Negative corona discharge strategy for efficient quantum dot light-emitting diodes.

In colloid quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs), the control of interface states between ZnO and quantum dots (QDs) plays a vital role. We present a straightforward and efficient method using a negative corona discharge to modify the QD film, creating a dipole moment at the interface of QDs and magnesium-doped ZnO (ZnMgO) for balanced charge carrier distribution within the QDs. This process boosts external quantum efficiencies in red, green, and blue QLEDs to 17.71%, 14.53%, and 9.04% respectively. Notably, optimized devices exhibit significant enhancements, especially at lower brightness levels (1000 to 10,000 cd·m-2), vital for applications in mobile displays, TV screens, and indoor lighting.

Preparation and indoor virulence determination of a temperature-sensitive insecticide against Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett).

Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) is an important fruit and vegetable pest, especially in high-temperature seasons. In our previous research, we developed a temperature-sensitive sustained-release attractant for Z. cucurbitae, that not only can control the release rate of cuelure according to the temperature change, but also shows an excellent trapping effect on Z. cucurbitae. To further enhance the killing effect of the temperature-sensitive attractant on Z. cucurbitae, this study proposed using it in combination with an insecticide to prepare a temperature-sensitive insecticide for Z. cucurbitae. Based on the controlled release technology of pesticides, a temperature-sensitive Z. cucurbitae insecticide was developed by using PNIPAM gel as a temperature-sensitive switch to carry both cuelure and insecticide at the same time. In addition, the lethal effect of different pesticides on Z. cucurbitae were tested by indoor toxicity test, and the best pesticide combination was screened out. The temperature-sensitive insecticide prepared in this study not only had excellent thermal response and controlled release ability, but also enhanced its toxicological effects on Z. cucurbitae because it contained insecticides. Among them, combining thiamethoxam and clothianidin with the temperature-sensitive attractants was the most effective, and their lethality reached more than 97% against Z. cucurbitae. This study is not only of great practical significance for the monitoring and controlling Z. cucurbitae, but also provides theoretical basis and reference value for the combination of temperature-sensitive attractant and insecticide.

Prediction of the potential distribution area of Spodoptera frugiperda and its parasitic wasp, Trichogramma pretiosum.

Spodoptera frugiperda is a migratory agricultural pest with fast-spreading speed, long migration distance, and wide host range, which seriously threatens the safety of economic crops. To predict the trends of S. frugiperda and its parasitoid wasp Trichogramma pretiosum in their habitats under current and future climatic conditions, based on MaxEnt model and geographic distribution data of their historical occurrence, we project the feasibility of introducing T. pretiosum to control S. frugiperda by evaluating on their potential global distribution. The results show that, under the current greenhouse gas concentration, the potential distribution area of S. frugiperda is concentrated in 50° N-30° S, with a total area of 1.74 × 106 km2 , and the potential distribution area of T. pretiosum in the whole world is 2.91 × 106 km2 . The suitable areas of T. pretiosum cover almost all the suitable areas of S. frugiperda, which indicates that T. pretiosum can be introduced to control S. frugiperda. The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the monitoring and early warning of S. frugiperda and the use of T. pretiosum to control S. frugiperda.

Dynamic expression analysis of Vitelloin-related genes in Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) driven by short-term high-temperature stress.

Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) is an important pest of fruit and vegetable crops in tropical and subtropical regions. Previous studies have shown that short-term high-temperature stress has a significant effect on the oviposition behavior of three successive generations (F1 -F3 ) of Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett). For the clarification of the molecular response of the oviposition behavior of Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett) to short-term high-temperature stress, three Vitellogenin (Vg) genes, namely, Vg-1, Vg-2, and Vg-3, and one Vitellogenin receptor (VgR) gene were selected; 25°C was used as the control treatment; and 33°C, 37°C, 41°C, and 45°C were set as the high-temperature treatments. Newly emerged adults of the F1 generation were treated for 1 h, and the expression dynamics of the target genes were analyzed 7 days after the emergence of three successive generations of adults. Results showed that the expression of the Vg gene in the 33°C and 37°C groups was upregulated compared with that in the control group, and the difference among the 41°C, 45°C, and control groups was small. VgR gene expression level gradually increased in each treatment group with the increase in the number of days and peaked on Days 6 and 7. Compared with the control group, the expression of VgR gene in the F1 generation was downregulated in the high-temperature treatment group over 7 days. On Day 7, the expression level of the VgR gene in the F2 and F3 generations in the 37°C and 45°C groups was significantly higher than that in the F2 and F3 generations in the control group. In conclusion, Vg and VgR are transformed and utilized differently after short-term high-temperature treatment.

