Dual Route Research Articles

Constructing dual-channel carrier transport in AgBr/BiOBr/Ag3PO4 heterojunctions for enhanced photocatalytic NO removal

Efficient and stable photocatalysts are indispensable for effectively reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. This study presents a facile method for synthesizing AgBr/BiOBr/Ag3PO4 composites and investigates their application in photocatalytic NO removal. The optimized composite exhibited notable performance, achieving 54.95 % removal of NO (approximately 568 ppb reduced to 256 ppb) under visible light irradiation, which is about 1.6 and 2.0 times higher than single Ag3PO4 (34.95 %) and BiOBr (28.01 %), respectively. Comprehensive physicochemical characterization highlighted enhancements in light absorption and the generation of reactive radicals within the AgBr/BiOBr/Ag3PO4 composite. The favorable electronic structure, characterized by well-aligned redox band positions, facilitated efficient dual carrier transport routes, thereby promoting the separation of photo-generated charge carriers. Additionally, in-situ DRIFTS analysis revealed that the composite facilitated the conversion of intermediates into nitrates during the NO purification process. This work contributes valuable insights into designing and preparing of ternary heterojunction photocatalysts with dual carrier transport channels, advancing strategies for achieving superior photocatalytic performance.

Dual modification of cobalt silicate nanobelts by Co3O4 nanoparticles and phosphorization boosting oxygen evolution reaction properties

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) process is the “bottleneck” of water splitting, and the low-cost and high-efficient OER catalysts are of great importance and attractive but they are still challenging. Herein, a dual modification strategy is developed to tune and enrich the structure of cobalt silicate (Co2SiO4) showing boosted OER properties. Cobalt oxide (Co3O4) decorated Co2SiO4 nanobelts, denoted as CS, is firstly prepared using a Co-based precursor by a facile hydrothermal reaction. Then, cobalt phosphide (CoP) nanoparticles are in-situ grown on CS (denoted as CS-P) by the phosphorization process, which provide many active sites and boost the surface reactivity. The experimental results and density function theory (DFT) calculations both reveal that the CoP on CS can improve the conductivity and ensure fast kinetics, thus leading to boost the OER properties of Co2SiO4. When the phosphorization temperature is at 400 °C (CS-P400), it gains the lowest overpotential of 297 mV, which is much lower than CS (340 mV) and Co2SiO4 (409 mV) at 10 mA·cm−2, and even superior to the state-of-the-art transition metal silicates. CS-P400 also achieves high electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) and small Tafel slope owing to its porous structures with large specific surface area and nanosheet-like structures which are good for exposing many active sites and favorable to the fast kinetics. This work not only provides a dual modification route to boost catalytic activity of Co2SiO4 (CS-P400), but also sheds light on a new avenue for developing highly dispersed CoP on silicates to boost OER performances.

Photo‐Assisted Zn‐Iodine Battery via Bifunctional Cathode with Iodine Host and Solar Response Boost

AbstractThe aqueous photo‐assisted battery is considered an efficient means of converting and storing solar energy in one device. However, identifying a suitable photocathode with excellent iodine capture capabilities for photo‐assisted Zn‐iodine batteries still remains challenging. In this work, bifunctional BiOI is prepared as sole cathode material for a photo‐assisted Zn‐iodine battery while simultaneously realizing an iodine host and solar responsiveness. The as‐presented BiOI with abundant vacancies offers highly reversible photo‐assisted iodine redox reactions. Meanwhile, the dual reaction routes involving vacancy iodine storage and reversible two‐steps iodine redox are confirmed by in/ex situ characterization techniques during the energy storage process. Consequently, the assembled battery exhibits areal capacity of 0.24 mAh cm−2 at 1 mA cm−2 with coulombic efficiency exceeding 96.5%. More impressively, benefiting from the wide visible light absorption of the BiOI cathode, the battery demonstrates a much enhanced specific areal capacity of 0.4 mAh cm−2 at 1 mA cm−2 under sun illumination, representing a remarkable increment of 60% compared to that in the dark environment. This work expands the utility of cathode materials for a photo‐assisted Zn‐iodine battery.

