Nucleon-nucleon interaction with tensor forces in the quark compound bag model

A model forN-N interaction proposed earlier by two of us (VSB and VKG), has been extended to incorporate the tensor component of the nuclear force. Based on the quark compound bag model (QCB), the nucleon-nucleon potential has a short range repulsive core which is non-local and has a characteristic energy dependence and is expressed in terms of the parameters relating to the six-quark compound bag. To account for the low energy properties, this repulsive core interaction is supplemented by a phenomenological non-local potential containing both central (S-wave) and tensor components and operates only outside the QCB. Using this model, we analyse and compare the results with the experimental data for the electromagnetic form factors of the deuteron, theD-state observables, such as the quadrupole moment, theD-state probability, and theD/S ratio along with then-p scattering phase shifts up to about 400 MeV.     

ARC INTERFACE CRACK IN A THREEPHASE PIEZOELECTRIC COMPOSITE CONSTITUTIVE MODEL

An in-depth investigation is made on the problem of an arc-shaped interface insulating crack in a three-phase concentric circular cylindrical piezoelectric composite constitutive model. An exact solution in series form is derived by employing the complex variable method. In addition, the distribution of physical quantities such as stresses, strains, electric displacements and electric fields in the whole field and along the interface is also presented. Explicit expressions for crack opening displacement, jump in electric potential on the crack surface and the electro-elastic field intensity factors at the crack tips are obtained. Specific calculations demonstrate that the convergence of the series form solution is satisfactory and that the outer phase (composite phase) will exert a significant effect on the electro-mechanical coupling response of the composite system. Owing to the fact that stresses and electric displacements still possess conventional inverse square root singularities, the oscillating singularities near the crack tip under plane strain conditions will be absent and, as a result, no unphysical interpenetration phenomenon of the two crack surfaces will occur. In conclusion, the elastic solution obtained is also based on a solid physical foundation. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.59635140), and the Doctorate Foundation of Xi'an Jiaotong University.     

Applications of a multi-state risk factor/mortality model in life insurance

Mortality rates are known to depend on socio-economic and behavioral risk factors, and actuarial calculations for life insurance policies usually reflect this. It is typically assumed, however, that these risk factors are observed only at policy issue, and the impact of changes that occur later is not considered. In this paper, we present a discrete-time, multi-state model for risk factor changes and mortality. It allows one to more accurately describe mortality dynamics and quantify variability in mortality. This model is extended to reflect health status and then used to analyze the impact of selective lapsation of life insurance policies and to predict mortality under reentry term insurance.     

Variable Selection and Regularization in Quantile Regression via Minimum Covariance Determinant Based Weights

The importance of variable selection and regularization procedures in multiple regression analysis cannot be overemphasized. These procedures are adversely affected by predictor space data aberrations as well as outliers in the response space. To counter the latter, robust statistical procedures such as quantile regression which generalizes the well-known least absolute deviation procedure to all quantile levels have been proposed in the literature. Quantile regression is robust to response variable outliers but very susceptible to outliers in the predictor space (high leverage points) which may alter the eigen-structure of the predictor matrix. High leverage points that alter the eigen-structure of the predictor matrix by creating or hiding collinearity are referred to as collinearity influential points. In this paper, we suggest generalizing the penalized weighted least absolute deviation to all quantile levels, i.e., to penalized weighted quantile regression using the RIDGE, LASSO, and elastic net penalties as a remedy against collinearity influential points and high leverage points in general. To maintain robustness, we make use of very robust weights based on the computationally intensive high breakdown minimum covariance determinant. Simulations and applications to well-known data sets from the literature show an improvement in variable selection and regularization due to the robust weighting formulation.     

