An Appraisal of Rural and Community Banks in Ghana

MSMEs comprise essential elements in the lubrication and development of any economy. In Ghana, the story makes no remarkable difference as MSMEs outnumber the large businesses in the economy. Over the years the government of Ghana has devised a number of policies aimed at developing MSMEs including the establishment of NBSSI. While most policies actually failed due to poor implementation, others however, succeeded. Few studies have been made in the past to identify the role of MSMEs to the development of Ghana’s economy, its problems and prospects which created a vacuum on the role of government and other financial institutions in the development of MSMEs. This study evaluates the role of Rural and Community Banks as a powerful tool for the poverty alleviation and entrepreneurial development in Ghana. Relevant literatures were reviewed to bring out salient issues on the subject matter of this paper. It was discovered that Ghanaian MSMEs face many domestic challenges in achieving economies of scale. It was concluded that these challenges are question marks on the viability of the RCBs. Many factors were found to contribute to mediocre performance of RCBs. These factors include inadequate cohesive regulatory and supervisory system for the RCBs, shortage of human capital, lack of capital, inadequacy of IT knowledge and entrepreneurs’ personal shortcomings. The researchers recommend introduction of good legal, policy and regulatory environment for the RCBs. In addition, Government should pursue its decentralisation policies, particularly financial decentralisation, and ensure that funds meant for district assemblies are channelled through RCBs in their catchment areas. Keywords: Challenges, Employment generation, RCBs, MSMEs, Ghan

The environment power system analysis tool development program

The Environment Power System Analysis Tool (EPSAT) is being developed to provide space power system design engineers with an analysis tool for determining system performance of power systems in both naturally occurring and self-induced environments. The program is producing an easy to use computer aided engineering (CAE) tool general enough to provide a vehicle for technology transfer from space scientists and engineers to power system design engineers. The results of the project after two years of a three year development program are given. The EPSAT approach separates the CAE tool into three distinct functional units: a modern user interface to present information, a data dictionary interpreter to coordinate analysis; and a data base for storing system designs and results of analysis

Novel Approach to Mass Tort Class Actions: The Billion Dollar Settlement in the Sulzer Artificial Hip and Knee Litigation: A Symposium

This is a transcript of a two hour symposium which deals with the Sulzer knee and hip replacement class action. A copy of the settlement is included as an appendix. The settlement in the U.S. District Court for the N.D. Ohio was unique and creative approach to resolving a mass tort class action. In a novel move, Sulzer agreed to open its books to an independent review firm to determine how much the firm could pay without going bankrupt. The number was $1 billion. As negotiated by the parties and approved by the court, the final settlement provides compensation for each member of the class based on a variety of factors, such as whether the member has undergone - or is likely to undergo - a revision to replace the defective part. Professor Susan Becker made the introductory remarks. The panel members were all involved in the Sulzer knee and hip replacement class action. R. Eric Kennedy served as lead plaintiffs\u27 counsel. The Honorable Kathleen McDonald O\u27Malley of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio presided over the Sulzer class action litigation and settlement. Sidney A. Backstrom and Richard F. Scruggs were the defense counsel. James J. McMonagle served as the Claims Administrator overseeing distribution of the Sulzer class action settlement funds

Novel Approach to Mass Tort Class Actions: The Billion Dollar Settlement in the Sulzer Artificial Hip and Knee Litigation: A Symposium

This is a transcript of a two hour symposium which deals with the Sulzer knee and hip replacement class action. A copy of the settlement is included as an appendix. The settlement in the U.S. District Court for the N.D. Ohio was unique and creative approach to resolving a mass tort class action. In a novel move, Sulzer agreed to open its books to an independent review firm to determine how much the firm could pay without going bankrupt. The number was $1 billion. As negotiated by the parties and approved by the court, the final settlement provides compensation for each member of the class based on a variety of factors, such as whether the member has undergone - or is likely to undergo - a revision to replace the defective part. Professor Susan Becker made the introductory remarks. The panel members were all involved in the Sulzer knee and hip replacement class action. R. Eric Kennedy served as lead plaintiffs\u27 counsel. The Honorable Kathleen McDonald O\u27Malley of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio presided over the Sulzer class action litigation and settlement. Sidney A. Backstrom and Richard F. Scruggs were the defense counsel. James J. McMonagle served as the Claims Administrator overseeing distribution of the Sulzer class action settlement funds

The Financial Implications of Merging Proactive CCTV Monitoring and Directed Police Patrol: A Cost-Benefit Analysis.

