The economic geography of offshore incorporation in tax havens and offshore financial centres: the case of Chinese MNEs

A large share of the outward foreign direct investment (FDI) of emerging market MNEs is directed towards a small number of specific tax havens and offshore financial centres. The establishment of investment-holding companies for taxation related purposes is frequently adduced as a key motivation (‘round-tripping’) for these investments. This explanation, however, accounts for neither the concentration of such investments in specific havens nor the comparatively large national shares of such investments that originate from emerging markets. Here we draw from and build links between the geography of money and finance and international business literatures to conceptually and empirically explore this prominent, if somewhat disregarded, feature of global FDI flows

Production of Function yogurts drink fortified with different types of herbal extracts and study its biological attributes in hepatitis rats

The present study aimed to produce function yoghurt drink fortified with different types of herbal extracts (Ginger, Amla, Curcuma) and assess its therapeutic effect in hepatitis rats. The rats were randomly divided into two main groups. The first group were control (-) (6 rats) was fed on a standard diet, while the second group (30 rats) were fed on standard diet and injected it by CCl4 "for two weeks" to induce chronic damage in the liver (hepatitis) then divided into five groups (6 rats each group), then treated by plain drinking yoghurt and different herbal drinking yoghurt fortified with different types of herbs extract. Different Biological attributes were determined. The antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and chemical properties were evaluated in herbal extracts and yoghurt product and their hepatoprotective effect of each alone evaluated in albino rats against carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) induced liver injury. The hepatoprotective activity was assessed using various biochemical parameters and histopathological studies. The results indicated that functional flavoured drinking yoghurt containing herbal extract exhibited no significant differences were observed in total solids, fat, protein, ash, and lactose content them control samples. Drinking yoghurt fortified with Curcuma exhibited highest content of antioxidant activity and total phenolic content among all treatments. Also, rats fed on diet supplemented with drinking yoghurt fortified with Curcuma for 28 days showed higher potential hepatoprotective effects compared to liver injury control group (IC). The rats succeeded to restore the biochemical parameters and improved the histological alteration of the liver. This improvement was pronounced partly in the group received drinking yoghurt fortified with Ginger and Amla herbal extracts while, the group received drinking yoghurt fortified with Curcuma herbal extract were improved totally. It could be concluded that drinking yoghurt fortified with different herbal extract especially Curcuma can be used as ingredients in functional foods for people suffering from liver diseases

The Role of Caribbean Tax Havens and Offshore Financial Centres in Chinese Outward Foreign Direct Investment

Little empirical attention has been paid to the rapid expansion and the apparent decline of foreign direct investment between China and the Caribbean tax havens and offshore financial centres. Building on institutional theories, we argue that investment flows between these jurisdictions are primarily a response to China’s capital market imperfections, with other institutional factors playing a contributing role. Using evidence from 72 Chinese firms for the period 1999 to 2010, we show that such outward investments involve significant capital augmentation and organisational restructuring to enable expansion in China. These processes of identifying and exploiting institutional environments can best be explained using the internalisation theory of foreign direct investment

Neuroprotection of the rat’s retinal ganglion cells against glutamate-induced toxicity

Purpose Glutamate is one of the contributors to retinal ganglion cells degeneration. The potential neuroprotective function of taurine, which is an endogenous amino acid molecule in the retina, was investigated. Materials and methods A prospective comparative nonrandomized controlled study was conducted from November 2012 to January 2015. A total of 24 adult male albino rats were divided into four groups. Balanced salt solution (BSS) (0.1 ml) was injected intravitreally in the control group, and 0.1 ml of glutamate (40 nmol) was injected once intravitreally in the glutamate group. Taurine of 25 mg/kg was injected once intraperitoneally in the taurine group. In the fourth group, 0.1 ml of glutamate was injected intravitreally, and at the same time, each rat received taurine intraperitoneally. Three days after the injection, animals were killed, and eyes were enucleated and processed for histopathological and immunohistochemical staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein, synaptophysin, vascular endothelial growth factor, and caspase-3. Results Extensive damage and disruption of the structure of the retina with significant decrease in the mean total, outer, and inner retinal thickness and ganglion cell counts was found following glutamate intravitreal injection, with significant improvement of this picture in the taurine and the combined groups (P<0.001). In addition to preservation of normal architecture of all retinal layers in the taurine group, multiple blood vessels were noticed in some retinal layers. Significant increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein and synaptophysin immunostaining was seen in most retinal layers in the glutamate group compared with no or weak staining in the other groups (P<0.001); however, negative or faint vascular endothelial growth factor and caspase-3 immunostaining was detected in all animal groups. Conclusion Taurine protects the retina against glutamate excitotoxicity and could have clinical implications in protecting the ganglion cells from several ophthalmic diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy