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Stainless steel (SS) is a well-known material for the internal parts of nuclear power plants. It is known that these alloys exhibit radiation-induced segregation (RIS) at point defect sinks at moderate temperature, while in service. The RIS behavior of SS can be a potential problem by increasing the susceptibility to irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking. In this work, the RIS behavior of solute atoms at sinks in SS 316 irradiated with Fe4+ ions were characterized by atom probe tomography (APT). There were torus-shaped defects along with a depletion of Cr and enrichment of Ni and Si. These clusters are believed to be dislocation loops resulting from irradiation. The segregation of solutes was also observed for various defect shapes. These observations are consistent with other APT results from the literature. The composition of the clusters was analyzed quantitatively almost at the atomic scale. Despite the limitations of the experiments, the APT analysis was well suited for discovering the structure of irradiation defects and performing a quantitative analysis of RIS in irradiated specimens.

Background: Folate, a water-soluble B vitamin and one of the major micronutrients in vegetables, is known as an essential factor for the de novo biosynthesis of purines and thymidylate, and it plays an important role in DNA synthesis and replication. Thus, folate deficiency results in ineffective DNA synthesis, and has been shown to induce the initiation and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Recently, the incidence of CRC in Korea has increased markedly in both men and women; this trend may be related to the adoption of a more 'westernized' lifestyle, including dietary habits. Objective: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted to examine the relationship between folate intake and the risk of CRC within a Korean population. Methods: A total of 596 cases and 509 controls, aged 30-79 years, were recruited from two university hospitals. Site- and sex-specific odds ratios (ORs) were estimated using logistic regression models. Results: Cases were more frequently found to have a family history of CRC among first-degree relatives, to consume more alcohol, to be more likely current smokers and less likely to participate in vigorous physical activity than the controls. In the overall data for men and women combined, multivariate ORs (95% confidence interval (CI), P for trend) comparing the highest vs the lowest quartile of dietary folate intake were: 0.47 (0.32-0.69, Conclusion: We found a statistically significant relationship between higher dietary folate intake and reduced risk of CRC, colon cancer and rectal cancer in women. A significant association is indicated between higher total folate intake and reduced risk of rectal cancer in women. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.37; published online 24 June 2009 Keywords: colorectal cancer; colon; diet; folate; rectum, Introduction Cancer has been the leading cause of death in Korea since 1983, followed by cerebrovascular and heart diseases (National Bureau of Statistics, 2006). Between 1983 and 2005, the mortality [...]