Synergistic photocatalytic activity of Bi2O3/g-C3N4/ZnO ternary heterojunction with dual Z-scheme charge transfer towards textile dye degradation

It is clear that a wide range of organic substances, including synthetic textile dyes, have the potential to negatively impact the environment. It is crucial to rationally develop highly effective photocatalysts for the degradation of such type of pollutants. In this regard, a heterostructured photocatalyst comes with enhanced charge separation and extended light absorption ability that improves photocatalytic performance. Therefore, In this study, a Bi2O3/g-C3N4/ZnO (BCNZ) ternary heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) textile dye.. Thermal polycondensation method was opted to synthesize g-C3N4, while ZnO and Bi2O3 photocatalysts were fabricated using co-precipitation method. Similarly, ternary heterojunction of BCNZ was constructed through co-precipitation method. The ternary heterojunction photocatalyst demonstrated better photodegradation ability due to dual Z-scheme charge transfer route. The dual Z-scheme heterojunction enabled the ternary heterojunction to exhibit enhanced light absorption capabilities with reduced recombination rates as well as enhanced charge separation and migration efficiency (confirmed via transient photocurrent response) that resulted in improved photocatalytic performance. The BCNZ dual Z-scheme photocatalyst displayed 92 % of degradation efficiency which was much higher than that of other (binary and pristine) photocatalysts. Scavenging tests and electron spin resonance spectroscopy revealed the significant role of the •O2−, and •OH radicals in the photodegradation of MB. Furthermore, the reusability test presented good stability and recyclability of the ternary photocatalyst with 80 % degradation efficiency after five catalytic cycles.

Unraveling the synergism mechanistic insight of O-vacancy and interfacial charge transfer in WO3-x decorated on Ag2CO3/BiOBr for photocatalysis of water pollutants: Based on experimental and density functional theory (DFT) studies

Photocatalysis has been widely used as one of the most promising approaches to remove various pollutants in liquid or gas phases during the last decade. The main emphasis of the study is on the synergy of vacancy engineering and heterojunction formation, two widely used modifying approaches, to significantly alter photocatalytic performance. The vacancy-induced Ag2CO3/BiOBr/WO3-x heterojunction system has been fabricated using a co-precipitation technique to efficiently abate methylene blue (MB) dye and doxycycline (DC) antibiotic. The as-fabricated Ag2CO3/BiOBr/WO3-x heterojunction system displayed improved optoelectronic characteristic features because of the rational combination of dual charge transferal route and defect modulation. The Ag2CO3/BiOBr/WO3-x system possessed 97% and 74% photodegradation efficacy for MB and DC, respectively, with better charge isolation and migration efficacy. The ternary photocatalyst possessed a multi-fold increase in the reaction rate for both MB and DC, i.e., 0.021 and 0.0078 min−1, respectively, compared to pristine counterparts. Additionally, more insightful deductions about the photodegradation routes were made possible by the structural investigations of MB and DC using density functional theory (DFT) simulations. This study advances the understanding of the mechanisms forming visible light active dual Z-scheme heterojunction for effective environmental remediation.

Constraining current neuroanatomical models of reading: the view from Arabic.

There is a growing interest in imaging understudied orthographies to unravel their neuronal correlates and their implications for existing computational and neuroanatomical models. Here, we review current brain mapping literature about Arabic words. We first offer a succinct description of some unique linguistic features of Arabic that challenge current cognitive models of reading. We then appraise the existing functional neuroimaging studies that investigated written Arabic word processing. Our review revealed that (1) Arabic is still understudied, (2) the most investigated features concerned the effects of vowelling and diglossia in Arabic reading, (3) findings were not always discussed in the light of existing reading models such as the dual route cascaded, the triangle, and the connectionist dual process models, and (4) current evidence is unreliable when it comes to the exact neuronal pathways that sustain Arabic word processing. Overall, despite the fact that Arabic has some unique linguistic features that challenge and ultimately enrich current reading models, the existing functional neuroimaging literature falls short of offering a reliable evidence about brain networks of Arabic reading. We conclude by highlighting the need for more systematic studies of the linguistic features of Arabic to build theoretical and neuroanatomical models that are concurrently specific and general.

Self as source: The interplay of sharing eWOM with consumer engagement and incentive acceptance

Online retailers have acknowledged the efficacy of leveraging electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) sharing on social media as a promotional tactic that significantly affects consumers' purchasing decisions. Grounded in agency theory, this research delves into the behaviors of individuals who participate in eWOM dissemination. It investigates the mediating role of individuals' self-perception as the originator (Self as Source, SAS) on their reactions to sharing eWOM content. Additionally, the study scrutinizes the impact of consumer engagement and the moderating role of incentive acceptance on this process. The results of two studies reveal dual routes through which purchase intention can be affected: a direct route and an indirect route that is mediated by SAS perception and consumer engagement. Moreover, the results support a moderated mediation model wherein the acceptance of incentives moderates the mediation process through consumer engagement. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Exploring the dual routes in influencing sales and adoption in augmented reality retailing: a mixed approach of SEM and FsQCA