Zwitterionic Nanohydrogels-Decorated Microporous Membrane with Ultrasensitive Salt Responsiveness for Controlled Water Transport.

Highly sensitive responsiveness is vital for stimuli-responsive membranes. However, it is a great challenge to fabricate stimuli-responsive membranes with ultrahigh gating ratio (the ratio of the salt solution permeating flux to the pure water permeating flux) and high response speed simultaneously. In this work, a salt-responsive membrane with an ultrahigh gating ratio is fabricated via a facile strategy by grafting zwitterionic nanohydrogels onto a poly(acrylic acid)-grafting-poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PAA-g-PVDF) microporous membrane. Due to the synergistic effect of two functional materials, PAA chains and zwitterionic nanohydrogels tethered on PAA chains, this stimuli-responsive membrane exhibits an ultrasensitive salt responsiveness with a gating ratio of up to 8.76 times for Na+ ions, 89.6 times for Mg2+ ions, and 89.3 times for Ca2+ ions. In addition, such zwitterionic nanohydrogels-grafted PAA-g-PVDF (ZNG-g-PVDF) membranes exhibit very rapid responses to stimuli. The permeating flux changes swiftly while altering the feed solution in a continuous filtration process. The excellent salt-responsive characteristics endow such a ZNG-g-PVDF membrane with great potential for applications like drug delivery, water treatment, and sensors.

Quantum dot light-emitting diodes with an Al-doped ZnO anode.

A study of hybrid ZnCdSeS/ZnS quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) device fabricated with indium tin oxide-free transparent electrodes is presented. Al-doped zinc oxide (AZO) prepared by magnetron sputtering is adopted in anode transparent electrodes for green QLEDs with different sputtering pressures. A Kelvin probe force microscopy measurement showed that AZO has a work function of approximately 5.0 eV. The AZO/poly(ethylene-dioxythiophene)/polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) interface can be adjusted by the sputtering pressures, which was confirmed by hole-only devices. AZO films with low surface roughness can form a good AZO/PEDOT:PSS interface, which can increase the holes' injection, and result in an improved charge balance. The maximum current efficiency, luminance, and external quantum efficiency of the optimized QLED devices under a sputtering pressure of 1 mTorr can achieve values of 50.75 cd A-1, 102 500 cd m-2, and 12.94%, respectively.

AgNWs/AZO composite electrode for transparent inverted ZnCdSeS/ZnS quantum dot light-emitting diodes.

Fully transparent inverted quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) were fabricated by incorporating a Ag-nanowire-based anode. Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al, AZO) was inserted by atomic layer deposition and reduced the sheet resistance by promoting adhesion of Ag nanowires (AgNWs) film and increasing its chemical stability towards oxygen. The performance of the QLEDs was optimal when the thickness of AZO was 20 nm. The current efficiency of the fully transparent inverted QLEDs integrated with the AgNWs/AZO anode reached 15.33 cd A-1. The main peak wavelength and optical transmittance of the inverted QLEDs were 530 nm and 75.66%, respectively. This discovery is expected to provide a basic method for the production of flexible displays with full transparency by AgNWs-based electrodes.

Zwitterionic Nanofibrous Membranes with a Superior Antifouling Property for Gravity-Driven Crude Oil-in-Water Emulsion Separation.

