Micro Financing as Strategy for Poverty Alleviation and Economic Empowerment in Osun State, Nigeria

The focus of this study is to examine the Impact the micro loans being granted by Nigerian Financial Institutions have on the poverty level and the empowerment of the people of Osun State of Nigeria as evidenced from selected Financial Institutions in Osun State. The methodology adopted was descriptive survey research method; this method of research was used in order to analyze microcredit and loans from financial institutions that serve as catalyst for economic growth and reduction in poverty level in the State. The population of the study is financial institutions in Osun State; 5 commercial and 5 micro finance banks were selected, using simple random sampling procedure. 10 staff was administered questionnaire in each bank, making 100. However, 85 questionnaires were properly returned and accounted for, while 15 were unreachable. Simple regression analysis was used to test hypothesis in order to determine the degree of connections between the variables with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23. Findings show that availability of microcredit is statistically significant in predicting the dependent variable (reducing poverty). Keywords: Strategy, Financial Institutions, Commercial Banks, Microfinance Banks, Microcredit, Poverty Reduction. Economic Empowerment. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/11-5-0

Integrity static analysis of COTS/SOUP

This paper describes the integrity static analysis approach developed to support the justification of commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) used in a safety-related system. The static analysis was part of an overall software qualification programme, which also included the work reported in our paper presented at Safecomp 2002. Integrity static analysis focuses on unsafe language constructs and “covert” flows, where one thread can affect the data or control flow of another thread. The analysis addressed two main aspects: the internal integrity of the code (especially for the more critical functions), and the intra-component integrity, checking for covert channels. The analysis process was supported by an aggregation of tools, combined and engineered to support the checks done and to scale as necessary. Integrity static analysis is feasible for industrial scale software, did not require unreasonable resources and we provide data that illustrates its contribution to the software qualification programme

Knowledge and Observance of Road Communication Signs among Commercial Drivers in South-South, Nigeria

Transportation is very primary in the development of any society. The increasing loss of lives, goods and services is becoming much. Traffic signs were introduced as a means of informing drivers about the nature of the road and maintain discipline in the drivers. This study set out to evaluate the knowledge and observance of road communication signs among commercial drivers in south-south, Nigeria. Using the survey method, data were collected using the questionnaire as the instrument. Employing Taro Yamane formula, a sample of 368 was arrived at. The purposive sampling method was used to select public parks in Port Harcourt, Uyo and Benin City while systematic sampling was used to select the respondents. Data were presented in tables and percentages. The results show that a good number of commercial drivers in south-south Nigeria have fair knowledge of traffic signs, but willfully do not observe them. It was recommended that the FRSC should institute refresher programmes for highway drivers at regular intervals for the drivers to have fresh thoughts of safe driving in their minds. Key words: Road signs, Observance, Communication, Commercial driver

Qualitative research within trials: developing a standard operating procedure for a clinical trials unit

<p>BACKGROUND: Qualitative research methods are increasingly used within clinical trials to address broader research questions than can be addressed by quantitative methods alone. These methods enable health professionals, service users, and other stakeholders to contribute their views and experiences to evaluation of healthcare treatments, interventions, or policies, and influence the design of trials. Qualitative data often contribute information that is better able to reform policy or influence design.</p> <p>METHODS: Health services researchers, including trialists, clinicians, and qualitative researchers, worked collaboratively to develop a comprehensive portfolio of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the West Wales Organisation for Rigorous Trials in Health (WWORTH), a clinical trials unit (CTU) at Swansea University, which has recently achieved registration with the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC). Although the UKCRC requires a total of 25 SOPs from registered CTUs, WWORTH chose to add an additional qualitative-methods SOP (QM-SOP).</p> <p>RESULTS: The qualitative methods SOP (QM-SOP) defines good practice in designing and implementing qualitative components of trials, while allowing flexibility of approach and method. Its basic principles are that: qualitative researchers should be contributors from the start of trials with qualitative potential; the qualitative component should have clear aims; and the main study publication should report on the qualitative component.</p> <p>CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that CTUs consider developing a QM-SOP to enhance the conduct of quantitative trials by adding qualitative data and analysis. We judge that this improves the value of quantitative trials, and contributes to the future development of multi-method trials.</p&gt

Live-Fly, Large-Scale Field Experimentation for Large Numbers of Fixed-Wing UAVs

In this paper, we present extensive advances in live-fly field experimentation capabilities of large numbers of fixed-wing aerial robots, and highlight both the enabling technologies as well as the challenges addressed in such large-scale flight operations. We showcase results from recent field tests, including the autonomous launch, flight, and landing of 50 UAVs, which illuminate numerous operational lessons learned and generate rich multi-UAV datasets. We detail the design and open architecture of the testbed, which intentionally leverages low-cost and open-source components, aimed at promoting continued advances and alignment of multi-robot systems research and practice

