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Colonic diverticular bleeding often recurs and requires hospital readmission. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the rate of readmission and the number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding. We retrospectively studied 98 patients first admitted between January 2008 and July 2017 for the treatment of colonic diverticular bleeding. We investigated the subsequent number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding and classified the patients into 3 groups:those admitted for the first time (first group), those admitted for the second time (second group), and those admitted for the third time or later (third group). Generally, the readmission rate increased as the number of hospitalizations increased (P0.01). The 1-year readmission rates were 11.6%, 23.2%, and 34.2% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. The 2-year readmission rates were 15.1%, 50.1%, and 62.4% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. The 3-year readmission rates were 21.7%, 50.1%, and 74.9% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. Thus, the number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding could be a predictive factor for readmission. We also classified the patients into 2 additional groups:those who had been readmitted (readmission group) and those who had not (no readmission group). Furthermore, we examined background and therapeutic factors, and found hypovolemic shock on admission to be an independent risk factor (odds ratio 14.1). Preventive treatments for such high-risk patients should be considered.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease. It is characterized by the accumulation of triglyceride within hepatocytes. Taurine is a sulfur-containing-β-amino acid that is widely distributed in mammalian tissues. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of taurine on the development of hepatic steatosis in a model of NAFLD in vivo and in vitro. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) supplemented with 2% (w/v) or 5% (w/v) taurine for 12 weeks. An in vitro study was performed in HepG2 cells loaded with fatty acids. Twelve weeks of supplementation with an HFD increased the hepatic lipid levels and oxidative stress as well as the body weight and liver weight. Taurine significantly suppressed these changes, which was accompanied by a decrease in the hepatic level of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS). In addition, taurine treatment suppressed the HFD-induced reduction of the enzyme activity of hepatic superoxide dismutase and catalase and the reduction of the hepatic level of reduced glutathione and ATP. In HepG2 cells, taurine suppressed the fatty acid-induced lipid accumulation, production of reactive oxygen species and TBARS level, and amelioration of the fatty acid-induced disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential. These results showed that taurine was effective in alleviating hepatic steatosis by reducing oxidative stress. Taurine may, therefore, be of therapeutic value in reducing the risks associated with NAFLD.

A multifunctional calcium-binding protein, centrin-1, is specifically expressed in male germ cells, certain neurons and ciliated cells. We identified centrin-1 as a protein interacting with SUMO-2/3 using yeast two-hybrid screening of a mouse testicular cDNA library. In bead halo assays, the interaction between centrin-1 and SUMO-2/3 was reduced in the presence of EGTA and facilitated by the addition of CaCl2. immunostaining of seminiferous tubules in 35-day-old mouse testes revealed that cells in the layer containing spermatogonia showed colocalization of SUMO-2/3 with centrin-1 in cytoplasmic spots. Identification of centrin-1 as the EGTA-sensitive SUMO-2/3-interacting protein indicates the possible role of calcium in modulating the centrin-1–SUMO-2/3 interaction and suggests the importance of this interaction in mouse testis. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.