Catalytic tandem dehydrochlorination-hydrogenation of PVC towards valorisation of chlorinated plastic waste.

Chemical treatment of end-of-life PVC at high temperature often results in the formation of polyacetylene and eventually aromatic char. These insoluble conjugated polymers lead to industrial reactor blockages, and limit the efficiency in recycling chlorinated plastic waste. To address this challenge, a solvent-based tandem dehydrochlorination-hydrogenation process is proposed for the conversion of PVC to a saturated polymer backbone.

Etosis, rather than apoptosis or cell proliferation, typifies thrombus progression - An immunohistochemical study of coronary aspirates.

Background: Coronary thrombosis is a process with unpredictable clinical outcome. Changes of thrombus composition overtime influence tissue repair and stabilization. We investigated rates of cell deaths and cell proliferation at different time points after initiation of thrombosis.

Q fever across the Dutch border in Limburg province, Belgium.

Data from three different data sources were compiled to estimate the presence of Coxiella burnetii in the Belgian Limburg province for both humans and livestock. First, serological data of all samples sent to the Belgian reference centre (2003–2010) for human Q fever were analysed, showing evidence for an acute Q fever infection in 1–5% of the cases. Second, a multi-centre prospective survey was conducted in Limburg in 2010 to detect undiagnosed human cases; evidence for a recent infection with Coxiella burnetii was found in three out of 100 patients from which clinicians suspected a Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

Recurrent Rhodococcus equi infection with fatal outcome in an immunocompetent patient.

The majority of human Rhodococcus equi infections occur in immunocompromised hosts, especially those with AIDS, and infection in immunocompetent patients is rare. Reported here is a case of R. equi infection in a seemingly healthy patient with a very complicated course.