This paper examines the impact of microfinance institutions on development in an empirical setting, and therewith aims at filling a gap in econometric assessments of microfinance institutions. Using data of MFIs operating in selected African and Asian countries and choosing average savings and loan balances per client as proxies for development, there is empirical evidence for significant posit...

The forward and inverse modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) are two of the most computational intensive operations in the MPEG audio coding standard. In this paper, we used Clenshaw’s recurrence formula to transform kernels of the MDCT and IMDCT of the general length. Efficient implementations of MDCT and IMDCT are obtained. The proposed regular structures are particularly suitable for pa...

The magnetic shape-memory alloy Ni-Mn-Ga shows, in monocrystalline form, a reversible magnetic-field-induced strain (MFIS) up to 10%. This strain, which is produced by twin boundaries moving solely by internal stresses generated by magnetic anisotropy energy, can be used in actuators, sensors and energy-harvesting devices. Compared with monocrystalline Ni-Mn-Ga, fine-grained Ni-Mn-Ga is much ea...

Large magnetic-field-induced strain ~MFIS! of 22700 ppm has been obtained from the Heusler alloy Ni52Mn23Ga25 at 300 K. The temperature for structure transformation was confirmed by three types of magnetic measurements. A burst of MFIS up to 5400 ppm could be induced by rotating a steady field of 1 T. In the martensitic phase, the material have a high saturated magnetization of 66 Am/kg and a h...

ashworth and modified ashworth scales are the most widely used tests to assess the severity of muscle spasticity. these clinical scales offer qualitative and subjective information and consequently there are issues concerning reliability when two or more clinicians are involved in assessment of spasticity. this article presents the result of a study assessing inter-rater reliability of the orig...

Informal sector lenders remain a strong presence in rural India in terms of providing credit facilities in rural India. Farmers and rural poor borrowings from Money lenders and other informal sources of rural credit still significant this sources some extent i.e. 77 percent to 32 percent. In this situation micro finance has emerged as an alternative source of rural credit, microfinance programm...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The simplified modified Rankin Scale questionnaire (smRSq) enables a reliable and rapid determination of the modified Rankin Scale score after stroke. We test the reliability and validity of a slightly revised smRSq. METHODS Fifty consecutive outpatients 4.83 ± 3.00 months after stroke were scored with a slightly revised smRSq by 3 raters selected consecutively from a l...

We apply the non-parametric, unconditional, hyperbolic order- quantile estimator to appraise the relative efficiency of Microfinance Institutions in Africa in terms of outreach. Our purpose is to verify if these institutions, which must constantly try to strike a compromise between their social role and financial sustainability are operationally efficient. Using data on African MFIs extracted ...

BACKGROUND Severe obstetric morbidity constitutes a serious problem worldwide; however, an effective obstetrical prognosis scale is still missing. OBJECTIVE To propose a modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score (SOFA) score based on time before reaching specialized medical attention. METHOD This was an ambispective, descriptive study, including all women treated at the Obstetrical...