Do business records management affect business growth?

The implementation of a records management plan is an excellent approach to ensure small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are sustained and continue to expand into huge or multi-national corporations. Maintaining records helps businesses in making better judgments and developing appropriate policies, resulting in enhanced effectiveness and efficiency. This will leverage means for tracking business progress and making appropriate decisions to expand the productive component of the economy. SMEs Business growth will help generate tax revenue for the government while also encouraging poverty reduction through tax transfers. We conducted a thorough investigation to determine the impact of each variable on business growth. For statistical analysis, a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) methodology was applied. The results suggest that business records management and training have a positive indirect effect on business growth. However, the indirect effect of business records management policies insignificantly influences SMEs' adoption of adequate record-keeping procedures, which harms business growth in Ghana. On the other hand, the total effect of the variables such as business records management training, business records management policies, and business records management positively impact business growth. Findings make a significant contribution to existing knowledge in the areas of record-keeping, management, and business growth. Business records management is an issue that requires more policy attention. This will business owners and managers strategically plan for new business directions based on data acquired. Proper record-keeping is necessary to satisfy end-users such as company directors, shareholders, external auditors, investors, creditors, and other interested parties. SMEs place a high value on business records management because of the impact it has on their long-term viability. The research outcomes provide a means for, and data on, business appraisal and management strategies.

Chemokine and cytokine levels in the lumbar cerebrospinal fluid of preterm infants with post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus.

BACKGROUND: Neuroinflammation has been implicated in the pathophysiology of post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) of prematurity, but no comprehensive analysis of signaling molecules has been performed using human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). METHODS: Lumbar CSF levels of key cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, TGF-ß1, IFN-γ) and chemokines (XCL-1, CCL-2, CCL-3, CCL-19, CXCL-10, CXCL-11, CXCL-12) were measured using conventional and multiplexed Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays and compared between preterm infants with PHH and those with no known neurological injury. The relationships between individual biomarker levels and specific CSF cell counts were examined. RESULTS: Total protein (TP) CSF levels were elevated in the PHH subjects compared to controls. CSF levels of IL-1α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α, CCL-3, CCL-19, and CXCL-10 were significantly increased in PHH whereas XCL-1 was significantly decreased in PHH. When normalizing by TP, IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-10, IL-12, CCL-3, and CCL-19 levels were significantly elevated compared to controls, while XCL-1 levels remained significantly decreased. Among those with significantly different levels in both absolute and normalized levels, only absolute CCL-19 levels showed a significant correlation with CSF nucleated cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. IL-1ß and CXCL-10 also were correlated with total cell count, nucleated cells, red blood cells, and neutrophils. CONCLUSIONS: Neuroinflammation is likely to be an important process in the pathophysiology of PHH. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate CSF levels of chemokines in PHH as well as the only one to show XCL-1 selectively decreased in a diseased state. Additionally, CCL-19 was the only analyte studied that showed significant differences between groups and had significant correlation with cell count analysis. The selectivity of CCL-19 and XCL-1 should be further investigated. Future studies will further delineate the role of these cytokines and chemokines in PHH.

Time-to-event analysis of surgically treated posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus in preterm infants: a single-institution retrospective study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to report time points relevant to the neurosurgical management of posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH). METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively on 104 preterm infants with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) who received neurosurgical intervention for PHH at St. Louis Children's Hospital from 1994 to 2016. Kaplan-Meier curves were constructed for various endpoints. RESULTS: IVH grade on head ultrasound obtained through routine clinical care was II, III, and IV in 5 (4.8%), 33 (31.7%), and 66 (63.5%) of the patients, respectively. Neither IVH size nor location appeared to affect development of PHH. Days from birth to IVH, ventriculomegaly, temporizing neurosurgical procedure (TNP), and permanent neurosurgical intervention were 2.0 (95% CI 1.7-2.3), 3.0 (2.5-3.5), 24.0 (22.2-25.8), and 101.0 (90.4-111.6), respectively. Grades III and IV IVH did not differ in age at IVH diagnosis (Χ 2 (1 d.f.) = 1.32, p = 0.25), ventriculomegaly (Χ 2 = 0.73, p = 0.40), TNP (Χ 2 = 0.61, p = 0.43), or permanent intervention (Χ 2 = 2.48, p = 0.17). Ventricular reservoirs and ventriculosubgaleal shunts were used in 71 (68.3%) and 30 (28.8%), respectively. Eighty (76.9%) of the patients ultimately received a VPS. Five (4.8%) underwent a primary endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), and two (1.9%) had ETV for a revision procedure. Four of the seven ETVs had choroid plexus cauterization. CONCLUSIONS: Although most infants who develop IVH and ventriculomegaly will do so within a few days of birth, at-risk infants should be observed for at least 4 weeks with serial head ultrasounds to monitor for PHH requiring surgery.

Prevalence of Developmental Delay and Contributing Factors Among Children With Sickle Cell Disease.

BACKGROUND: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at higher risk for deficits in cognition compared to the general population, even at young ages. Disease severity has been co-assessed in earlier studies, but the home environment has not. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the development of young children with SCD and secondarily, the impact of environmental and family factors. METHODS: The current study is a baseline cross-sectional evaluation of a prospective, single-center cohort. Children with SCD between the ages of 1 and 42 months and their primary caregiver were included. Participants lived within 30 miles of the site and spoke English. Children underwent developmental evaluation using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III). Home visits were completed and screened using the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME). RESULTS: Over 3 years, 43 caregiver-child dyads consented and participated. Over 50% of children scored significantly below average on cognition and expressive language subscales. SCD severity was not associated with BSID-III scores. Socioeconomic status (SES) determined by the Diez-Roux method positively correlated (r = 0.401, P < 0.01) with the home environment. The HOME correlated (r = 0.360, P < 0.05) with the cognitive subscale on the BSID-III. CONCLUSIONS: Given the high prevalence of developmental delay in this population, identifying modifiable factors to maximize developmental progress is essential. The home environment would be a targeted method for intervention. Future research is needed to identify the benefits of home-based intervention for this population.