and treatment strategies for addressing stress among first-year police officers. The promotion of adaptive coping strategies may enhance officers\u27 job performance and mental health. These benefits have the potential to trickle down to the community in the form of better relationships and interactions between police officers and the public

The design and engineering of variable character morphology

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, September 2001."August 2001."Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-82).This thesis explores the technical challenges and the creative possibilities afforded by a computational system that allows behavioral control over the appearance of a character's morphology. Working within the framework of the Synthetic Character's behavior architecture, a system has been implemented that allows a character's internal state to drive changes in its morphology. The system allows for real-time, multi-target blending between body geometries, skeletons, and animations. The results reflect qualitative changes in the character's appearance and state. Through the thesis character sketches are used to demonstrate the potential of this integrated approach to behavior and character morphology.Scott Michael Eaton.S.M