The development of membranes with a superior antifouling property and high-permeation flux is extensively considered but still a challenge for handling emulsified oil foulants in wastewater. Herein, a zwitterionic nanohydrogel-grafted  PVDF (ZNG- g-PVDF) nanofibrous membrane was fabricated via a simple surface activation and amide reaction. By tailoring the parameters for electrospinning, PAA-g-PVDF nanofibrous membranes with interpenetrated nanofibers and microsphere structure were formed, and the membrane surface was endowed with high roughness on the micrometer scale. Combined with the strong hydration ability of the grafted zwitterionic nanohydrogels, the obtained ZNG- g-PVDF nanofibrous membrane exhibited a superhydrophilic property and nearly zero adhesion to crude oil under water. It thus showed an extremely high removal efficiency (∼98.7%) for gravity-driven separation of the crude oil-in-water emulsion. Both the water-permeating flux and oil content in the collected filtrate (lower than 13 ppm) showed little change during 10 cycles of the filtration experiment, indicating superior crude oil foulant repellency performance of the ZNG- g-PVDF nanofibrous membrane. Considering the high energy saving of the gravity-driven separation process, this novel ZNG- g-PVDF nanofibrous membrane possesses broad applications in the field of emulsified crude oil foulant cleanup in an aquatic environment.

The ZcVg3 Gene Regulates the Reproduction and Lifespan of Female Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) Mediated by Short-Term High Temperatures.

Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) is a significant pest affecting fruit and vegetables in tropical and subtropical regions, and its development and reproduction are enhanced after exposure to short-term high-temperature stress at 45 °C. Vitellogenin (Vg) is an essential precursor of yolk protein formation in eggs and plays a vital role in the ovarian development of insects. Interfering with the Z. cucurbitae vitellogenin receptor (ZcVgR) gene in short-term high-temperature conditions decreases the fecundity of female adults, while the transcription level of the ZcVg3 gene increases. To elucidate the reproductive function of the ZcVg3 gene and the synergistic relationship among the ZcVgs genes under short-term high temperatures, this study injected siRNA to interfere with the ZcVg3 gene after subjecting Z. cucurbitae to a 1 h treatment at 45 °C and 25 °C. The expression of the ZcVg3 gene was suppressed, leading to the upregulation of the ZcVg1 and ZcVg2 genes, and the expression of the ZcVgR gene was initially decreased and then increased. Silencing the ZcVg3 gene after a 1 h treatment at 45 °C resulted in a reduction of approximately 84.7% and 75.9% in the fecundity and spawning days of female adults compared to the control. The development rate of their ovaries and the ovarian diameter significantly decreased, and their lifespan was reduced by 71%. The ZcVg3 gene plays a crucial role in the reproduction of Z. cucurbitae in short-term high-temperature conditions. The results of this study provide potential targets for the development of RNAi-based techniques for the control of Z. cucurbitae.

Photothermal Synergic Cross-Linking Hole Transport Layer for Highly Efficient RGB QLEDs.

Developing an insoluble cross-linkable hole transport layer (HTL) plays an important role for solution-processed quantum dots light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) to fabricate a multilayer device with separated quantum dots layers and HTLs. In this work, a facile photothermal synergic cross-linking strategy is simultaneous annealing and UV irradiation to form the high-quality cross-linked film as the HTL without any photoinitiator, which efficiently reduces the cross-linking temperature to the low temperature of 130 °C and enhances the hole mobility of the 3-vinyl-9-{4-[4-(3-vinylcarbazol-9-yl)phenyl]phenyl}carbazole (CBP-V) thin films. The obtained high-quality cross-linked CBP-V films exhibited smooth morphology, excellent solvent resistance, and high mobility. Moreover, the high-performance red, green, and blue (RGB) QLEDs are successfully fabricated by using the photothermal synergic cross-linked HTLs, which achieved the maximum external quantum efficiency of 25.69, 24.42, and 16.51%, respectively. This work presents a strategy of using the photothermal synergic cross-linked HTLs for fabrication of high-performance QLEDs and advancing their related device applications.