Objectives: This study presents a cost–benefit analysis of an intervention pairing proactive CCTV monitoring with directed police patrol in Newark, NJ. A recent randomized control trial found that the strategy generated significant crime reductions in treatment areas relative to control areas. The current study focuses on the financial implications of the experimental strategy through a cost–benefit analysis. Methods: The study begins by measuring the costs and benefits associated with the experimental strategy, the findings of which can inform agencies with existing CCTV infrastructure. Follow-up analyses measure the costs and benefits of the intervention for agencies absent existing CCTV infrastructure, meaning a CCTV system would have to be funded in addition to the intervention outputs. Alongside overall benefits, this study presents the tangible cost savings afforded to the Criminal Justice system as well as to each of the separate criminal justice (CJ) system components: Policing, Courts, and Corrections. Results: We found the experimental strategy to be highly cost effective for agencies with existing CCTV infrastructure. However, when the cost of the CCTV system is considered, the strategy is largely cost prohibitive. While the cumulative societal and criminal justice findings suggest some evidence of a modest cost savings, the strategy is highly cost prohibitive for each of the individual CJ system components when CCTV system costs are included. Conclusions: Results suggest that the experimental strategy is a worthwhile investment for agencies with existing CCTV infrastructure. Agencies absent CCTV may want to consider whether funds would be better allocated towards alternate strategies

Effects of Three Modest Levels of Proximal Loading on Marathon Pace Running Economy

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(7): 1120-1131, 2020. This study examined the effect of modest increases in proximal body mass on running economy expressed as metabolic cost (MC). External loads of 1.6 (L), 2.4 (M), and 3.2 kg (H) were added to the anterior and posterior torso region of male (n = 18) and female (n = 18) runners using a double-layered compression garment with gel inserts. MC was evaluated using stoichiometry equations of data collected via indirect calorimetry. Data was collected during four, 5-min running bouts at marathon pace for the 3 load levels and an unloaded state (CON). When data from both sexes were combined, MC for CON (13.2 ± 2.7) was lower (p \u3c 0.05) versus L (13.5 ± 2.6), M (13.6 ± 2.6), and H (13.7 ± 2.6 kcal/min), but L did not differ from CON when data was analyzed for each sex. Male runners exhibited stepped increases in MC across loads and a weak-moderate relationship (r = 0.37; p \u3c 0.01) between percentage change in absolute MC and increased percent body mass. A prediction model for MC (∆% kcal/min = 0.98(∆% body mass) – 0.91; SEE = ± 2.5%) was developed. For female runners, L increased MC by ~3.5% above CON, but no differentiation was found among L, M, and H, limiting the development of a prediction equation for females. Modest increases in body mass can produce detectable and potentially important levels of running economy impairment, but the relationship between changes in body mass and RE are complex, particularly in regards to sex

Genome-wide association study of proneness to anger

BACKGROUND: Community samples suggest that approximately 1 in 20 children and adults exhibit clinically significant anger, hostility, and aggression. Individuals with dysregulated emotional control have a greater lifetime burden of psychiatric morbidity, severe impairment in role functioning, and premature mortality due to cardiovascular disease. METHODS: With publically available data secured from dbGaP, we conducted a genome-wide association study of proneness to anger using the Spielberger State-Trait Anger Scale in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study (n = 8,747). RESULTS: Subjects were, on average, 54 (range 45-64) years old at baseline enrollment, 47% (n = 4,117) were male, and all were of European descent by self-report. The mean Angry Temperament and Angry Reaction scores were 5.8 +/- 1.8 and 7.6 +/- 2.2. We observed a nominally significant finding (p = 2.9E-08, lambda = 1.027 - corrected pgc = 2.2E-07, lambda = 1.0015) on chromosome 6q21 in the gene coding for the non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinase, Fyn. CONCLUSIONS: Fyn interacts with NDMA receptors and inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-gated channels to regulate calcium influx and intracellular release in the post-synaptic density. These results suggest that signaling pathways regulating intracellular calcium homeostasis, which are relevant to memory, learning, and neuronal survival, may in part underlie the expression of Angry Temperament

An ensemble reconstruction of global monthly sea surface temperature and sea ice concentration 1000–1849

This paper describes a global monthly gridded Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Sea Ice Concentration (SIC) dataset for the period 1000 – 1849, which can be used as boundary conditions for atmospheric model simulations. The reconstruction is based on existing coarse-resolution annual temperature ensemble reconstructions, which are then augmented with intra-annual and sub-grid scale variability. The intra-annual component of HadISST.2.0 and oceanic indices estimated from the reconstructed annual mean are used to develop grid-based linear regressions in a monthly stratified approach. Similarly, we reconstruct SIC using analog resampling of HadISST.2.0 SIC (1941 – 2000), for both hemispheres. Analogs are pooled in four seasons, comprising of 3-months each. The best analogs are selected based on the correlation between each member of the reconstructed SST and its target. For the period 1780 to 1849, we assimilate historical observations of SST and night-time marine air temperature from the ICOADS dataset into our reconstruction using an offline Ensemble Kalman Filter approach. The resulting dataset is physically consistent with information from models, proxies, and observations