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Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a major healthcare-associated diarrheal disease. Consistent with trends across the United States, C. difficile RT106 was the second-most prevalent molecular type in our surveillance in Arizona from 2015 to 2018. A representative RT106 strain displayed robust virulence and 100% lethality in the hamster model of acute CDI. We identified a unique 46 KB genomic island (GI1) in all RT106 strains sequenced to date, including those in public databases. GI1 was not found in its entirety in any other C. difficile clade, or indeed, in any other microbial genome; however, smaller segments were detected in Enterococcus faecium strains. Molecular clock analyses suggested that GI1 was horizontally acquired and sequentially assembled over time. GI1 encodes homologs of VanZ and a SrtB-anchored collagen-binding adhesin, and correspondingly, all tested RT106 strains had increased teicoplanin resistance, and a majority displayed collagen-dependent biofilm formation. Two additional genomic islands (GI2 and GI3) were also present in a subset of RT106 strains. All three islands are predicted to encode mobile genetic elements as well as virulence factors. Emergent phenotypes associated with these genetic islands may have contributed to the relatively rapid expansion of RT106 in US healthcare and community settings.

A mycoplasma designated strain R171T (type strain) was isolated from the infraorbital sinus of an adult chicken. This organism was assigned to the class Mollicutes and the order Mycoplasmutales on the basis of its morphological, physical, and cultural characteristics. Its deoxyribonucleic acid base composition was 24.5 mol% guanine plus cytosine. Strain R171T was sterol dependent, and since it did not produce helical forms or hydrolyze urea, it was assigned to the family Mycoplasmataceae and the genus Mycoplasma. Strain R171T fermented glucose, hydrolyzed arginine, and produced films and spots. This strain was shown to be serologically distinct from 74 currently accepted mycoplasma species or serovars by growth inhibition, immunofluorescence, and immunodiffusion tests, which were supported in some cases by metabolism inhibition tests. Thus, strain R171T appears to be a new and distinct mycoplasma s ecies, for which we propose the name Mycoplasma lipofaciens (= NCTC 10191' = ATCC 35015T).During a survey of mycoplasmosis in domestic poultry and wild birds, a number of isolates were recovered from the respiratory tracts of chickens; these isolates were apparently serologically distinct from previously recognized avian species (23). Particular interest was focussed on isolates which were biochemically similar to Mycoplasma iowae (previously avian serovar I) in having the ability to utilize both glucose and arginine but which showed no serological relationship to this group of mycoplasmas during preliminary tests.In view of the importance of mycoplasma detection to the poultry industry and of the increasing evidence of the pathogenicity of M . iowae (8,29,32,40,41), we thought that it would be worthwhile to characterize these strains further. The aims of this paper are to establish that one of these isolates, strain R171T (type strain), is a new Mycoplasma species and to provide a detailed description of the morphological, physical, cultural, biochemical, and serological properties of this organism in accordance with the recommendations of the International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology Subcommittee on the Taxonomy of Mollicutes (22).(Preliminary results of this investigation were presented at the 3rd Conference of the International Organization for Mycoplasmology , Custer, S.D., in 1980.) MATERIALS AND METHODSMycoplasma strains. Most reference strains used in this study were obtained from the World Health OrganizatiodFood and Agriculture Organization Collaborating Centre for Animal Mycoplasmas, University of Aarhus , Denmark; exceptions were Mycoplasma sualvi, Mycoplasma faucium, Mycoplasma bovoculi, and Mycoplasma hominis reference strains, which were obtained from the National Collection of Type Cultures, London, England. Strain R171T was isolated from the infraorbital sinus of an adult chicken in 1975; the flock to which this chicken belonged was serologically positive for Mycoplasma synoviae but clinically normal.Media. For isolation and laboratory examination, strains were normally propagated in a modifi...

The purpose of this study is to present key findings regarding costs associated with enforcing building energy code compliance-primarily focusing on costs borne by local government. Building codes, if complied with, have the ability to save a significant amount of energy. However, energy code compliance rates have been significantly lower than 100%. [See Williams et al. 2013 for summary.] Renewed interest in building codes has focused efforts on increasing compliance, particularly as a result of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) requirement that states implement a plan to achieve 90% compliance by 2017 in order to receive additional energy grants (Public Law 111-5). 1 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building Energy Codes Program offers several tools and resources to address energy code compliance. 2 Although the incremental cost of the construction measures needed to comply with building energy codes has been well documented, particularly by the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP) (Pacquette, Miller, and DeWein 2011), the cost of enforcement and other activities that may improve compliance has received little attention. However, the estimated cost is thought to be significant. For example, one study by the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) estimated the costs associated with reaching 90% compliance to be $810 million, or $610 million in additional funding over existing expenditures, a non-trivial value. 3 [Majersik & Stellberg 2010] In order to further inform a national dialogue about the investment needed to improve compliance with building energy codes, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) conducted a two-phase study to better pinpoint the costs of enforcement with a goal towards 100% compliance. Phase 1 was a literature review designed to identify the current breadth of information on compliance rates, barriers associated with non-compliance, strategies to overcome them, DOE and key stakeholder involvement in improving compliance, 4 and, in particular, the local government costs associated with energy code enforcement for residential and commercial buildings. Phase 1 was conducted in early 2013, and a report on the findings from that study was published in April 2013. [Williams et al. 2013] More than 150 documents that discussed code compliance and enforcement were reviewed. Costs 1 In Section 410, in order for states to receive additional energy grants, the states, or the applicable units of local government that have authority to adopt building codes, will implement "a plan for the jurisdiction achieving compliance with the building energy code or codes … within 8 years of the date of enactment of this Act in at least 90 percent of new and renovated residential and commercial building space. Such plan shall include active training and enforcement programs and measurement of the rate of compliance each year." 2 See www.energycodes.gov/compliance for more information. 3 IMT estimates the $810 million from the following components: 1) plan review and inspection cost...