Direct Observation of Palladium Leaching from Pd/C by a Simple Method: X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Heterogeneous Mixtures.

Herein, we show the detailed behavior of palladium leaching from palladium on charcoal by aqueous HCl, directly observed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurement employing a simplified reaction setup. While Pd0 is not affected by the addition of HCl, palladium oxide in nanoparticles readily reacts with HCl to form the ionic species [PdIICl4]2-, even though these ions mostly remain adsorbed on the surface of activated charcoal and can only be detected at a low level in the solution phase. This finding provides a new aspect for control of the leaching behavior and robust usage of palladium on charcoal in organic reactions.

Optimal Water Level Management for Mitigating GHG Emissions through Water-Conserving Irrigation in An Giang Province, Vietnam.

Rational water and fertilizer management approaches and technologies could improve water use efficiency and fertilizer use efficiency in paddy rice cultivation. A promising water-conserving technology for paddy rice farming is the alternate wetting and drying irrigation system, established by the International Rice Research Institute. However, the strategy has still not been widely adopted, because water level measurement is challenging work and sometimes leads to a decrease in the rice yield. For the easy implementation of alternate wetting and drying among farmers, we analyzed a dataset obtained from a farmer's water management study carried out over a three-year period with three cropping seasons at six locations (n = 82) in An Giang Province, Southern Vietnam. We observed a significant relationship between specific water level management and the rice yield and greenhouse gas emissions during different growth periods. The average water level during the crop period was an important factor in increasing the rice yield and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The average water level at 2 days after nitrogen fertilization also showed a potential to increase the rice yield. The greenhouse gas emissions were reduced when the number of days of non-flooded soil use was increased by 1 day during the crop period. The results offer insights demonstrating that farmers' implementation of multiple drainage during whole crop period and nitrogen fertilization period has the potential to contribute to both the rice yield increase and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation.

[Factors Contributing to the Occurrence of Edema in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving DTX Treatment].

Edema is a frequent side effect observed in patients receiving docetaxel hydrate(DTX)treatment. However, the factors contributing to the development of edema in breast cancer patients receiving this treatment have not been completely elucidated. In this study, we examined the electronic medical records of breast cancer patients who received 4 courses of DTX ± trastuzumab therapy at the Hokkaido Cancer Center between January 2017 and February 2018 to investigate the occurrence of edema and related factors. We found that edema was confirmed in 23(42.6%)of the 54 surveyed patients. Further, HER2- positive and high BNP levels before the start of treatment were shown to be factors related to edema development. In particular, the results suggested that when DTX is administered in combination with trastuzumab, it is necessary to monitor early and frequently the occurrence of edema.