SAO PAULO, Brazil, May 7 /PRNewswire/ --

BRASKEM S.A. (BOVESPA: BRKM3, BRKM5 and BRKM6; NYSE: BAK; LATIBEX: XBRK), the leading company in the thermoplastic resins industry in Latin America and third-largest resins producer in the Americas, announces today its results for the first quarter of 2008 (1Q08).

Main highlights of the period: -- Domestic resin sales grew 7% in 1Q08 -- Resins production reached 704,000 tons in 1Q08 -- Fixed expenses reduction in 1Q08 -- Over R$77 million in synergies captured until 1Q08 -- EBITDA reaches R$583 million in 1Q08 -- Braskem inaugurates Paulinia unit -- Conclusion of the acquisition of the petrochemical assets of the Ipiranga Group -- Conclusion of sale of its stake at Petroflex -- Green Polymer Project moves forward

TORONTO, May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Apotex Inc., Canada's largest generic pharmaceutical company has successfully bid and been awarded a tender from the Rwandan Government for the life saving triple combination AIDS drug "Apo Triavir". Apotex is the first company to provide this medicine to Africa under the provisions of the Canadian Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR).

The CAMR provides a mechanism for developing countries to address critical healthcare needs by importing less expensive generic versions of patented drugs. Following the process it has taken Apotex over three years to get to this point where a drug can go to thousands in Africa.

SAN DIEGO, May 7 /PRNewswire/ --

- New Member Complements Board With Significant Financial and Operational Expertise -

Nventa Biopharmaceuticals Corporation (TSX: NVN) announced today the appointment of John Varian to the company's board of directors. Mr. Varian currently serves as the chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Aryx Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of oral therapeutics for chronic disease.

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LONDON, May 7 /PRNewswire/ --

- Astadia Gains Momentum in 2008 and Continues Providing SaaS Solutions to Assist Collaboration Across Teams and Organisations

LONDON, May 7 /PRNewswire/ --

- David Sayers Named Finance Director of Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water

Cascal N.V. (NYSE: HOO), a leading provider of water and wastewater services in seven countries, today announced the appointment of Jonathan Lamb as General Counsel and Company Secretary (subject to formal Board approval). Mr. Lamb replaces David Sayers, who has been named Finance Director of Cascal's UK subsidiary, Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water.

STAINES, England, May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has announced the marketing authorisation of Mycamine(R), Astellas Pharma Europe's treatment for invasive candidiasis, oesophageal candidiasis and prophylaxis of Candida infection in patients undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Mycamine(R) will initially be available in the U.K and across the European market shortly after this.

ORSK, Russia, May 7 /PRNewswire/ --

Mechel OAO (NYSE: MTL), one of the leading Russian mining and metals companies, announces that its subsidiary, Southern Urals Nickel Plant OAO, and Bateman Engineering have signed a contract on the construction of a new melting complex for Mechel's nickel plant.

The contract, which is signed in accordance with the investment program of Southern Urals Nickel Plant, provides fundamental re-equipment of the plant and includes the design and supply of a 12 MW DC furnace. The furnace will be erected at Southern Urals Nickel's existing facility. The total project value is US$31 million.

EDINBURGH, Scotland and LEBANON, New Hampshire, May 7 /PRNewswire/ --

- Shorter Run Times, Faster Data Analysis, Rapid Visualization

DEM Solutions today announce the latest release of EDEM that will set a new benchmark in particle simulation modeling software. Already offering the most advanced graphic user interface, EDEM 2.0 is now the fastest and most highly parallelized Discrete Element Modeling software on the market, providing users with increased scope and scale of particle simulation applications.

A group of researchers writing in Geophysical Research Letters have a new theory about Mercury’s mysterious magnetic field - iron “snow” inside the planet that forms and falls toward the center, much like snowflakes form in Earth’s atmosphere and fall to the ground.

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun and the only other terrestrial planet that possesses a global magnetic field. Discovered in the 1970s by NASA’s Mariner 10 spacecraft, Mercury’s magnetic field is about 100 times weaker than Earth’s. Most models cannot account for such a weak magnetic field.

Made mostly of iron, Mercury’s core is also thought to contain sulfur, which lowers the melting point of iron and plays an important role in producing the planet’s magnetic field.

REDWOOD CITY, California, May 7 /PRNewswire/ --

- New facility doubles space

Nominum, the leading provider of network naming and addressing technologies, announced today a move to a new headquarters site. Nominum's corporate staff, including the R&D team will be situated in a new facility at 2000 Seaport Blvd., in Redwood City, CA, the heart of Silicon Valley.

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