The NCD Summit offers an opportunity for strengthening and shaping primary prevention, the most cost-effective instrument to fight major risk factors such as tobacco smoking, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity

and unhealthy diet. From a Swiss perspective, we also emphasised the efforts for new laws on prevention and diagnosis registration, in accordance with the recommendations of the NCD summit in order to strengthen primary prevention and disease monitoring. In addition, the need for structural prevention across all policy sectors with leadership in environmental policy making to prevent NCDs as well as the need to adapt and strengthen primary health care are equally relevant for Switzerland. Napabucasin To compliment efforts in primary prevention, the field of NCDs requires special R&D platforms for affordable NCD drugs and diagnostics for neglected population segments in both Switzerland and low and middle income countries. Switzerland has a track record in research and development against diseases of poverty on a global scale that now needs to RSL3 chemical structure be applied to NCDs.”
“A thorough investigation

of sucrose hydrolysis by invertase immobilized in recently developed PVA-alginate beads was performed. The developed PVA-alginate bead is distinguished by the treatment with sodium sulfate solution. The performance of invertase immobilized in PVA-alginate matrix beads in terms of leakage, reusability, ideal temperature and pH and kinetic SN-38 in vitro parameters K-m and V-max was investigated. Results revealed that the ideal temperature and pH for the immobilized invertase are 50 degrees C and 4 respectively. The apparent K-m of each

bead is relatively lower than that of the free enzyme with the value of 4.7 x 10(-5) mM and 2.849 x 10(-5) mM for 12PVA-5BA and 12PVA-7BA, respectively. An increase in V-max was also observed with the value of 2281.02 U mg(-1) enzyme and 2281.02 U mg(-1) enzyme for 12PVA-5BA and 12PVA-7BA. respectively. The reusability of the beads and its storage period were also investigated and were found to be 14 cycles and 60 days, respectively. Finally, the beads with the best performance (12PVA-5BA) were used to hydrolyze liquid pineapple waste. The production yield of glucose was about 745% in 3 h in the hydrolysis of the liquid pineapple waste. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Photothermal radiometry is employed to investigate the thermal parameters (diffusivity, effusivity, conductivity, and heat capacity) of carbon nanotubes [single-walled (SWNT) or multiple-walled (MWNT)] and potassium bromide (KBr) pressed pellets as a function of SWNT or MWNT mass fraction. A significant enhancement of the thermal conductivity for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) contents up to 2 wt. % was observed. Above 3 wt. % CNT, a morphological transition from a compacted to an unconsolidated granular media occurs leading to a sharp decrease of the thermal conductivity (k) caused by the presence of air interfaces.