[en] This book describes and explains the effects of ionizing radiations on living organisms, from the molecular lesions to the pathological outbreaks, in order to allow their safe use in medicine, research and industry. The most important historical nuclear and radiological accidents are described with their impact on public health. (J.S.)

[en] The analysis of urine samples is widely used to assess the internal contamination of radionuclides from the amount excreted as a function of the time after intake. For contamination by actinides, these analyses are commonly performed using alpha spectrometry. However, in this case, in addition to the time required for the sample purification, a long counting time is generally necessary to reach the low detection limits required. Nowadays, in order to improve such analyses, the use of mass spectrometry techniques is being tested. The use of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) has been investigated to measure trace amounts of long-lived alpha emitters. This report aims to assess the range of applicability of SIMS (isotopic ratio measurement and detection limits) as an analytical tool for urine samples contaminated with low concentrations of uranium. (author)

[en] With the method porposed, images of distribution inside a cell of most isotopes (including stable isotopes) can be obtained easily at the microscopic level with a very high sensitivity and this method can be used for the study of the cell metabolism of many tracers. A comparison with an other microanalytical method, microautoradiography, is presented. In microautoradiography, only some radioactive element can be studied with precision. Examples of applications of ion microscopy are described: indium concentration in the kidney and in cardiac cells; thallium concentration in cardiac cells; gallium concentration in tissues

[en] Three world famous radio biologists have presented in june 2003 a communication entitled ' metrological data and risk assessment in France during the Chernobyl accident. Historical statement'. This text is published at the tome 326, fsc. 8, page 699-715 at the 'Comptes Rendus de Biologie de l'Academie'. The digest is presented here. (N.C.)

[en] The aim of this symposium was to review the radionuclide toxicity problems. Five topics were discussed: (1) natural and artificial radionuclides (origin, presence or emission in the environment, human irradiation); (2) environmental behaviour of radionuclides and transfer to man; (3) metabolism and toxicity of radionuclides (radioiodine, strontium, rare gas released from nuclear power plants, ruthenium-activation metals, rare earths, tritium, carbon 14, plutonium, americium, curium and einsteinium, neptunium, californium, uranium) cancerogenous effects of radon 222 and of its danghter products; (4) comparison of the hazards of various types of energy; (5) human epidemiology of radionuclide toxicity (bone cancer induction by radium, lung cancer induction by radon daughter products, liver cancer and leukaemia following the use of Thorotrast, thyroid cancer; other site of cancer induction by radionuclides)

[en] Images of the distribution of a given nuclide in a section of biological tissue can be obtained at the microscopic level by ''secondary-ion mass analysis.'' In this method, the images are formed by an ion-emission microscope wherein the specimen's atoms are progressively sputtered from the surface and the ions are selectively visualied by mass spectrometry according to their mass-to-charge ratios. Such images are obtained at the cost of the destruction of the specimen, which is progressively eroded at the rate of 1-10 atomic layers per second. The spatial resolution is better than 1 μm for an imaged area 250 μm in diameter and a section thickness of 1-2000 nm;thus, the analytical images are element distributions representaive of 3-6000 atomic layers. Distributional images can be obtained for many nuclides, whether stable or radioactive, natural or artifically administered

[en] In this article, the author describes the situation and evolution of training and information of medical community on ionizing radiation hazards, in France, since 1986

[en] After a brief description of the physical and chemical properties of uranium the following topics were studied: 1) metabolism of water-soluble uranium (transport and retention time of uranium in blood, renal excretion, tissue retention mainly kidneys and bone tissues); 2) uptake of soluble uranium and insoluble uranium compounds; 3) uranium chemical toxicity (acute, subacute, chronic) and radiotoxicity (bones, kidneys, lungs); 4) human exposure to natural uranium and uranium used in nuclear industry. (22 references)

[en] Analytical ion microscopy has been applied to the study of distribution of stable and radioactive iodine in the thyroid gland. Analytical images, each of them representing the distribution of one isotope of iodine, can easily be obtained in a few seconds from an Epon section with a resolution of 0.5 micron. In thyroids of normal rats, intrafollicular and intracytoplasmic stable 127I can be clearly distinguished. After thyreostimulin injection, a rapid and important redistribution of 127I is observed which reflects an intense cytoplasmic reabsorption of intrafollicular iodine. After injection of a long-lived isotope of iodine, 129I, the progressive incorporation of this isotope has been observed and the images of the natural iodine 129I have been compared to the images of 127I. An unusual iodine distribution has been observed in proliferating cells of an autonomous nodule. The very high sensitivity of this method makes possible the study of intracellular and extracellular stable iodine in the thyroid gland in a number of physiological and pathological conditions; its ability for isotopic analysis in microscopic volumes offers new possibilities for kinetic studies of iodine metabolism. However, in the present state of the art the specimen cannot be studied at the ultrastructural level as it is with other methods, and some difficulties remain in qualitative analysis such as the contamination of spectra with organic mass fragments which makes difficult the study of some elements such as sulfur. In addition, the matrix effect on ionization efficiency or on sputtering rate makes quantitative analysis difficult. In the future, image processing systems will be needed for a better quantitative interpretation

[en] In this article, the author presents 1954 Bikini atoll accident and early and delayed effects on population: non thyroid and thyroid effects (hypothyroidism, nodules) in according to age, radiation doses. In conclusion, the most of late complications are induced by iodine radioisotopes. (5 tabs)