Background Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a unicellular microsporidian fungal pathogen that infects a broad range of animal hosts, including wild and domestic animals and humans. The infection burden of this parasite in wild animals in Korea is largely unknown. In this study, the occurrence and genotypes of E. bieneusi were investigated in wild animal populations in Korea. Methods A total of 157 fecal samples (97 from Korean water deer, 48 from raccoon dogs and 12 from other taxa) were collected from wild animals at five wildlife centers in Korea. Genomic DNA was extracted from the samples and screened by nested-PCR targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rRNA, followed by sequence analysis to determine the genotype(s) of E. bieneusi . Results The overall prevalence of E. bieneusi was 45.2% (71/157), with rates of 53.6% (52/97) in Korean water deer, 35.4% (17/48) in raccoon dogs and 16.7% (2/12) in other taxa. We detected seven ITS genotypes, including one known (genotype D) and six new genotypes (Korea-WL1–Korea-WL6). Phylogenetically, all detected genotypes clustered with counterparts belonging to group 1, which includes isolates from different animal hosts and humans, suggesting their zoonotic potential. Conclusions Our survey results indicate that E. bieneusi circulates widely in wild animals in Korea. These findings address the role of wildlife as a potential source of microsporidiosis in domestic animals and humans.

Background: Anaplasma spp. are tick-borne Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacteria that infect humans and a wide range of animals. Anaplasma capra has emerged as a human pathogen; however, little is known about the occurrence and genetic identity of this agent in wildlife. The present study aimed to determine the infection rate and genetic profile of this pathogen in wild animals in the Republic of Korea. Methods: A total of 253 blood samples [198 from Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus), 53 from raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and one sample each from a leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) and a roe deer (Capreolus pygargus)] were collected at Chungbuk Wildlife Center during the period 2015-2018. Genomic DNA was extracted from the samples and screened for presence of Anaplasma species by PCR/sequence analysis of 429 bp of the 16S rRNA gene marker. Anaplasma capra-positive isolates were genetically profiled by amplification of a longer fragment of 16S rRNA (rrs) as well as partial sequences of citrate synthase (gltA), heat-shock protein (groEL), major surface protein 2 (msp2) and major surface protein 4 (msp4). Generated sequences of each gene marker were aligned with homologous sequences in the database and phylogenetically analyzed. Results: Anaplasma capra was detected in blood samples derived from Korean water deer, whereas samples from other animal species were negative. The overall infection rate in tested samples was 13.8% (35/253) and in the water deer the rate was 17.8% (35/198), distributed along the study period from 2015 to 2018. Genetic profiling and a phylogenetic analysis based on analyzed gene markers revealed the occurrence of two distinct strains, clustered in a single clade with counterpart sequences of A. capra in the database. Conclusions: Anaplasma capra infection were detected in Korean water deer in the Republic of Korea, providing insight into the role of wildlife as a potential reservoir for animal and human anaplasmosis. However, further work is needed in order to evaluate the role of Korean water deer as a host/reservoir host of A. capra.

All-inorganic cesium lead iodide (CsPbI 3 ) perovskites, which replace volatile and hygroscopic organic components with stable inorganic cesium cations, have promising photoelectronic properties for potential application in solar cells. However, highly stable and efficient CsPbI 3 -based perovskite solar cells are rarely reported because the optically active black phases of CsPbI 3 tend to change into a photo-inactive yellow δ-phase. Herein, a highly stable CsPbI 3 film that is formed by introducing a small quantity of zwitterions with different dimensions to the perovskite precursor solution is reported. The zwitterions effectively inhibit the formation of the yellow δ-phase during perovskite crystallization and promote the development of a stable black α-phase. In addition, a systematic analysis reveals strong interaction between 3D zwitterions and perovskites in both the solution and film states, which leads to a dense and pinhole-free CsPbI 3 film with suppressed trap states. The resulting perovskite solar cells with 3D zwitterions achieve a significantly improved power conversion efficiency of 18.4% with high reproducibility. The devices without encapsulation retain 98% of the initial efficiency after 25 days at 25 °C and relative humidity of 25% ± 5%. Importantly, the 3D zwitterionbased devices demonstrate excellent phase stability when subjected to thermal aging at 100 °C.

To obtain highly efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs), defects must be removed at the grain boundaries of the perovskite films. Most surface-treatment methods involve dissolving the passivating material...

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