Improving corporate governance in state-owned corporations in China: which way forward?

This article discusses corporate governance in China. It outlines the basic agency problem in Chinese listed companies and questions the effectiveness of the current mechanisms employed to improve their standards of governance. Importantly, it considers alternative means through which corporate practice in China can be brought into line with international expectations and stresses the urgency with which this task must be tackled. It concludes that regulators in China must construct a corporate governance model which is compatible with its domestic setting and not rush to adopt governance initiatives modelled on those in cultures which are fundamentally different in the hope of also reproducing their success

Relationships between retinal layer thickness and brain volumes in the UK Biobank cohort

Background and purpose Current methods to diagnose neurodegenerative diseases are costly and invasive. Retinal neuroanatomy may be a biomarker for more neurodegenerative processes and can be quantified in vivo using optical coherence tomography (OCT), which is inexpensive and noninvasive. We examined the association of neuroretinal morphology with brain MRI image‐derived phenotypes (IDPs) in a large cohort of healthy older people. Methods UK Biobank participants aged 40 to 69&nbsp;years old underwent comprehensive examinations including ophthalmic and brain imaging assessments. Macular retinal nerve fibre layer (mRNFL), macular ganglion cell‐inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL), macular ganglion cell complex (mGCC) and total macular thicknesses were obtained from OCT. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) IDPs assessed included total brain, grey matter, white matter and hippocampal volume. Multivariable linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between retinal layers thickness and brain MRI IDPs, adjusting for demographic factors and vascular risk factors. Results A total of 2131 participants (mean age 55&nbsp;years; 51% women) with both gradable OCT images and brain imaging assessments were included. In multivariable regression analysis, thinner mGCIPL, mGCC and total macular thickness were all significantly associated with smaller total brain (p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.001), grey matter and white matter volume (p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.01), and grey matter volume in the occipital pole (p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.05). Thinner mGCC and total macular thicknesses were associated with smaller hippocampal volume (p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.02). No association was found between mRNFL and the MRI IDPs. Conclusions Markers of retinal neurodegeneration are associated with smaller brain volumes. Our findings suggest that retinal structure may be a biomarker providing information about important brain structure in healthy older adults.</p