Fast and Integral Nano-Surface-Coating of Various Fiber Materials via Interfacial Polymerization.

Surface coating is essential and critical to endow fiber materials with various functions for broad applications. However, it is still a great challenge to achieve a fast, fully covered, and robust surface coating on multiple fibers. In this work, a nanoscale surface coating with superior stability was rapidly and integrally formed on various fiber materials (such as Nylon mesh, nonwoven fabrics, and stainless-steel mesh) by highly reactive interfacial polymerization (IP) between polyethylenimine (PEI) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC). The resulting polyamide (PA) layer with an ultrathin thickness of tens of nanometers wholly and uniformly covered the surface of each fiber of the constituent material. Due to the synergistic effect of the PA layer with inherent robustness and the fully covered structure between the outer PA layer and the inner fiber, the nanosurface-coating exhibited outstanding mechanical stability, good acid resistance, and excellent organic solvent resistance. The functional modification of the nanosurface-coating can be easily carried out by using the abundant carboxyl groups in the PA layer. By introducing sulfobetaine zwitterionic copolymers via either "grafting from" or "grafting to" methods, the surfaces presented prominent underwater antioil-adhesion property and exceptional protein adhesion resistance. The surface coating based on IP process opens up an avenue in the field of surface modification. It is expected to offer a generally feasible strategy for the fabrication of fiber materials with robust and multifunctional coatings.

Zero-Oil-Fouling Membrane With High Coverage of Grafted Zwitterionic Polymer for Separation of Oil-in-Water Emulsions.

Current hydrophilic modification strategies improve the antifouling ability of membranes but fail to completely eliminate the fouling of emulsified oil droplets with a wide size distribution. Constructing membranes with superior anti-oil-fouling ability to resist various oil droplets especially at high permeation fluxes is challenging. Here, the fabrication of a zero-oil-fouling membrane by grafting considerably high coverage of zwitterionic polymer and building defect-free hydration defense barrier on the surface is reported. A uniform layer of protocatechuic acid with COOH as abundant as existing in every molecule is stably deposited on the membrane so as to provide sufficient reactive sites and achieve dense grafting of the zwitterionic polymer. The coverage of zwitterionic polymer on the membrane plays a crucial role in promoting the antifouling ability to emulsified oil droplets. The poly(vinylidene fluoride) membrane with 93% coverage of the zwitterionic polymer exhibits zero oil fouling when separating multitudinous oil-in-water emulsions with ≈0% flux decline, ≈100% flux recovery, and a high water flux of ≈800 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 . This membrane outperforms almost all of the reported membranes in terms of the comprehensive antifouling performance. This work provides a feasible route for manufacturing super-antifouling membranes toward oil/water separation application.

Identification of male and female pupal characteristics of Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) via machine vision.

Images of original pupae of Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) were normalized, grayed, and segmented to identify male and female pupae of this species via machine vision. The image of each pupa was divided into 25 small areas. The differences in surface texture features in each small area within 11 days were compared. The texture characteristics of both male and female pupae were screened by combining the eclosion of both sexes of Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett). Results indicated that the pectinate setae on the abdominal backplane could be used as a basis for the identification of the male and female pupa of Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett). Moreover, machine vision correctly identified these characteristics with an accuracy of 96.0%. This study lays a foundation for the identification of male and female pupae using machine vision and also for the comprehensive control of Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett).

Comparative Genomic-Based Study of Reproduction-Related Genes in Three Fruit Fly Species.

Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) are important pests of fruit and vegetable crops and are difficult to control because of their rapid reproduction rate and egg production. To investigate the key genes regulating reproduction in three fruit fly species, we selected genomic information of three fruit fly species, screened specific genes and single-copy homolog genes, and performed KEGG and GO enrichment analysis on specific genes and single-copy homolog genes of the strong positive select (SP); the results showed that Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett), B. dorsalis (Hendel), and C. capitata (Wiedemann) had seven, 11, and one Vitellogenin-related genes, respectively; Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett) had 84 specific genes enriched in immune system-related pathways; B. dorsalis (Hendel) had 1,121 specific genes enriched in signaling pathways related to cell growth and differentiation; C. capitata (Wiedemann) had 42 specific genes enriched in the degradation and metabolism pathways of exogenous organisms; Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett) may have a stronger immune system; B. dorsalis (Hendel) has a faster developmental and reproductive rate; and C. capitata (Wiedemann) has a higher detoxification capacity. Only one SP single-copy homolog gene (gene name: very long-chain specific acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, mitochondrial) is enriched in the fatty acid metabolic pathway in both Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett) and B. dorsalis (Hendel) as well as in Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett) and C. capitata (Wiedemann). This study provides a molecular basis for studying the reproductive mechanisms of three fruit fly species and provides a scientific basis for developing effective control strategies for fruit flies.

Potential global distribution area projections of the aphid Lipaphis erysimi and its predator Eupeodes corollae in the context of climate change.

Climate change affects the population distribution of pests and their natural enemies, and predicting these effects is necessary for pest monitoring and green control. Lipaphis erysimi is an important vegetable pest, and its natural enemy, the Eupeodes corollae Fabricius has a strong predatory effect on the L. erysimi. To assess the spread trends of L. erysimi and its natural enemy, the hoverfly, E. corollae under current (1970-2000) and future climates (2041-2060), based on the MaxEnt model, this paper uses data on the geographical distribution of the historical occurrence of L. erysimi and E. corollae to speculate on their potential distribution areas worldwide and analyze the key environmental factors affecting the survival and spread of both. The results showed that the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 2.6 and RCP4.5 climatic conditions are favorable for the spread of L. erysimi, the RCP8.5 climatic conditions are unfavorable for the spread of L. erysimi, and all three future climatic conditions are unfavorable for the spread of E. corollae. The highest fitness of L. erysimi was found at the annual average temperature of 18 °C and the annual average precipitation of 900 mm, while the highest fitness of E. corollae was found at the annual average temperature of 10 °C and the lowest temperature in the coldest month of 0 °C. This study can provide a reference basis for monitoring and early warning and biological control of L. erysimi.

The vitellogenin receptor gene is involved in lifespan regulation of Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) after short-term high-temperature treatment.

Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) is a highly damaging agricultural pest in many tropical and subtropical countries around the world and high temperatures usually affect its survival. To clarify the effect of short-term high temperatures on the survival and lifespan of Z. cucurbitae, newly emerged adults of three consecutive generations (F1, F2, and F3) were exposed to 25 °C, 33 °C, 37 °C, 41 °C, or 45 °C treatments for 1 h. The effect of these temperatures on survival and lifespan was evaluated using biological indicators such as lifespan and pupation rate. Then, to study the molecular regulatory mechanism of the lifespan of Z. cucurbitae after short-term high-temperature treatment, we exposed the newly emerged adults to 25 °C or 45 °C treatments for 1 h and used siRNA to interfere with the expression of the vitellogenin receptor (VgR) gene in the female to study the effect of the VgR gene on the lifespan of Z. cucurbitae. The results showed that the survival rate, lifespan, pupae weight, pupation rate, and emergence rate of Z. cucurbitae decreased with increased temperature, while the female sex ratio of offspring increased. The heat resistance of females was higher than that of males. Interference with the expression of the VgR gene resulted in shortening of the female's lifespan by approximately 60% after exposure to 25 °C or 45 °C treatments for 1 h, which indicated involvement of the VgR gene in the regulation of Z. cucurbitae lifespan. This study provides a reference to guide integrated control of Z. cucurbitae in high-temperature seasons.

Optimization of Sensors Data Transmission Paths for Pest Monitoring Based on Intelligent Algorithms.

