deletion results in spermatogenic impairment, sperm morphological defects, and infertility in mice.

Purpose: Spermatogenesis is a complex process orchestrated by several essential genes. (/PROM1) is a gene that is expressed in the testis but with a poorly understood role in spermatogenesis.

Methods: We used knockout ( KO) mice to assess the role of in spermatogenesis.

Balloon pulmonary angioplasty for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension concomitant with Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome.

Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome (KTWS) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by cutaneous capillary malformations, bone hypertrophy, and multiple venous or lymphatic malformations. KTWS is associated with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), presumably due to thromboembolism from multiple vascular malformations. Here, we report the first case series of patients with KTWS-CTEPH who underwent balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA).

Mucin-producing urothelial-type adenocarcinoma of the prostate diagnosed after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

Introduction: Mucin-producing adenocarcinoma of the prostate is a rare disease that includes prostate adenocarcinoma with mucus production, secondary adenocarcinoma from the bladder or colorectum, and adenocarcinoma from the urothelium of the prostatic urethra. We describe prostate-specific antigen-negative mucin-producing urothelial-type adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Case Presentation: The patient had urinary retention and a serum prostate-specific antigen level of 0.

Endoscopic laser treatment for urine leakage caused by an isolated calyx after robot-assisted partial nephrectomy.

Introduction: An isolated calyx is a rare complication in which the renal calyx and pelvis are disconnected. The treatment is often complicated.

Case Presentation: An 81-year-old man underwent robot-assisted partial nephrectomy for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (cT1bN0M0).

Non-pneumophila species pneumonia with orange-coloured sputum.

We herein report an immunocompromised patient familiar with gardening admitted to our hospital suffering from severe pneumonia caused by . We suspected non-pneumophila species pneumonia because of gardening habits, the negative urine antigen test and the non-significant Gram staining results of orange-coloured sputum. The pathogen was identified using mass spectrometry analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

Using environmental DNA analyses to assess the occurrence and abundance of the endangered amphidromous fish .

The Ryukyu ayu is an endangered amphidromous fish that inhabits rivers in the Ryukyu Archipelago (Japan). Populations of the species have declined dramatically. Consequently, the Ryukyu ayu has been registered as a natural monument in Japan and monitoring surveys with direct catching are restricted legally.