Exploring the dual routes in influencing sales and adoption in augmented reality retailing: a mixed approach of SEM and FsQCA

Highly stable ultralong organic phosphorescence from a 3D organic supramolecule constructed by halogen bonding and π–π interactions

Ultralong organic phosphorescence (UOP) materials have offered new exciting possibilities in the fields of photoelectric device, scintillators, anti-counterfeiting and bioprobe. However, pure organic phosphorescent materials inevitably suffer from rapid nonradiative transitions under oxygen, humidity, and high temperature, rending their phosphorescence is significantly quenched. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) organic supramolecule (named SFIz) featuring UOP property was constructed successfully. Impressively, benefiting from the unique halogen bonding and π–π interactions, dual phosphorescent emission route of high energy state T1 (Br···O interaction predominates) and low energy state T1* (π–π interaction predominates) was simultaneously realized. Furthermore, owing to the robust supramolecular structural characteristic, SFIz shows highly stable UOP property with remarkably thermal, force stimulus and water-resistant stabilities that can be applied directly in extreme environments such as high temperatures 453 K (180 °C), high pressure and humidity. This work not only provides a much needed solution for achieving highly stable UOP materials and promoting their applications in extreme environments, but also gives in-depth understanding of both UOP and dual phosphorescent emission mechanisms in a non-metallic organic molecule.

BD-YOLO: detection algorithm for high-resolution remote sensing images

This paper focuses on detecting extremely small targets in aerial images. Compared to common datasets, the average size of targets in remote sensing images is only 12.8 pixels, significantly smaller than those in common datasets. Therefore, directly applying existing detectors to aerial images is ineffective. To address this issue and ensure real-time performance, This paper propose BD-YOLO, which incorporates five key innovations. A dual Backbone route was proposed to maintain data integrity and achieve high-resolution aerial remote sensing detection. Additionally, a new feature fusion method was developed to comprehensively merge shallow and deep information. To supplement small-sized target information, a new network structure was proposed. The detector strategy used by BD-YOLO considers the detection accuracy of objects with different sizes. Furthermore, a lightweight method was adopted to ensure real-time performance of the algorithm. BD-YOLO outperformed YOLOv8s on the AI-TOD dataset, achieving a higher mAP by 2.4%. Similarly, on the Visdrone dataset, BD-YOLO achieved a 2.5% higher mAP compared to YOLOv8s. Additionally, on the Tinyperson dataset, BD-YOLO achieved a 0.6% higher mAP than YOLOv8s. Notably, BD-YOLO maintains real-time performance while ensuring accurate object detection.

Sense and sensibility: dual routes from ethical leadership to moral voice

PurposeEthical leadership has been recognized as a critical factor in encouraging employees’ moral voices. This study offers a dual-route model to understand this process. The boundary conditions of these two routes are discussed herein.Design/methodology/approachThe data originate from a multiwave, multisource survey study of 212 leader–subordinate dyads in Taiwan drawn from a variety of industry sectors.FindingsThe findings validate both the cognitive (moral efficacy) and affective (affective attachment) pathways from ethical leadership to moral voice, influenced by the organizational factor of political climate. While the moral efficacy pathway is more pronounced in a situation of weak political climate, the affective attachment pathway remains effective regardless of the climate’s strength.Practical implicationsManagers need to identify if their organization prioritizes rational professionalism or interpersonal affection. In the former case, they should focus on the learning effects of ethical leadership. Conversely, in the latter, the emphasis should be on the leader-subordinate relationship. Doing so optimizes the effectiveness of ethical leadership in growing moral voices.Originality/valueConsidering both cognitive and affective routes from ethical leadership to moral voice could integrate social learning theory (SLT) and social exchange theory (SET). Identifying factors influencing these two routes resonates with the leader–situation interaction perspective. This research deepens the understanding of ethical leadership's effects on encouraging and protecting employee moral voice.