The harm of agricultural pests presents a remarkable effect on the quality and safety of edible farm products and the monitoring and identification of agricultural pests based on the Internet of Things (IoT) produce a large amount of data to be transmitted. To achieve efficient and real-time transmission of the sensors' data for pest monitoring, this paper selects 235 geographic coordinates of agricultural pest monitoring points and uses genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), and simulated annealing (SA) to optimize the data transmission paths of sensors. The three intelligent algorithms are simulated by MATLAB software. The results show that the optimized path based on PSO can make the shortest time used for transmitting data, and its corresponding minimum time is 4.868012 s. This study can provide a reference for improving the transmission efficiency of agricultural pest monitoring data, provide a guarantee for developing real-time and effective pest control strategies, and further reduce the threat of pest damage to the safety of farm products.

Function of Vitellogenin receptor gene in reproductive regulation of Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) after short-term high-temperature treatment.

Climate change has increased the frequency of extreme heat events. Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett) is an important tropical pest that typically changes its reproductive strategies in response to extremely high temperatures. Newly emerged adults of three consecutive generations (F1, F2, and F3) of Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett) were exposed to 25°C, 33°C, 37°C, 41°C, and 45°C treatments for 1 h to clarify the effects of short-term high temperatures on its reproduction. The influence of these temperatures on reproduction was evaluated using indicators, such as egg number. Newly emerged adults were exposed to 25°C and 45°C treatments for 1 h, and the expression of Vitellogenin receptor (VgR) gene in females was interfered with siRNA, and silencing efficiency of RNAi was evaluated. Results showed that short-term high temperatures, except for F1 treated at 45°C for 1 h to stimulate oviposition, exert a general adverse effect on the reproduction of Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett). All F3 died after the 45°C treatment for 1 h. Silencing of the VgR gene resulted in the significant downregulation of VgR gene expression at both 24 and 72 h. The egg number, oviposition days, and hatchability of eggs were significantly lower than those of other treatment groups after interference, and the inhibition effect of egg number was the most evident, with a decrease of 88.4% and 95.2% at 25°C and 45°C, respectively, compared with that of the Control Check (CK). Ovarian development speed and diameter were also significantly lower than those of other treatment groups after the interference. The results of this study can provide a theoretical reference for the integrated control of Z. cucurbitae (Coquillett) during high-temperature seasons.

Technology for Rapid Detection of Cyromazine Residues in Fruits and Vegetables: Molecularly Imprinted Electrochemical Sensors.

Cyromazine is an insect growth regulator insecticide with high selectivity and is widely used in the production and cultivation of fruits and vegetables. In recent years, incidents of excessive cyromazine residues in food have occurred frequently, and it is urgent to establish an accurate, fast, and convenient method for the detection of cyromazine residues to ensure the safety of edible agricultural products. To achieve rapid detection of cyromazine residues, we prepared a molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor for the detection of cyromazine residues in agricultural products. Samples of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Miller), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and water were tested for the recovery rate of cyromazine. The results showed that the concentration of cyromazine showed a good linear relationship with the peak response current of the sensor developed in this study. The lower limit of detection for cyromazine was 0.5 µmol/L, and the sensor also had good reproducibility and interference resistance. This paper can be used as a basis for the study of methods for the detection of cyromazine residues in edible agricultural products.

High performance blue quantum light-emitting diodes by attaching diffraction wrinkle patterns.

Highly efficient blue quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are still challenging to use in displays and solid-state lighting. Enhancing light outcoupling is one of the most effective methods to improve the performance of blue QLEDs. Here, a strategy for a spectrally independent boost in light outcoupling of blue QLEDs is demonstrated by quasi-periodic wrinkles, which are successfully used as a diffraction grating for extracting trapped light at the substrate/air interface. The quasi-periodic wrinkles can be adjusted from nano-scale to micron-scale under the condition of a constant aspect ratio, and the optimized wrinkle device shows a maximum luminance of 11 769 cd m-2 and a peak EQE of 15.41%. The enhancement of EQE is 49.5% higher compared to that of the reference device. Furthermore, simulation and calculation also indicate that external micron-scattering wrinkle patterns are an attractive option for boosting the performances of blue QLEDs.