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Une solution efficace à la malnutrition en Afrique sub-saharienne est la promotion et la consommation de plus en plus accrue du poisson. Cet aliment très riche est une denrée très hautement périssable, que le pécheur local perd si aucune mesure de transformation n’est entreprise. Une bibliographie assez rare et ancienne montre que 21 espèces de poisson péchées dans les régions septentrionales du Cameroun subissent une transformation artisanale dans le but de prolonger la durée de conservation et d’en préserver la qualité et le potentiel alimentaire. Malheureusement, malgré ces démarches, de nombreux facteurs de pertes comme les insectes ravageurs, les acariens et les champignons, agents de pourriture, causent d‘importantes pertes au poisson sec au cours du stockage. Le poisson sec est issu d’un processus artisanal de séchage et ou de fumage. Pour limiter ces pertes, le poisson au cours de la transformation et pendant le stockage est traité par des formulations chimiques issues de 22 matières actives dont certaines sont extrêmement dangereuses. Une solution alternative à ces pesticides dangereux est d’inclure dans les ingrédients de traitement du poisson, des plantes à épices dont 14 localement disponibles ont des vertus insecticides, fongicides ou acaricides avérées. En vue du développement des outils de protection des stocks de poissons secs en limitant l’intoxication du consommateur et la pollution environnementale, il y a urgence que des études plus fines soient menées dans le but de développer des procédés de transformation économes en énergie, qui en intègrent des insecticides naturels comme alternative limitant les contaminations naturelles ou industrielles et fournissant un aliment sain et sûr. Mots clés: Poisson sec, facteurs de pertes, pesticides, stockage, alternatives

Objective: To assess the maternal and fetal benefits of delaying oxytocin perfusion by 24 h following labor induction by amniotomy after 41 weeks of gestation (WG)., Methods: We performed a retrospective review including all women with a vertex presentation fetus who had an indication for labor induction by amniotomy with or without oxytocin after 41 WG between 2015 and 2022. Patients who underwent an IOL by amniotomy followed by oxytocin perfusion within 0 to 4 hours (early oxytocin group: EO group) were compared with patients who underwent an IOL by amniotomy alone or followed by an oxytocin perfusion after an expectant period for up to 24 hours in the absence of a spontaneous onset of labor (delayed oxytocin group: DO group). The primary outcome was the rate of vaginal delivery (natural or operative). The secondary outcomes were maternal and neonatal complications., Results: We included 363 patients: 103 patients in the EO group and 260 in the DO group. Only 47 of the women in the DO group (18 %) required oxytocin. The proportion of vaginal deliveries was significantly higher in the DO group (248 patients, 95.4 %) than in the EO group (85 patients, 82.55 %) (p<0.01). Maternal morbidity did not differ significantly between groups. Fewer babies displayed severe newborn acidemia or required transfer to the neonatal intensive care unit in the DO group (p<0.05)., Conclusion: Delaying oxytocin administration by 24 hours after amniotomy was associated with a significantly higher rate of vaginal delivery. These results required confirmation in prospective randomized studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Background: Organic solvents are used in formulating an extensive range of products for professional use. Animal and human studies suggest that in utero solvent exposure may affect neurodevelopment. Our objective was to assess the association between occupational exposure to solvents during pregnancy and child behavior aged 2-12 years., Methods: The French mother-child cohort PELAGIE (2002-2006) included 3,421 women recruited in early pregnancy. Occupational exposure to solvents was self-reported. For 459 children, parents used a questionnaire derived from the Child Behavior Checklist and the Preschool Social Behavior Questionnaire to assess their child's behavior, at age 2, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at ages 6 and 12. A cross-lagged structural equation modeling approach was used to assess direct and indirect associations between exposure and child behavior., Results: At age 2, an increased externalizing behavior score was suggested with prenatal exposure to solvents (mean change in standardized score (95%CI): 0.28 (-0.01, 0.57) for occasional exposure and 0.23 (-0.05, 0.51) for regular exposure). At ages 6 and 12, distinct sex-specific patterns were observed: among boys, no association with externalizing behavior was observed, while among girls, an association was seen for both occasional and regular exposure (total effect at age 12: 0.45 (0.06,0.83) and 0.40 (0.03, 0.76), respectively). For both sexes, occasional exposure may be associated with internalizing behavior at ages 6 and 12 (total effect at age 6: 0.37 (0.06, 0.68) and at age 12: 0.27 (-0.08, 0.62))., Conclusions: Occupational exposure to solvents during pregnancy may impact child behavior through either direct or cumulative effects during childhood; these associations may persist until early adolescence, especially among girls., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The largest case-control