Heteroleptic Calcium Complexes Supported by a Phenoxy-Imine NON Ligand: Polymerization of Cyclic Esters by a Ligand-Assisted, Activated-Monomer Mechanism

Phenoxy-imine NON pro-ligands HR,DippL [1-OH-2,6-(HCNDipp)-4-R-C6H2, where R = H, Me, or t Bu] were deprotonated using KH to afford the corresponding potassium salts R,DippLK·thf x [R = H (1·thf x ), Me (2·thf x ), and t Bu (3·thf x )]. The addition of crown ether (18-c-6) to these salts allowed for the structures of the resulting adducts to be elucidated in the solid state: [1­(18-c-6)] n , [2­(18-c-6)] n , and [3­(18-c-6)­(thf)]. The derivatives with the smaller para-substituents were found to be 1D coordination polymers stabilized by unusual non-covalent interactions between the diisopropyl-methyl groups and the potassium center. Heteroleptic calcium complexes R,DippLCaI­(thf)3 [R = H (4), Me (5), and t Bu (6)] were prepared by the salt metathesis reaction of 1–3·thf x with CaI2. Complexes 4–6 were evaluated as initiators for the ring-opening polymerization of lactide monomers and were all found to be active; the addition of benzyl alcohol resulted in large rate increases, e.g., ∼12-fold difference for 6 (0.70 vs 0.06 h–1). The propagation rate constants were found to lie within the range 88–135 M–1 h–1. Variation of co-initiator concentration revealed only a fractional dependence; this agrees with the other experimental observations, which suggest that the heteroleptic catalysts work via a “ligand-assisted, activated monomer” mechanism

Spatial and temporal parasite dynamics: microhabitat preferences and infection progression of two co-infecting gyrodactylids

Background Mathematical modelling of host-parasite systems has seen tremendous developments and broad applications in theoretical and applied ecology. The current study focuses on the infection dynamics of a gyrodactylid-fish system. Previous experimental studies have explored the infrapopulation dynamics of co-infecting ectoparasites, Gyrodactylus turnbulli and G. bullatarudis, on their fish host, Poecilia reticulata, but questions remain about parasite microhabitat preferences, host survival and parasite virulence over time. Here, we use more advanced statistics and a sophisticated mathematical model to investigate these questions based on empirical data to add to our understanding of this gyrodactylid-fish system. Methods A rank-based multivariate Kruskal-Wallis test coupled with its post-hoc tests and graphical summaries were used to investigate the spatial and temporal parasite distribution of different gyrodactylid strains across different host populations. By adapting a multi-state Markov model that extends the standard survival models, we improved previous estimates of survival probabilities. Finally, we quantified parasite virulence of three different strains as a function of host mortality and recovery across different fish stocks and sexes. Results We confirmed that the captive-bred G. turnbulli and wild G. bullatarudis strains preferred the caudal and rostral regions respectively across different fish stocks; however, the wild G. turnbulli strain changed microhabitat preference over time, indicating microhabitat preference of gyrodactylids is host and time dependent. The average time of host infection before recovery or death was between 6 and 14 days. For this gyrodactylid-fish system, a longer period of host infection led to a higher chance of host recovery. Parasite-related mortalities are host, sex and time dependent, whereas fish size is confirmed to be the key determinant of host recovery. Conclusion From existing empirical data, we provided new insights into the gyrodactylid-fish system. This study could inform the modelling of other host-parasite interactions where the entire infection history of the host is of interest by adapting multi-state Markov models. Such models are under-utilised in parasitological studies and could be expanded to estimate relevant epidemiological traits concerning parasite virulence and host survival

The distance to IC4499 from K-band photometry of 32 RR Lyrae stars

Single epoch K-band photometry of 32 RR Lyrae stars in the young galactic globular cluster IC4499 is presented. The mean magnitudes have been estimated using the K-band template light-curves of Jones, Carney and Fulbright (1996). We derive an independent estimate of the distance and reddening for the cluster based on the new -logP-[Fe/H] relation from Bono et al.(2003) which has a zero-point in agreement with the canonical LMC distance of (m-M)0 = 18.5. For an assumed metallicity of [Fe/H]=-1.65+-0.1 we find (m-M)0 = 16.47+-0.04+-0.06 (random and systematic errors respectively) and E(B-V)=0.24+-0.03 in good agreement with the findings of Walker and Nemec (1996) based on optical data. The distance estimate is very robust to uncertainties in the reddening estimate but naturally depends directly on the adopted zero-point of the -logP-[Fe/H] relation.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication by A&

Climate Action In Megacities 3.0

"Climate Action in Megacities 3.0" (CAM 3.0) presents major new insights into the current status, latest trends and future potential for climate action at the city level. Documenting the volume of action being taken by cities, CAM 3.0 marks a new chapter in the C40-Arup research partnership, supported by the City Leadership Initiative at University College London. It provides compelling evidence about cities' commitment to tackling climate change and their critical role in the fight to achieve global emissions reductions