Removal of Lead and Zinc from Blast Furnace Sludge Through High Temperature Carbochlorination

A new dual kiln processing route has been proposed and investigated for removal of heavy metals from the zinc-rich fraction of blast furnace (BF) sludge and recovery of ferrous materials. The zinc in BF sludge exists both as ZnO and ZnS. The thermodynamic analysis indicates that the carbochlorination of the sludge shows a selective heavy metal removal. Lead can be removed at a temperature below 900°C followed by the zinc removal at higher temperatures, producing an iron-rich clean residue free of heavy metals in the end feasible for recycling back to ironmaking. High temperature carbochlorination experiments have been conducted with designed mini-pellets. The experimental results prove that via the proposed dual kiln route, a valuable zinc-rich fraction and a clean iron-bearing residue can be achieved with addition of iron chloride, leaving a small stream of lead-rich residue for further processing. This newly developed recycling flowsheet provides a sequential carbochlorination in two inter-connected rotary kilns, incorporated with efficient dust-capturing systems. In total, over 98% heavy metal removal has been achieved. The Zn-rich dust contains more than 60% of zinc, and the quality of the iron-rich residue is sufficient for re-use in the integrated steel works.

Apoptosis as a therapeutic strategy for breast cancer: the role of Thymax, a gross thymic extract, in modulating cell death pathways

Background Breast cancer is a prevalent disease in women and a leading cause of cancer-related health issues. Thymax, a thymic extract, has shown potential for inducing breast cancer cell apoptosis in vitro. Objective This study aims to investigate how Thymax induces apoptosis and inhibits breast cancer growth and metastasis in vivo. Materials and methods Thymax treatment was divided into five groups: the first group (negative control) − normal rats without tumors. In the second group (positive control), rats were injected subcutaneously in the mammary gland with a single dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. of 7,12-Dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (in 2 ml of corn oil) and allowed to develop tumors for 120 days. Group 3: Thymax was orally administered 6 days a week to tumor-bearing rats (0.4 mg/rat) and continued for 5 weeks. Tumor-bearing rats in group 4 (Thymax injection) received 0.1 ml of Thymax solution through intraperitoneal injection twice weekly for 5 weeks. The last group was Thymax mix (oral and injection); tumor-bearing rats received Thymax solution by dual routes: orally with 0.4 ml six times per week and intraperitoneally with 0.1 ml twice weekly for 5 weeks. Thymax treatment, beginning after 120 days of tumor induction, continued for 5 weeks. Results and conclusion Thymax- induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells by increasing cytochrome c, tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1-associated death domain protein (TRADD), and Fas associated death domain (FADD) levels. It also activated the mitochondrial-dependent pathway with up-regulation of tumor protein gene (P53) expression and cysteine-dependent, aspartate-specific peptidase (caspase-8) activation. Thymax restored normal renal and hepatic cell function and enhanced the immune system by improving total antioxidant levels and inhibiting malondialdehyde levels in treated animals. Histopathological results showed a significant apoptotic effect in the group receiving Thymax injections, demonstrating its capability to induce apoptosis without tumors or atypia in mammary glands. Our findings indicate that Thymax has a significant effect on enhancing tumor cell death and inducing apoptosis in vivo. Thymax may also modulate proapoptotic and antiapoptotic protein expression and activity, regulate the penetrability of the mitochondrial membrane, and release cytochrome c. Furthermore, our findings show that the injection route of Thymax is the fastest and most efficient method to deliver the extract to the tumor site and exert its antitumor effects. These results suggest that Thymax has the potential to be a novel adjuvant in the treatment of breast cancer, as it can enhance the efficacy of conventional therapies and reduce the risk of recurrence and metastasis.

Dual routes of chunking social interaction: Insights from grouping two agent actions in working memory.

Humans have evolved the sophisticated ability to extract social relations embedded in interactive entities. One typical demonstration is a social chunking phenomenon wherein the cognitive system chunks individual actions into a unified episode basing on perceived interactive actions. However, the mechanisms underlying social chunking remain to be elucidated. Most studies have adopted static images and manipulated interactions through agents' facingness (face-to-face vs. back-to-back). Connecting agents via directed contingent actions is crucial in forming real-life social interaction. Hence, we employed dynamic actions as stimuli, separated physical- and communicative-contingency interactive actions, and predicted that domain-general physical regularities and domain-specific social relationships are crucial in social interactions, respectively. We tested this prediction by using an involuntary chunking effect in working memory, wherein two individual actions are involuntarily chunked when containing task-irrelevant interactive information. We found that involuntary chunking occurred for both types of upright interactive actions (Experiments 1, 3, 5, and 6). Inverting actions erased the chunking of communicative- but not physical-contingency actions (Experiments 2, 4, and 5). The facingness of dyads did not participate in chunking physical-contingency actions but was a prerequisite for chunking communicative-contingency actions (Experiments 3 and 6). These results reveal the dual routes of chunking interactive actions. Moreover, they suggest that the chunking mechanisms of dynamic social interaction are distinct from those of static images, highlighting the importance of using dynamic stimuli to explore the mechanisms of social interaction in emerging people-watching interdisciplinarity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Abstract 1544 Dual routes for B. anthracis asparaginyl-tRNA formation

