The excess mortality during the 2006 heat wave, which was markedly lower than that predicted by the model, may be interpreted as a decrease in the population's vulnerability to heat, together with, since 2003, increased awareness of the risk related to extreme temperatures, preventive measures and the set-up of the warning system.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are possible contaminants in some former industrial sites, representing a potential risk to human health if these sites are converted to residential areas. This work was conducted to determine whether PAHs present in contaminated soils are transferred to edible parts of selected vegetables. Soils were sampled from a former gasworks and a private garden, exhibiting a range of PAH concentrations (4 to 53 to 172 to 1263 and 2526 mg PAHs kg-1 of dry soil), and pot experiments were conducted in a greenhouse with lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. Reine de Mai), potato (Solanum tuberosum L. var. Belle de Fontenay), and carrot (Daucus carota L. var. Nantaise). At harvest, above- and below ground biomass were determined and the PAH concentrations in soil were measured. In parallel, plates were placed in the greenhouse to estimate the average PAH-dust deposition. Results showed that the presence of PAHs in soils had no detrimental effect on plant growth. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were detected in all plants grown in contaminated soils. However, their concentration was low compared with the initial soil concentration, and the bioconcentration factors were low (i.e., ranging from 13.4 x 10(-4) in potato and carrot pulp to 2 x 10(-2) in potato and carrot leaves). Except in peeled potatoes, the PAH concentration in vegetables increased with the PAH concentration in soils. The PAH distribution profiles in plant tissues and in soils suggested that root uptake was the main pathway for high molecular weight PAHs. On the opposite, lower molecular weight PAHs were probably taken up from the atmosphere through the leaves as well as by roots.

In 2003, a Heat Health Watch Warning System was developed in France to anticipate heat waves that may result in a large excess of mortality. The system was developed on the basis of a retrospective analysis of mortality and meteorological data in fourteen pilot cities. Several meteorological indicators were tested in relation to levels of excess mortality. Computations of sensibility and specificity were used to choose the meteorological indicators and the cut-offs. An indicator that mixes minimum and maximum temperatures was chosen. The cut-offs were set in order to anticipate events resulting in an excess mortality above 100% in the smallest cities and above 50% in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and Lille. The system was extended nationwide using the 98th percentile of the distribution of minimum and maximum temperatures. A national action plan was set up, using this watch warning system. It was activated on 1st June 2004 on a national scale. The system implies a close cooperation between the French Weather Bureau (Météo France), the National Institute of Health Surveillance (InVS) and the Ministry of Health. The system is supported by a panel of preventive actions, to prevent the sanitary impact of heat waves.

Exposure biomarkers, which have long been restricted to the framework of occupational hygiene, currently arouse increasing interest in the field of environmental pollution. To assess their validity, we propose here a conceptual framework that is based on their intrinsic characteristics and on properties related to the procedures for their analysis. The most important criteria are specificity for the toxic substance under consideration and sensitivity, that is, the ability to distinguish contrasted levels of exposure. Their analytic sensitivity and specificity are also important. Fulfilling these criteria is especially important in the context of environmental pollution, because the levels of exposure, and thus the contrasts, are low. This framework is used to assess the validity of some biomarkers for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (1-hydroxypyrene and DNA adducts) and for benzene (urinary and serum benzene, trans,trans muconic acid, and S-phenylmercapturic acid). This evaluation shows that the most relevant biomarkers for estimating individual exposure to environmental pollution are 1-hydroxypyrene for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and urinary benzene and S-phenylmercapturic for benzene.

VThe objective of this study was to update the 2002 data on medical exposure of the French population to ionizing radiation. It is based on 2007 data and only includes exposures from diagnostic procedures: conventional radiology, computed tomography, nuclear medicine, and diagnostic interventional radiology. Relevant data concerning the nature and frequencies of the examinations were obtained from two main sources: the national health insurance data for private practice and representative surveys in public hospitals for public practice. An ''average'' effective dose was assessed for each type of examination using principally dosimetric data collected to update the French diagnostic reference levels and professional guidance. The results showed that 74.6 million examinations were performed in 2007, leading to an average effective dose per inhabitant equal to 1.3 mSv per year. Conventional radiology and CT represented 63% and 10.1% of the examinations and 26.1% and 58.0% of the effective dose, respectively. The annual number of examinations per inhabitant was constant between 2002 and 2007 (about 1.2 examinations). However, the corresponding average effective dose per inhabitant increased by 57%, from 0.83 to 1.3 mSv per year. This increased dose was due mostly to a growing number of CT and nuclear medicine examinations. As recommended by the European Commission, studies should be conducted every 5 y to survey the evolution of medical exposure of the French population. Furthermore, specific studies should be conducted to evaluate whether this estimated increase in dose delivered for diagnostics is related to an increase in the medical benefit. Health Phys. 102(6):670Y679; 2012