The role of liquidity risk in augmenting firm value: lessons from savings and credit cooperatives in Kenya

Purpose: The study aimed to examine the interaction between liquidity risk and the firm's value among Kenyan SACCOs. Research methodology: This study adopted the positivism research philosophy and utilised both descriptive and causal research designs. The study targeted all the 164 licenced SACCOs in Kenya. A sample made up of 115 respondents was selected using a stratified random sampling method. The study utilized secondary data obtained from organization’s published financial statements. Analysis of data was done using descriptive statistics and inferential analysis. Results: The study results illustrated that value of the firm was positively correlated with liquidity risk which significantly and favourably impacted the firm value; (β=0.014577, P=0.001). Limitations: The analysis and conclusions reached in this study were limited to data gathered for the five-year duration between 2012 and 2016. Contribution: This study is useful to the management of SACCOs and the Kenyan government to understand better how financial risk management can improve their firms' value. The study adds to the existing knowledge of financial risk management and firm value. Keywords: Savings and credit cooperatives, Liquidity risk, Firm valu

Journal of African Christian Biography: v. 3, no. 1

A publication of the Dictionary of African Christian Biography with U.S. offices located at the Center for Global Christianity and Mission at Boston University. This issue focuses on: 1. “Creole Saga”: The Gambia’s Liberated African Community in the 19th Century: The Stories of J. A. B. Horton, G. C. Nicol, J. R. Maxwell, and J. D. Richards by Asi Florence Mahoney. Introduction by Gabriel Leonard Allen. 2. The Contribution of Daniel William Alexander to the Birth and Growth of Eastern Orthodoxy in East Africa. 3. Biographies by Stephan Hayes and Louise Pirouet. Introduction by Fr. Evangelos Thiani. 4. Recent Print and Digital Resources Related to Christianity in Africa

Topical and Ingested Cooling Methodologies for Endurance Exercise Performance in the Heat

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess studies which have investigated cooling methodologies, their timing and effects, on endurance exercise performance in trained athletes (Category 3; VO2max ≥ 55 mL·kg·min−1) in hot environmental conditions (≥28 °C). Meta-analyses were performed to quantify the effects of timings and methods of application, with a narrative review of the evidence also provided. A computer-assisted database search was performed for articles investigating the effects of cooling on endurance performance and accompanying physiological and perceptual responses. A total of 4129 results were screened by title, abstract, and full text, resulting in 10 articles being included for subsequent analyses. A total of 101 participants and 310 observations from 10 studies measuring the effects of differing cooling strategies on endurance exercise performance and accompanying physiological and perceptual responses were included. With respect to time trial performance, cooling was shown to result in small beneficial effects when applied before and throughout the exercise bout (Effect Size: −0.44; −0.69 to −0.18), especially when ingested (−0.39; −0.60 to −0.18). Current evidence suggests that whilst other strategies ameliorate physiological or perceptual responses throughout endurance exercise in hot conditions, ingesting cooling aids before and during exercise provides a small benefit, which is of practical significance to athletes’ time trial performance

Special session: Hot topics: Statistical test methods

International audienceThe process of testing Integrated Circuits involves a huge amount of data: electrical circuit measurements, information from wafer process monitors, spatial location of the dies, wafer lot numbers, etc. In addition, the relationships between faults, process variations and circuit performance are likely to be very complex and non-linear. Test (and its extension to diagnosis) should be considered as a challenging highly dimensional multivariate problem.Advanced statistical data processing offers a powerful set of tools, borrowed from the fields of data mining, machine learning or artificial intelligence, to get the most out of this data. Indeed, these mathematical tools have opened a number of novel and interesting research lines within the field of IC testing.In this special session, prominent researchers in this field will share their views on this topic and present some of their last findings. The first talk will discuss the interest of likelihood prevalence in random fault simulation. The second talk will show how statistical data analysis can help diagnosing test efficiency. The third talk will deal with the reliability of Alternate Test of AMS-RF circuits. The fourth and last talk will address the idea of mining the test data for improving design manufacturing and even test itself

Adult height and risk of 50 diseases : a combined epidemiological and genetic analysis

Funding FYL and SEH are funded by the National Institute for Health Research Leicester Biomedical Research Centre. CPN and NJS are funded by the British Heart Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript. Availability of data and materials The data reported in this paper are available via application directly to the UK Biobank.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Is Walking Netball an Effective, Acceptable and Feasible Method to increase physical activity and improve Health in middle- to older age women?: A RE-AIM Evaluation

Background: Physical activity is a modifiable risk factor for health and wellbeing, all-cause mortality and healthy aging. However, for middle- to older-age females less is known about the benefits of sports participation on these outcomes. Further, the acceptability and feasibility of setting-up, implementing and maintaining sports-based programmes for an aging population is an understudied area of inquiry. The current study used the RE-AIM framework to investigate a nationwide Walking Netball (WN) programme. Methods: The evaluation used a mixed-methods approach incorporating a multiple-baseline study, quasi-experimental study, programme monitoring data and qualitative studies to evaluate the programme in Women’s Institutes (WI) in England. Data were analysed using multilevel growth modelling, mixed-design ANOVAs, multilevel regression, t-testing, and thematic analysis. Data were triangulated to address each dimension of the RE-AIM framework. Findings: The programme reached 1.4% (n=3148) of the WI population across 82.0% of WI regions in England and attracted inactive members at risk of ill-health. WN contributed to adaptations in physical function, mental health and wellbeing, social isolation, quality of life and increased physical activity. The adoption of the programme was successful with 87.7% WN groups’ maintaining participation beyond the 20-session initial delivery phase. Adoption was effective because of its set-up, peer-mentorship and long-term delivery; these factors likewise shaped implementation. Adapting and tailoring WN to the varying characteristics of participants within the WI and the facilities available, along with training delivery staff and providing resources are key programme components. The Walking Netball programme can be maintained through promotion within the local community, sustainable funding, inter-WI competitions, festivals and networks, multiple-hosts and continued host development. Conclusions: WN was found to be an acceptable, feasible and effective intervention to increase physical activity and improve health in middle- to older- aged women. Future programmes may consider adapted styles of set-up and delivery. These include adapting to people, places and spaces through personalised support and providing a range of resources. Future designs may seek to understand how participation can contribute to healthy aging through longitudinal research beyond 12-months