Is exposure to ionising radiation associated with childhood cardiac arrhythmia in the Russian territories contaminated by the Chernobyl fallout? A cross-sectional population-based study

International audienceObjective To investigate childhood cardiac arrhythmia and chronic exposure to caesium-137 (137 Cs) resulting from the Chernobyl accident.Design Prospective cross-sectional study using exposed/unexposed design conducted in the Bryansk region from May 2009 to May 2013 on children selected on the basis of 137 Cs soil deposition Control territories ([ 137 Cs]555 kBq per square metre, where children were considered as exposed). Setting Russian territories affected by the Chernobyl fallout (Bryansk region). Participants This cross-sectional study included 18 152 children aged 2-18 years and living in the Bryansk region (Russia). Main outcome measures All children received three medical examinations (ECG, echocardiography and 137 Cs whole-body activity measurement) and some of them were given with a 24-hour Holter monitoring and blood tests.Results Cardiac arrhythmia was diagnosed in 1172 children living in contaminated territories and 1354 children living in control territories. The crude prevalence estimated to 13.3% in contaminated territories was significantly lower than in control territories with 15.2% over the period 2009-2013 (P<0.001). Considering 137 Cs whole-body burden as exposure, cardiac arrhythmia was found in 449 contaminated children and 2077 uncontaminated children, corresponding to an estimated crude prevalence of 14.5% and 14.2%, respectively, which does not differ significantly (P=0.74). Also, we investigated the association between territory, exposure to 137 Cs and cardiac arrhythmia The adjusted OR was not significant (0.90 with 95% CI 0.81 to 1.00; P=0.06) for the territory. For 137 Cs whole-body burden, the ORs close to 1 did not reach statistical significance (P for trend=0.97).Conclusion This study does not observe an association between cardiac arrhythmia and 137 Cs deposition levels in the Bryansk region exposed to Chernobyl fallout. The suspected increase of cardiac arrhythmia in children exposed to Chernobyl fallout is not confirmed

Bilan de la surveillance épidémiologique des travailleurs du cycle électronucléaire en France

International audienceNowadays, protection standards against ionizing radiation health effects are mainly derived from the results of the epidemiological study of atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, who were exposed externally to radiation, at high dose rate. However, exposure to ionizing radiation in the general population and in workers generally occurs as a cumulation of low doses over years (therefore, at low dose rates), and as a result of external, but also internal, exposure. Epidemiological studies in radiation workers allow studying the long-term health effects of such exposures, and are precious to assess the adequacy of current radiation protection standards against cancer. In addition, they also allow for the study of new priority research questions in radiation protection, such as potential non-cancer effects of low dose radiation. Finally, they also provide a general picture of health in populations of radiation workers, which is useful for occupational and public health expertise. This article provides an overview of epidemiological research conducted in workers of the nuclear cycle by the French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), and discusses perspectives for its future developments. © EDP Sciences 2018À ce jour, les normes internationales de radioprotection sont essentiellement basées sur les connaissances des effets sanitaires des rayonnements ionisants issues des études de cohortes de survivants des bombardements atomiques d’Hiroshima et de Nagasaki, qui ont subi des irradiations par voie externe à forts débits de doses. Or, les expositions aux rayonnements ionisants survenant en population générale et chez certains travailleurs correspondent généralement à de faibles doses, cumulées de manière prolongée dans le temps. Ces expositions peuvent avoir lieu par irradiation externe mais aussi par contamination interne. Les études épidémiologiques chez les travailleurs du nucléaire permettent notamment de mieux caractériser les effets de ces conditions d’expositions. Elles permettent ainsi d’évaluer l’adéquation des normes de radioprotection pour protéger les travailleurs, mais également la population générale adulte, contre les risques de cancer. Par ailleurs, elles permettent d’aborder de nouveaux questionnements de recherche en radioprotection, comme les potentiels effets non cancéreux. Enfin, ces études fournissent un bilan de santé général des populations de travailleurs du nucléaire. Cet article propose une vue d’ensemble des recherches épidémiologiques menées par l’Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN) chez les travailleurs du cycle électronucléaire en France. Il dresse également quelques perspectives de développements possibles de ces recherches

Are dietary reports in a case-control study on thyroid cancer biased by risk perception of Chernobyl fallout?

