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...

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...

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 ...

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...

BACKGROUND Both fatigue and reduced physical activity are important consequences of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, their mutual association is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to determine the relation between perceived fatigue and home-based recording of motor activity in patients with MS. METHODS Found associations were checked for confounding by age, Expande...

PURPOSE To determine the reproducibility, responsiveness and concurrent validity of Dutch versions of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), and Checklist Individual Strength (CIS20R) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). METHOD Forthy-three ambulatory patients with MS (mean age 48.7 years; SD 7 years; 30 women; median Expanded Disability Status Scale scor...

Fatigue, reduced quality of life (QOL), and lower physical activity levels are commonly reported in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study evaluated the effects of elliptical exercise on fatigue and QOL reports in patients with MS. Patients with MS (n = 26) completed the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Sho...

Page 1 During my recent in-depth evaluation of ACCION's PortaCredit technology, I interviewed their technical staff and visited the MFIs implementing the technology. What I saw impressed me considerably. The technology takes time to implement, but when done it works and it works quite well. The most important evidence in my mind is that the operational staff love it and would never choose to go...

In this paper an attempt is made to assess the extent of indebtedness among marine fisherfolk in mechanized, motorized and traditional fisheries sectors and to assess the impact of Microfinance Institutions (MFI) and Self Help Groups (SHG) on coastal indebtedness in Tamil Nadu. The study was carried out in three coastal districts of the state. Situational analysis was done through PLA in the se...

In this paper we examine the effect of increased MFI competition, focusing on its implications for borrower targeting, both in the presence and the absence of double-dipping. In the absence of competition we find that the loans are more likely to go to relatively richer borrowers whenever inequality is not too large, and the technology is sufficiently convex. In the presence of competition, the...