Ectopic expression of the mitochondrial protein COXFA4L3 in human sperm acrosome and its potential application in the selection of male infertility treatments.

Purpose: Spermatogenesis requires a large amount of energy, which is primarily produced by the mitochondrial electron transfer chain. Mitochondrial dysfunction affects male infertility, suggesting a relationship between the electron transfer chain and male infertility. COXFA4L3 (C15ORF48) is an emerging subunit protein of cytochrome oxidase specifically expressed in germ cells during spermatogenesis, and it may be involved in male infertility.

Clinical case of 45,X/46,XY mosaic male with ejaculatory disorder associated with seminal vesicle dysplasia: a case report.

Introduction: 45,X/46,XY mosaicism is a rare anomaly in sexual differentiation, presenting with diverse phenotypes and often leading to infertility due to abnormal gonadal development.

Aims: This report aims to present a case study of a 45,X/46,XY mosaic male patient with an ejaculatory disorder attributed to seminal vesicle dysplasia.

Methods: In this case study, diagnostic procedures encompassed blood tests, semen analysis, chromosomal examination, and imaging studies to assess gonadal morphology.

Testicular sperm extraction for fertility preservation in young patients with cancer.

Background: Cancer survivors in the adolescent and young adult generation often experience marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth after treatment; thus, fertility preservation is very important. In male patients, testicular sperm extraction (TESE) is sometimes performed due to azoospermia. Such a procedure is called oncological TESE (onco-TESE).

Development of a deep-learning model for detecting positive tubules during sperm recovery for nonobstructive azoospermia.

To enhance surgical testicular sperm retrieval outcome for men with nonobstructive azoospermia, a deep-learning model was developed to identify positive seminiferous tubules by labeling 110 images with sperm-containing tubules sampled during microdissection testicular sperm extraction as training and validation data. After training, the model achieved an average precision of 0.60.

Three cases of sperm immobility for intracytoplasmic sperm injection using testicular sperm.

Introduction: Sperm immobility is a condition in which sperm are viable but not motile. We reported three patients with sperm immobility, who underwent testicular sperm extraction-intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Case Presentation: In case 1, a 32-year-old patient with sperm immobility had previously undergone intracytoplasmic sperm injection with ejaculated sperm; however, pregnancy was unsuccessful.

Add-on effects of oral tocopherol supplementation to surgical varicocelectomy on the outcome of assisted reproductive technology: a single-center pilot study report.

Introduction: Varicocelectomy is well known to improve the pregnancy outcome of patients with clinical varicoceles in assisted reproductive technologies as well as spontaneous conception. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the additional effects of oral antioxidant therapy after varicocelectomy on the pregnancy outcome in the assisted reproductive technology setting.

Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study.

Pre- and post-chemotherapy spermatogenesis in male patients with malignant bone and soft tissue tumors.

Malignant bone and soft tissue tumors, commonly called sarcomas, predominantly originate in bone and soft tissues and typically affect individuals at a younger age. Following the resection of the primary tumor, treatment often necessitates radiation therapy and gonadotoxic chemotherapy, the specifics of which depend on the disease's stage Conversely, there is a notable concern regarding the potential loss of fertility due to these treatments. Consequently, it is recommended that men consider sperm cryopreservation before initiating treatment.

Correlation between Higher Aging Males' Symptoms Scores and a Higher Risk of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

Background: Late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) is a condition caused by the decline of testosterone levels with aging and is associated with various symptoms, including lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs). Although some reports have shown that testosterone replacement treatment for LOH improves LUTSs, no large study has revealed a correlation between LUTSs and LOH. This study investigated the correlation between the severity of LOH and LUTSs in Japanese males >40 years of age using a web-based questionnaire with the Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale.

Sperm DNA fragmentation testing in clinical management of reproductive medicine.

Background: Approximately 8%-12% of couples worldwide face infertility, with infertility of individuals assigned male at birth (AMAB) contributing to at least 50% of cases. Conventional semen analysis commonly used to detect sperm abnormalities is insufficient, as 30% of AMAB patients experiencing infertility show normal results in this test. From a genetic perspective, the assessment of sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) is important as a parameter of sperm quality.

