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• Family history and acquired risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse: a case-control study in Japan

  Ashikari, A; Kadekawa, K; Tokushige, A; Iwata, H; Nagamine, S; Machida, N; Ikehara, Y; Mekaru, K; Inokuchi, J; Kamiya, T; Nishida, K; Nakamura, K; Ueda, S; Miyazato, M

  SCIENTIFIC REPORTS ( Scientific Reports )  15 ( 1 ) 5717   2025.02 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

  Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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• Time-dependent bladder activity changes in streptozotocin-induced female diabetic rats

  Izumi, K; Kamijo, TC; Oshiro, T; Kimura, R; Ashikari, A; Kurobe, M; Akimoto, T; Miyazato, M

  PHYSIOLOGICAL REPORTS ( Physiological Reports )  13 ( 4 ) e70220   2025.02 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

  Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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• Genome-wide association studies for pelvic organ prolapse in the Japanese population

  Matsunami, M; Imamura, M; Ashikari, A; Liu, XX; Tomizuka, K; Hikino, K; Miwa, K; Kadekawa, K; Suda, T; Matsuda, K; Miyazato, M; Terao, C; Maeda, S

  COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY ( Nature Research )  7 ( 1 ) 1188 - 9   2024.09

  Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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  Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects approximately 40% of elderly women, characterized by thedescent of the pelvic organs into the vaginal cavity. Here we present the results of a genome-wideassociation study (GWAS) for susceptibility to POP comprising 771 cases and 76,625 controls in theJapanese population. We identified a significant association of WT1 locus with POP in the Japanesepopulation; rs10742277; odds ratio (OR) = 1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.29–1.68,P = 6.72 × 10−9. Subsequent cross-ancestry GWAS meta-analysis combining the Japanese data andpreviously reported European data, including 28,857 cases and 622,916 controls, identified FGFR2locus as a novel susceptibility locus to POP (rs7072877; OR = 1.06, 95% CI, 1.04–1.08,P = 4.11 × 10−8). We also observed consistent directions of the effects for 21 out of 24 European GWASderived loci (binomial test P = 2.8 × 10−4), indicating that most of susceptibility loci for POP are sharedacross the Japanese and European populations.

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• Gut microbiota-based prediction for the transition from normal glucose tolerance (NGT) to impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in a remote island cohort study

  Uema, T; Tsukita, M; Okamoto, S; Uehara, M; Honma, KI; Nakayama, Y; Tamaki, A; Miyazato, M; Ashikari, A; Maeda, S; Imamura, M; Matsushita, M; Nakamura, K; Masuzaki, H

  DIABETES RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE ( ELSEVIER )  213   111747 - 8   2024.07

  Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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  Aim: The present cohort study explored whether specific gut microbiota (GM) profile would predict the development of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in individuals with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). Methods: A total of 114 study subjects with NGT in Kumejima island, Japan participated in the present study and underwent 75 g oral glucose tolerance tests at baseline and one year later. We compared the profile of GM at baseline between individuals who consistently maintained NGT (NRN, n = 108) and those who transitioned from NGT to IGT (NTI, n = 6). Results: Within-individual bacterial richness and evenness as well as inter-individual bacterial composition showed no significant differences between NRN and NTI. Of note, however, partial least squares discriminant analyses revealed distinct compositions of GM between groups, with no overlap in their 95 % confidence interval ellipses. Multi-factor analyses at the genus level demonstrated that the proportions of CF231, Corynebacterium, Succinivibrio, and Geobacillus were significantly elevated in NTI compared to NRN (p < 0.005, FDR < 0.1, respectively) after adjusting for age, sex, HbA1c level, and BMI. Conclusions: Our data suggest that increased proportion of specific GM is linked to the future deterioration of glucose tolerance, thereby serving as a promising predictive marker for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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• Influence of cerebral infarction on both bladder and urethral activities and changes after tramadol administration in rats

  Nagamine, S; Kamijo, TC; Ashikari, A; Miyazato, M

  NEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS ( Neurourology and Urodynamics )  41 ( 8 ) 1679 - 1691   2022.11 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

  Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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  AIMS: We investigated the changes in bladder and urethral function after cerebral infarction (CI) and the influence of tramadol on these functions. METHODS: Twenty-eight female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into normal and CI groups. In the awake condition, metabolic cage study and blood pressure were evaluated. Under urethane anesthesia, the intravenous effect of tramadol (0.01-1 mg/kg), which has both µ-opioid receptor stimulation and inhibition of norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake, on continuous cystometry, and simultaneous measurements of bladder and urethral perfusion pressure (UPP) were recorded. Infarcted lesions were examined by staining with triphenyltetrazolium chloride, a marker of mitochondrial enzyme activity. RESULTS: CI rats showed impaired sympathetic activity with Horner's syndrome and lower blood pressure. In metabolic cage study, urinary frequency during the dark phase was increased in CI rats. On bladder activity, in CI rats, the baseline pressure threshold for inducing bladder contractions was significantly lower (p < 0.01), and the intercontraction interval was prolonged after tramadol administration. On urethral activity, the baseline UPP was significantly lower in CI rats than in normal rats and it did not change after tramadol administration. Residual urine rate was significantly increased in normal rats, but not in CI rats. CI rats showed brain infarction including the cortex and hypothalamus, which is a center of the autonomic nervous system. CONCLUSIONS: CI-induced ischemic brain damage results in impairment of both bladder and urethral functions, in addition to decreased sympathetic activity. Bladder overactivity after CI can be improved by tramadol; however, urethral activity cannot be improved by it.