Residual stress field and reduction of stress intensity factors in cold-worked holes

Closed-form and semi-analytical solutions are obtained for the residual stress distributions in a plate caused by pressure acting on a central circular hole, representing the cold-work process. The material is elastic–perfectly plastic. Both Tresca and von Mises yield criteria are used and the corresponding residual stress distributions are compared. The relation between the dimension of the plastic zone and the value of internal pressure is presented. The relation between the magnitude of the residual stresses and the remote uniform tensile stress required to open symmetrical radial cracks is also presented. The reduction of the stress intensity factors of cracked open and riveted holes as a function of the internal pressure applied (or mandrel radial displacement) is investigated using numerical models for both an elastic–perfectly plastic material and for an Al 2024-T3 Alclad aluminum alloy.     

Application of scaled boundary finite element method in static and dynamic fracture problems

The scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) is a recently developed numerical method combining advantages of both finite element methods (FEM) and boundary element methods (BEM) and with its own special features as well. One of the most prominent advantages is its capability of calculating stress intensity factors (SIFs) directly from the stress solutions whose singularities at crack tips are analytically represented. This advantage is taken in this study to model static and dynamic fracture problems. For static problems, a remeshing algorithm as simple as used in the BEM is developed while retaining the generality and flexibility of the FEM. Fully-automatic modelling of the mixed-mode crack propagation is then realised by combining the remeshing algorithm with a propagation criterion. For dynamic fracture problems, a newly developed series-increasing solution to the SBFEM governing equations in the frequency domain is applied to calculate dynamic SIFs. Three plane problems are modelled. The numerical results show that the SBFEM can accurately predict static and dynamic SIFs, cracking paths and load-displacement curves, using only a fraction of degrees of freedom generally needed by the traditional finite element methods.The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (50579081) and the Australian Research Council (DP0452681)The English text was polished by Keren Wang.     

园柱壳中环裂纹对弹性波的散射

本文在经典弹性薄壳运动方程基础上,分析了圆柱壳中环向穿透裂纹对扭转波和膨胀波的散射,求得了反射系数及相应的动态应力强度因子。通过检查能量平衡关系验证了所用方法的正确性。     

Preactivation‐Based,One‐Pot Combinatorial Synthesis of Heparin‐like Hexasaccharides for the Analysis of Heparin–Protein Interactions

Heparin (HP) and heparan sulfate (HS) play important roles in many biological events. Increasing evidence has shown that the biological functions of HP and HS can be critically dependent upon their precise structures, including the position of the iduronic acids and sulfation patterns. However, unraveling the HP code has been extremely challenging due to the enormous structural variations. To overcome this hurdle, we investigated the possibility of assembling a library of HP/HS oligosaccharides using a preactivation‐based, one‐pot glycosylation method. A major challenge in HP/HS oligosaccharide synthesis is stereoselectivity in the formation of the cis‐1,4‐linkages between glucosamine and the uronic acid. Through screening, suitable protective groups were identified on the matching glycosyl donor and acceptor, leading to stereospecific formation of both the cis‐1,4‐ and trans‐1,4‐linkages present in HP. The protective group chemistry designed was also very flexible. From two advanced thioglycosyl disaccharide intermediates, all of the required disaccharide modules for library preparation could be generated in a divergent manner, which greatly simplified building‐block preparation. Furthermore, the reactivity‐independent nature of the preactivation‐based, one‐pot approach enabled us to mix the building blocks. This allowed rapid assembly of twelve HP/HS hexasaccharides with systematically varied and precisely controlled backbone structures in a combinatorial fashion. The speed and the high yields achieved in glycoassembly without the need to use a large excess of building blocks highlighted the advantages of our approach, which can be of general use to facilitate the study of HP/HS biology. As a proof of principle, this panel of hexasaccharides was used to probe the effect of backbone sequence on binding with the fibroblast growth factor‐2 (FGF‐2). A trisaccharide sequence of 2‐O‐sulfated iduronic acid flanked by N‐sulfated glucosamines was identified to be the minimum binding motif and N‐sulfation was found to be critical. This provides useful information for further development of more potent compounds towards FGF‐2 binding, which can have potential applications in wound healing and anticancer therapy.