The dehydration mechanism of Na and K birnessites: a comprehensive multitechnique study.

The structural, spectroscopic and electronic properties of Na and K birnessites were investigated from ambient conditions (bir) to complete dehydration, and the involved mechanisms were scrutinized. Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations were employed to derive structural models for lamellar AMnO·HO (A = Na or K, = 0 or 0.66), subsequently compared with the experimental results obtained for NaMnO·0.

Understanding the nanoscale adhesion forces between the fungal pathogen and antimicrobial zinc-based layered double hydroxides using single-cell and single-particle force spectroscopy.

Antifungal resistance has become a very serious concern, and is considered one of the most opportunistic fungal pathogens responsible for several human infections. In this context, the use of new antifungal agents such as zinc-based layered double hydroxides to fight such fungal pathogens is considered one possible means to help limit the problem of antifungal resistance. In this study, we show that ZnAl LDH nanoparticles exhibit remarkable antifungal properties against and cause serious cell wall damage, as revealed by growth tests and atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging.

Potential Promises and Perils of Human Biological Treatments for Immunotherapy in Veterinary Oncology.

The emergence of immunotherapy for the treatment of human cancers has heralded a new era in oncology, one that is making its way into the veterinary clinic. As the immune system of many animal species commonly seen by veterinarians is similar to humans, there is great hope for the translation of human therapies into veterinary oncology. The simplest approach for veterinarians would be to adopt existing reagents that have been developed for human medicine, due to the potential of reduced cost and the time it takes to develop a new drug.

Synthesis and characterization of a new monometallic layered double hydroxide using manganese.

This article reports for the first time the synthesis of an LDH using only manganese as the divalent and trivalent metallic ion. Analysis of the pH, redox potential, and chemical composition during the oxidation of a manganese basic salt using persulfate indicates the oxidation of 1/3 of the initial Mn ions, in agreement with the paramagnetic structure and XPS analysis. Infrared, Raman spectra and thermogravimetric analysis results were similar to the ones obtained with Fe-LDH also known as green rust.

Understanding the role of surface interactions in the antibacterial activity of layered double hydroxide nanoparticles by atomic force microscopy.

Understanding the mechanisms of the interactions between zinc-based layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and bacterial surfaces is of great importance to improve the efficiency of these antibiotic-free antibacterial agents. In fact, the role of surface interactions in the antibacterial activity of zinc-based LDH nanoparticles compared to that of dissolution and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is still not well documented. In this study, we show that ZnAl LDH nanoparticles exhibit a strong antibacterial effect against by inducing serious cell wall damages as revealed by the antibacterial activity tests and atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging, respectively.