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• Therapeutic new targets for stress urinary incontinence in the central nervous system

  Miyazato Minoru, Ashikari Asuka

  Folia Pharmacologica Japonica ( The Japanese Pharmacological Society )  155 ( 1 ) 16 - 19   2020

   

  DOI PubMed CiNii Research

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• Study of the effect of wearing elastic stockings during the day on nocturia

  芦刈明日香

  第111回日本泌尿器科学会総会  2024.04  -  2024.04 

• Symposium 17　‘Approach for lower urinary tract dysfunction based on clinical cases’ Approach to lower urinary tract dysfunction associated with pelvic organ prolapse

  芦刈明日香

  "Symposium 17　‘Approach for lower urinary tract dysfunction based on clinical cases’ Approach to lower urinary tract dysfunction associated with pelvic organ prolapse"   2023.04  -  2023.04 

• The relation between Obesity and Voiding Parameters in a Community-Based Population of Okinawa, Japan: Project report

  芦刈明日香

  PPCS   2022.09  -  2022.09 

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research 【 display / non-display 】

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• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research(C)

  Project Year: 2025.07  -  2028.03 

• Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research(C)

  Project Year: 2020.04  -  2023.03 

  Direct: 3,000,000 (YEN)  Overheads: 3,900,000 (YEN)  Total: 900,000 (YEN)

• Screening for high risk patients of pelvic organ prolapse focused on polymorphisms of collagen and early intervention by pelvic floor rehabilitation

  Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists(B)

  Project Year: 2017.04  -  2020.03 

  Investigator(s): Ashikari Asuka 

  Direct: 3,100,000 (YEN)  Overheads: 4,030,000 (YEN)  Total: 930,000 (YEN)

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  Cause of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is well known for acquired risk factor (e.g. parity, age and obesity), however we focused on genetic risk factor of POP that has been reported in European and American populations. Collagen and elastin are main structures of female pelvic tissues. So we investigated whether single nucleotide gene polymorphisms (SNP) of collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1), collagen type III alpha 1 (COL3A1) and lysyl oxidase-like (LOXL)-1/4 were associated with the onset of POP in Japanese women. We investigated each genotype of the SNPs by using TaqMan SNP genotyping assay. The polymorphism of LOXL-4, an enzyme which is essential for extracellular matrix remodeling, had relationship to the onset of POP in Japanese women(Odds ratio 3.8-4.5). The knowledge of acquired risk factors and this kind of genomic background in patients with POP would help to improve surgical indications or to prevent POP by earlier conservative interventions.

• The establishment of new system of magnetic stimulation for overactive bladder with age

  Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research(C)

  Project Year: 2015.04  -  2018.03 

  Investigator(s): Miyazato Minoru, OSHIRO Takuma, ASHIKARI Asuka, KIMURA Ryu 

  Direct: 3,700,000 (YEN)  Overheads: 4,810,000 (YEN)  Total: 1,110,000 (YEN)

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  For the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB), antimuscarinic agents have long been the drug class of choice. However, they can have unpleasant side-effects, such as dry mouth, constipation, headache, blurred vision and tachycardia. In addition, the drugs can also be refractory in some patients with OAB symptoms. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of magnetic stimulation for OAB, as well as stress urinary incontinence, with age. We confirmed restoration of malfunction with OAB by sacral neuromodulation of magnetic stimulation. Thus, magnetic stimulation is useful for urgency incontinence or stress urinary incontinence. In basic research, we confirmed that stimulation of the spinal μ-opioid receptors might be useful for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in rats.

Social Activity 【 display / non-display 】

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• 2025.03

  　

  　

Media Coverage 【 display / non-display 】

Media Coverage 【 display / non-display 】

• 日本人女性の「骨盤臓器脱」 遺伝的要因を発見 琉大と理研「研究進めば早期予防も」 - 琉球新報デジタル  Newspaper, magazine

  琉球新報  2024.10

  Author： Other 

• 出産経験がある女性の4割が発症「骨盤臓器脱」予防策に道　琉球大学など　日本人の遺伝的な要因の一つを発見  Newspaper, magazine

  沖縄タイムス  2024.10

• 排尿記録し生活習慣改善　琉大の宮里教授と芦刈助教　アプリ開発　健康状態分析　データ可視化　「Ｕナイト」利用呼びかけ  Newspaper, magazine

  沖縄タイムス  2024.8