Background and AimThe aim of this study was to elucidate the risk of subsequent biliary malignancy in patients undergoing cyst excision for congenital choledochal cysts.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 94 patients who had undergone cyst excision for congenital choledochal cysts was conducted. The median age at the time of cyst excision and median follow-up time after cyst excision were 7 years and 181 months, respectively.ResultsBiliary tract cancer developed in four patients at 13, 15, 23, and 32 years after cyst excision. The cumulative incidences of biliary tract cancer at 15, 20, and 25 years after cyst excision were 1.6%, 3.9%, and 11.3%, respectively. The sites of biliary tract cancer were the intrahepatic (n = 2), hilar (n = 1), and intrapancreatic (n = 1) bile ducts. Of the four patients with biliary tract cancer after cyst excision, three patients underwent surgical resection and one patient received chemo-radiotherapy. The overall cumulative survival rates after treatment in the four patients with biliary tract cancer were 50% at 2 years and 25% at 3 years, with a median survival time of 15 months.ConclusionsThe risk of subsequent biliary malignancy in patients undergoing cyst excision for congenital choledochal cysts seems to be relatively high in the long-term. The risk of biliary malignancy in the remnant bile duct increases more than 15 years after cyst excision. Despite an aggressive treatment approach for this condition, subsequent biliary malignancy following cyst excision for congenital choledochal cysts shows an unfavorable outcome.

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A preliminary study of the corrosion films of stainless steel SUS304 was carried out by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy for supercritical water having no oxidant or reactant. The corrosion films produced by the supercritical water at 450°C and 50 MPa were compared with those by anodic polarization in H 2 SO 4 aqueous solution. The chemical states in the films were determined by factor analysis of Fe, Cr, and Ni 2p X-ray photoelectron spectra. Factor analysis of the passivated SUS304 surface was successfully carried out using four reference spectra, Fe metal, Fe 3 O 4 , Fe 2 O 3 , and FeOOH, with careful treatment excluding wüstite Fe 1−x O phase from the standpoint of thermochemistry. In the surface treated by supercritical water, the ratio of iron and nickel increased even when compared to the bulk composition of SUS304 and the major component of nickel was attributed to NiFe 2 O 4 . In contrast, the content of chromium decreased remarkably. This was explained by effective removal of CrO 4 2− and its protonated form, HCrO 4 − , which are predicted in the Pourbaix diagram prepared for chromium in supercritical water ͑450°C and 50 MPa͒.Supercritical water ͑Ͼ647 K and Ͼ22.1 MPa͒ for decomposing nonflammable organic materials present in low-level radioactive waste has been extensively studied. 1-4 Although materials highly resistive to supercritical water are desirable, corrosion effect of the supercritical water is not well understood. In view of the practical use, stainless steels are preferable. However, it has been questioned whether stainless steels are tough to high temperatures of the supercritical water and corrosive species in it. An example of the corrosive condition is hydrogen peroxide in 2% H 2 SO 4 + 2% H 2 O 2 at 400°C and 28.5 MPa, which is used to oxidize cation-exchange resin.This preliminary study of the corrosion films of stainless steel SUS304 was done by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy ͑XPS͒ for supercritical water having no oxidant or reductant. The corrosion films by the supercritical water at 450°C and 50 MPa were compared with those by anodic polarization in H 2 SO 4 aqueous solution. The chemical states in the films were determined by factor analysis of Fe, Cr, and Ni 2p XPS spectra. The results were discussed with Pourbaix diagrams. ExperimentalPreparation of SUS304 specimens for treatment with supercritical water.-Specimens with dimensions of 10 ϫ 5 ϫ 1 mm were used. In order to investigate the passivation layer formed in each treatment, after the rolling plane of the samples was finished with no. 8000 emery paper, they were washed twice with ethanol in an ultrasonic cleaner. Each sample was then weighed and loaded into a supercritical batch-wise reactor made of hastelloy C-22, whose nominal inside volume was 10.8 cm 3 , 1,2 with 3 mL of water. In order to control the temperature of the reactor, five cartridge heaters were attached to the reactor vessel and a thermocouple was used to measure the temperature inside the reactor. The reaction was carried out at a temperature and pressure ...

Abstract:The present study was undertaken to examine whether NKH477, a novel and potent water-soluble forskolin derivative, stimulates adenylyl cyclase and regulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and TrkB expression in the rat brain. Administration of NKH477 at a dose of 1 .O mg/kg, but not 0.1 mg/kg, increased levels of cyclic AMP (CAMP) in a time-dependent manner in frontal cortex and hippocampus. Repeated administration of NKH477 (1.0 mg/kg) for 7 or 14 days also increased levels of cAMP in these two brain regions, indicating that the response does not desensitize with chronic treatment. In addition, administration of NKH477 at the 1 mg/kg dose increased the expression of BDNF and TrkB mRNA in frontal cortex and hippocampus. This effect was observed after single, as well as repeated (7 or 14 days), administration of NKH477. These results demonstrate that NKH477 administration rapidly increases cAMP levels in brain and provides evidence that stimulation of this second messenger system increases the expression of BDNF and TrkB mRNA. Key Words: Adenylyl cyclase-Brain-derived neurotrophic factor-Cyclic AM P-Forskolin-N KH477-TrkB.J. Neurochem. 72,2198-2205 (1 999).