Abstract 1544 Dual routes for B. anthracis asparaginyl-tRNA formation

Dual electron transfer routes in core-shell double Z-scheme artificial photosynthetic system for improved photoredox activity

Developing artificial photosynthetic system with high activity is significant for long-term solar light conversion. Inspired by the natural Z-scheme photosystem, a ternary core-shell ZnIn2S4/MoO3/MoS2 (ZOS) composite with double Z-scheme junction was prepared by in-situ vulcanization of MoO3 nanosheets. Such in-situ formed intimate interfaces can overcome the high interfacial charge transfer barrier between different composites thus boosting the charge separation efficiency. The dual Z-scheme heterojunction provided dual electron transfer routes and favored the charge transfer. In addition, the ternary core-shell structure offered more spatially separated active sites which also increased the photocatalytic activity. Profiting from these strategies, the optimized ZOS-1 sample afforded 3.71 mmol·g−1·h−1 hydrogen evolution rate at 420 nm, which was 18.5 and 2.5 times higher than that of MoO3 and ZnIn2S4, respectively. In addition, 88% tetracycline can be eliminated in the solution within 70 min in the presence of ZOS-1 sample. This study provides an effective strategy for designing high-efficiency artificial photosynthetic systems under Z-scheme charge transfer routes in photocatalytic reactions.

Ready for new waves: optimizing SARS-CoV-2 variants monitoring in pooled samples with droplet digital PCR.

The declaration of the end of the Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 on May 11th, 2023, has shifted the global focus led by WHO and CDC towards monitoring the evolution of SARS-CoV-2. Augmenting these international endeavors with local initiatives becomes crucial to not only track the emergence of new variants but also to understand their spread. We present a cost-effective digital PCR-based pooled sample testing methodology tailored for early variant surveillance. Using 1200 retrospective SARS-CoV-2 positive samples, either negative or positive for Delta or Omicron, we assessed the sensitivity and specificity of our detection strategy employing commercial TaqMan variant probes in a 1:9 ratio of variant-positive to variant-negative samples. The study achieved 100% sensitivity and 99% specificity in 10-sample pools, with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) exceeding 0.998 in ROC curves, using distinct commercial TaqMan variant probes. The employment of two separate TaqMan probes for both Delta and Omicron establishes dual validation routes, emphasizing the method's robustness. Although we used known samples to model realistic emergence scenarios of the Delta and Omicron variants, our main objective is to demonstrate the versatility of this strategy to identify future variant appearances. The utilization of two divergent variants and distinct probes for each confirms the method's independence from specific variants and probes. This flexibility ensures it can be tailored to recognize any subsequent variant emergence, given the availability of its sequence and a specific probe. Consequently, our approach stands as a robust tool for tracking and managing any new variant outbreak, reinforcing our global readiness against possible future SARS-CoV-2 waves.

Design of an efficient energy based dual level co-operative route protocols in multiple hop WSNs

The design and implementation of an energy efficient dual stage cooperative routing protocol (DSCR) in multiple hop wireless nets is discussed in this paper in brief, with the goal of improving network life-time, boosting dependability, and reducing energy consumption. This contribution’s major goal is to propose an enhanced version of the double stage data transfer system that computes the routing path utilizing cooperative mechanisms and the notion of reduced node energy. The work presented here also includes talks, discussion and graphical representations of the various outcomes achieved for all of the test scenarios, as well as the relevant observations and explanations. The research paper comes to a close with the multiple hop networks’ overall conclusions remarks.

Supplemental Material for Dual Routes of Chunking Social Interaction: Insights From Grouping Two Agent Actions in Working Memory

Supplemental Material for Dual Routes of Chunking Social Interaction: Insights From Grouping Two Agent Actions in Working Memory

Dual Routes of Training on Information Security Policy Compliance

ABSTRACT This study aims to explore the mechanisms by which training influences employees’ information security policy compliance (ISPC) through the mediating roles of compliance knowledge and social pressure. An empirical model is conceptualized on the theoretical basis of the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM). Based on a survey conducted in China, a sample of 304 participants was used to test the impact of training on ISPC as well as the mediating effects of compliance knowlgedge (as a central route) and social pressure (as a peripheral route). The results revealed that training had a positive effect on ISPC, and the mediating effects of compliance knowledge and social pressure were both positive and complementary. The results also indicated that the mediating effect of compliance knowledge was stronger than that of social pressure, which was consistent with the judgment of ELM.