Background: In retrospective case-control studies performed following nuclear tests or nuclear accidents, individual thyroid radiation dose reconstructions are based on fallout and meteorological data from the residential area, demographic characteristics, and lifestyle as well as dietary information. Collecting the latter is a controversial step, as dietary declarations may be affected by the subjects' beliefs about their risk behavior. This report analyses the potential for such bias in a case-control study performed in eastern France.Methods: The study included 765 cases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma matched with 831 controls. Risk perceptions and beliefs of cases and controls were compared using Chi2 tests and differences in dietary reports were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA.Results: In general, atmospheric pollution and living near a nuclear power plant were the two major risks that may influence thyroid cancer occurrence cited by cases and controls. When focusing in particular on the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, cases were more likely to think that the consequences were responsible for thyroid cancer occurrence than controls. Vegetable consumption during the two months after the Chernobyl accident was correlated with the status of subjects, but not to their beliefs. Conversely, consumption of fresh dairy products was not correlated with the status or beliefs of subjects.Conclusion: We found no evidence of systematic bias in dietary reports according to the status or beliefs held by subjects about the link between thyroid cancer occurrence and Chernobyl fallout. As such, these dietary reports may be used in further studies involving individual dosimetric reconstructions

Digitalizzazione e intelligenza del falso epigrafico. Il caso di un titulus atestino

This essay focuses upon a fragmentary Latin inscription found in Monselice in 1837. Giuseppe first Furlanetto published it in 1847. In 1872, Theodor Mommsen published it as CIL V 2484. However, among Furlanetto’s work materials there is a manuscript note that relates to the same inscription, but shows an intact epigraphic text. Maria Silvia Bassignano published it in 1997, maintaining that the inscription was a forgery. The digitization of the note in EDF, a re-examination of all extant documentation, the books of Livy, and a new analysis of the original inscription, now in Brescia, allow a reassessment of the whole matter, and prompt some methodological and epistemological remarks on the notion of epigraphic forgery.This essay focuses upon a fragmentary Latin inscription found in Monselice in 1837. Giuseppe first Furlanetto published it in 1847. In 1872, Theodor Mommsen published it as CIL V 2484. However, among Furlanetto’s work materials there is a manuscript note that relates to the same inscription, but shows an intact epigraphic text. Maria Silvia Bassignano published it in 1997, maintaining that the inscription was a forgery. The digitization of the note in EDF, a re-examination of all extant documentation, the books of Livy, and a new analysis of the original inscription, now in Brescia, allow a reassessment of the whole matter, and prompt some methodological and epistemological remarks on the notion of epigraphic forgery

Int J Hyg Environ Health

BACKGROUND: Recent and comprehensive estimates for the number of new cancer cases in France attributable to occupational exposures are lacking. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the number of new cancer cases attributable to occupational exposures, using a newly developed methodology and the most recent data, for a comprehensive set of occupational carcinogens in France in 2015. METHODS: Surveys among employees, the national labor force data, a cohort of agricultural workers, national monitoring of workers exposed to ionizing radiation and job-exposure matrix in France were used. The number and proportion of new cancer cases attributable to established occupational carcinogens (Group 1) was estimated using estimation of lifetime exposure and risk estimates from cohort studies. Cancer data were obtained from the French Cancer Registries Network. RESULTS: In France in 2015, an estimated 7905 new cancer cases, 7336 among men and 569 among women, were attributable to occupational exposures, representing 2.3% of all new cancer cases (3.9% and 0.4% among men and women respectively). Among men and women, lung cancer was impacted the most, followed by mesothelioma and bladder cancer in men, and by mesothelioma and ovary in women. These cancers contributed to 89% of the total cancers attributable to occupational carcinogens in men, and to 80% in women. The main contributing occupational agent was asbestos among men (45%) and women (60%). CONCLUSIONS: Currently, occupational exposures contribute to a substantial burden of cancer in France. Enhanced monitoring and implementation of protective labor policies could potentially prevent a large proportion of these cancers