Some new nonlinear retarded sum-difference inequalities with applications

The main objective of this paper is to establish some new retarded nonlinear sum-difference inequalities with two independent variables, which provide explicit bounds on unknown functions. These inequalities given here can be used as handy tools in the study of boundary value problems in partial difference equations. © 2011 Wang et al; licensee Springer.published_or_final_versio

Lexical tone awareness in Chinese children with developmental dyslexia

This study examined the extent and nature of lexical tone deficit in Chinese developmental dyslexia. Twenty Cantonese-speaking Chinese dyslexic children (mean age 8;11) were compared to twenty average readers of the same age (CA control group, mean age 8;11), and another twenty younger average readers of the same word reading level (RL control group, mean age 7;4) on different measures of lexical tone awareness, rhyme awareness and visual-verbal paired-associate learning. Results showed that the Chinese dyslexic children performed significantly worse than the CA but not the RL control groups in nearly all the lexical tone and rhyme awareness measures. Analyses of individual performance demonstrated that over one-third of the dyslexic children showed a deficit in some aspects of tone awareness. Tone discrimination and tone production were found to correlate significantly with Chinese word reading. These findings confirm that Chinese dyslexic children show weaknesses in tone awareness.published_or_final_versio

Ageing and adrenomedullin in the male reproductive system of the rat

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An Opial-Type Inequality in Time Scales

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An actuarial approach to assessing personal injury compensations in Singapore: Theory and practice

In Singapore personal injury litigations, successful claimants usually receive their compensations as a lump sum. The main advantage of a lump sum payment is that the proceedings can be concluded with a 'clean break' between the parties. The lump sum is a result of discounting the future pecuniary values into a single present-day amount, considering the time value of money and the claimant's mortality. Conventionally, lump sum awards are determined by making reference to a spread of amounts in comparable cases. However, a fairer method would be one that involves input from not only lawyers but also other experts including economists and actuaries. This study, which is carried out by an inter-professional working group, provides a set of actuarially computed tables for use in personal injury settlements in Singapore. The calculations involve a consideration of recent advancements in stochastic mortality modeling and an empirical study on the econometrics of real returns on risk-free assets in Singapore. We then present two recent personal injury cases in Singapore, aiming at helping the Singapore legal profession understand and use the economic principles with actuarial tables, and educating economists and actuaries the legal concerns and concepts in personal injury cases. © 2010 World Scientific Publishing Company.postprin

Ageing and adrenomedullin in the female reproductive system of the rat

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Using Actuarial Evidence in Singapore and Hong Kong: A Sequel to “Lai Wee Lian Revisited”

Following the English common law, successful claimants in personal injury and clinical negligence cases in Singapore and Hong Kong usually receive their compensations as a lump sum. The amount in respect of future expenses and loss of future earning is a result of discounting the future pecuniary values into a single present-day amount, considering inflation, the time value of money and the claimant’s mortality. Using actuarial tables based on projections of the mortality rate of the general population may be considered as an alternative method in converting the future loss of earnings and future expenses into a lump sum reflecting its present value. For this purpose, a set of actuarial tables are constructed in this article. Various options for determining the appropriate discount rate(s) are explored in the context of the statistical and economic data of Singapore and Hong Kong.published_or_final_versio

Probing local electric field distribution of nanotube arrays using electrostatic force microscopy

Author name used in this publication: Waisang Li2002-2003 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

New proposed conceptual mathematical models for biomass viability and membrane fouling of membrane bioreactor

The production and accumulation of soluble microbial products (SMP), extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and colloidal inert compounds within a membrane bioreactor (MBR) may greatly affect the biomass viability and subsequently the permeability of the membrane. This paper aims at presenting new mathematical models of biomass viability and membrane fouling that has been conceptually developed through establishing links between these biomass parameters and operating parameters of the MBR. The proposed models can be used to predict the biomass viability and membrane fouling at any state of operation of MBR. Meanwhile, easily measurable parameters of the proposed model can also serve to estimate SMP/EPS concentration in the supernatant of MBR without the tedious and expensive measurement. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd