Publications by authors named "M Kihira"

Brevibacillus thermoruber strain Nabari cells grow as widely spreading dendritic colonies on reasoner's 2A-agar (1.5%) plates at around 55°C but as small motile colonies at 37°C. Motile colonies can be divided into colonies that move in straight or curved lines over long distances (wandering colonies), and colonies that rotate at a fixed location (rotating colonies).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study evaluated the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the occurrence of maternal primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in Japan. We performed a nested case-control study using data from maternal CMV antibody screening under the Cytomegalovirus in Mother and infant-engaged Virus serology (CMieV) program in Mie, Japan. Pregnant women with negative IgG antibodies at ≤20 weeks of gestation who were retested at ≥28 weeks were enrolled.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is linked to congenital infections, and this study aimed to validate a new IgM titer cutoff for detecting primary infections in pregnant women.
  • Over two time periods (2013-2017 and 2017-2019), researchers screened a total of nearly 32,000 women for CMV antibodies, with findings showing similar rates of IgM positives and congenital CMV cases across the two periods.
  • The revised IgM cutoff effectively enhances screening for primary CMV infections in mothers and newborns, though more research is needed on other testing methods beyond the Denka assay.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Brevibacillus thermoruber strain Nabari was isolated from compost and identified based on 16 S rRNA gene sequencing and DNA-DNA hybridization using B. thermoruber DSM 7064  as the standard, despite some differences in their physiological and structural characteristics. When B.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Organogenesis and regeneration are fundamental for developmental progress and are associated with morphogenesis, size control and functional properties for whole-body homeostasis. The liver plays an essential role in maintaining homeostasis of the entire body through various functions, including metabolic functions, detoxification, and production of bile, via the three-dimensional spatial arrangement of hepatic lobules and has high regenerative capacity. The regeneration occurs as hypertrophy, which strictly controls the size and lobule structure.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF