Many governments and nongovernmental organizations have adopted policies to promote the growth of microfinance institutions (MFIs). The appropriate level and form of support for MFIs are discussed in this paper on the basis of a review of key MFI characteristics. Governments are also responsible for the regulation of MFIs; here, some principles concerning the extent and coverage of MFI regulation and supervision are developed.Bank Regulation, Microcredit, Microfinance,

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While there have been several attempts to measure the investment climate, by far the most widely recognised measure is the World Bank's Doing Business indicators (DBIs), ranking some 200 countries on their ease of doing business. Methodological criticisms have failed to dent their stature. This article is based on case studies of Pacific Island countries that demonstrate that identical reforms in different countries are assigned rankings so widely divergent that they call into question the validity of the DBIs. The findings cast doubt on targeting improved DBI rankings as a policy goal. Our case studies are the first to provide detailed country evidence supporting the criticisms levelled against the DBIs on conceptual grounds.

Objective To identify the genetic basis of a severe skeletal lethal dysplasia. The main clinical features of two affected fetuses included: short limbs with flared metaphyses, bowed radii, femora and tibiae, irregular ossification of hands and feet and marked platyspondyly. Methods Affected and non-affected family members were subjected to whole exome sequencing followed by immunoblot analysis on amniocytes isolated from one of the affected individuals. Results Unique compound heterozygous variants in the INPPL1 (inositol polyphosphate phosphatase-like 1) gene encoding the SHIP2 protein were identified in both affected individuals. One variant was inherited from each unaffected parent. Both allelic variants, c.[ 2327-1G>C];[1150_1151delGA], are predicted to result in premature stop codons leading to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay of the mutant alleles and no production of SHIP2. The absence of SHIP2 was confirmed by immunoblot analysis of proband amniocytes. Conclusions This skeletal disorder is caused by the complete absence of SHIP2 protein. INPPL1 mutations have been reported in opsismodysplasia (OPS), an autosomal recessive skeletal dysplasias with significant delayed bone formation. Our finding highlights the critical role that INPPL1/SHIP2 plays in skeletal development.