Clinical management of nonobstructive azoospermia: An update.

Approximately 1% of the general male population has azoospermia, and nonobstructive azoospermia accounts for the majority of cases. The causes vary widely, including chromosomal and genetic abnormalities, varicocele, drug-induced causes, and gonadotropin deficiency; however, the cause is often unknown. In azoospermia caused by hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, gonadotropin replacement therapy can be expected to produce sperm in the ejaculate.

Effect of a web-based fertility preservation training program for medical professionals in Japan.

Background: Our web-based training program called "Educating Medical Professionals about Reproductive Issues in Cancer Healthcare" aims to help healthcare professionals communicate promptly with patients and survivors who are adolescents and young adults, with information pertinent to reproductive health issues such as the risk of infertility and fertility preservation.

Methods: The study participants were professional healthcare providers, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, genetic counselors, and dieticians. Pre- and post- and 3-month follow-up tests consisting of 41 questions were administered to measure changes in knowledge and confidence.

Long-Term Fertility Function Sequelae in Young Male Cancer Survivors.

With advances in cancer treatment, such as cytotoxic chemotherapy and radiotherapy, grave new sequelae of treatment have emerged for young cancer survivors. One sequela that cannot be overlooked is male infertility, with reportedly 15% to 30% of cancer survivors losing their fertility potential. Cytotoxic therapy influences spermatogenesis at least temporarily, and in some cases, permanently.

[INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR INFERTILITY TREATMENT SINCE APRIL 2022: HOW MALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT HAS CHANGED IN INSURANCE MEDICAL INSTITUTION -FROM THE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR JAPAN SOCIETY FOR REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE MALE INFERTILITY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG)].

(Introduction) Beginning in April of 2022, infertility services-including assisted reproductive technologies and examinations and treatments for male infertility-were covered by health insurance in Japan. Although these changes are expected to bolster birth rates in Japan, increased numbers of patients and surgeries are anticipated, particularly following reductions in patient visits caused by COVID-19. (Materials and methods) We surveyed 13 members of the Male Infertility Special Interest Group of the Japanese Society for Reproductive Medicine using Microsoft Forms.

Microsurgical varicocelectomy for intratesticular varicocele with a history of orchiopexy for undescended testis.

Introduction: We report a case series of six patients with a chief complaint of infertility who underwent microsurgical varicocelectomy for intratesticular varicocele (ITV) after undergoing orchiopexy for undescended testis in their childhood.

Case Presentation: The patients' median age was 34 years. The median age at which orchiopexy was performed was 4.

Fertility and sexual dysfunction in young male cancer survivors.

Background: Newly emerging serious post-treatment complications among young male cancer survivors involve fertility and sexual function, preventing them from pursuing a normal family life.

Methods: We studied and summarized published studies that assess the relationship between cancer treatments and reduced spermatogenesis or sexual dysfunction.

Main Findings: Infertility often occurs because of anticancer therapies that impair spermatogenesis.

Consensus and Diversity in the Management of Varicocele for Male Infertility: Results of a Global Practice Survey and Comparison with Guidelines and Recommendations.

Purpose: Varicocele is a common problem among infertile men. Varicocele repair (VR) is frequently performed to improve semen parameters and the chances of pregnancy. However, there is a lack of consensus about the diagnosis, indications for VR and its outcomes.

Summary of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Penile Cancer 2021 by the Japanese Urological Association.

Penile cancer is a rare cancer for which no medical guidelines have been established before in Japan. These guidelines aim to standardize, as much as possible, the therapeutic modality for penile cancer, for which empirical evidence is limited on a global scale, thereby bolstering therapeutic outcomes for patients with penile cancer. The new guidelines conform to the Minds Guide for Developing Clinical Practice Guidelines (2017) as much as possible.

A practical survey of fertility-preservation treatments in the startup phase in Japan.

Aim: The actual status of fertility preservation treatments in the startup phase in Japan was investigated as a basis for discussing future directions.

Methods: This study was conducted as "Research project to promote support of children and parenting 2016" which was supported by Ministry of Health in Japan with the approval of the institutional review board at St. Marianna University.