study (Interphone study) investigating glioma risk related to mobile phone use showed a J-shaped relationship with reduced relative risks for moderate use and a 40% increased relative risk among the 10% heaviest regular mobile phone users, using a categorical risk model based on deciles of lifetime duration of use among ever regular users., Methods: We conducted Monte Carlo simulations examining whether the reported estimates are compatible with an assumption of no effect of mobile phone use on glioma risk when the various forms of biases present in the Interphone study are accounted for. Four scenarios of sources of error in self-reported mobile phone use were considered, along with selection bias. Input parameters used for simulations were those obtained from Interphone validation studies on reporting accuracy and from using a nonresponse questionnaire., Results: We found that the scenario simultaneously modeling systematic and random reporting errors produced a J-shaped relationship perfectly compatible with the observed relationship from the main Interphone study with a simulated spurious increased relative risk among heaviest users (odds ratio = 1.91) compared with never regular users. The main determinant for producing this J shape was higher reporting error variance in cases compared with controls, as observed in the validation studies. Selection bias contributed to the reduced risks as well., Conclusions: Some uncertainty remains, but the evidence from the present simulation study shifts the overall assessment to making it less likely that heavy mobile phone use is causally related to an increased glioma risk., Competing Interests: Disclosure: M.F. was vice chairman (2012–2020) of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, an independent body setting guidelines for nonionizing radiation protection. She has served as advisor to a number of national and international public advisory and research steering groups concerning the potential health effects of exposure to nonionizing radiation, currently for the World Health Organization. M.F. is the principal investigator of the Swedish part of the COSMOS study, which has been funded by the Swedish Research Council, AFA Insurance, the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, and VINNOVA. VINNOVA received funds for this purpose from TeliaSonera AB, Ericsson AB, and Telenor Sverige AB, to cover part of the data collection (ended 2012). The provision of funds to the COSMOS study investigators via VINNOVA was governed by agreements that guarantee COSMOS’ complete scientific independence. The remaining authors declare they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) are the most frequent cancer in young men in developed countries. Parental occupational exposures during early-life periods are suspected to increase TGCT risk. The objective was to estimate the association between parental occupations at birth and adult TGCT., Methods: A case-control study was conducted, including 454 TGCT cases aged 18-45 from 20 French university hospitals, matched to 670 controls based on region and year of birth. Data collected from participants included parental jobs at birth coded according to the International Standard Classification of Occupation-1968 and the French nomenclature of activities-1999. Odds ratios (OR) for TGCT and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using conditional logistic regression, adjusting for TGCT risk factors., Results: Paternal jobs at birth as service workers (OR = 1.98, CI 1.18-3.30), protective service workers (OR = 2.40, CI 1.20-4.81), transport equipment operators (OR = 1.96, CI 1.14-3.37), specialized farmers (OR = 2.66, CI 1.03-6.90), and maternal jobs as secondary education teachers (OR = 2.27, CI 1.09-4.76) or in secondary education (OR = 2.35, CI 1.13-4.88) were significantly associated with adult TGCT. The risk of seminoma was increased for the above-mentioned paternal jobs and that of non-seminomas for public administration and defence; compulsory social security (OR = 1.99, CI 1.09-3.65); general, economic, and social administration (OR = 3.21, CI 1.23-8.39) for fathers; and secondary education teacher (OR = 4.67, CI 1.87-11.67) and secondary education (OR = 3.50, CI 1.36-9.01) for mothers., Conclusion: Some paternal jobs, such as service workers, transport equipment operators, or specialized farmers, and maternal jobs in secondary education seem to be associated with an increased risk of TGCT with specific features depending on the histological type. These data allow hypotheses to be put forward for further studies as to the involvement of occupational exposures in the risk of developing TGCT, such as exposure to pesticides, solvents, or heavy metals., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer CC declared a past co-authorship with the authors to the handling editor. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Paul, Danjou, Deygas, Guth, Coste, Lefevre, Dananché, Kromhout, Spinosi, Béranger, Pérol, Boyle, Hersant, Loup-Cabaniols, Veau, Bujan, Olsson, Schüz, Fervers and Charbotel.)

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the levels of stress among French student nurses and the influence of different personal resources on their well-being and stress levels., Background: Student nurses have to cope with strong emotional demands, leading them to experience academic stress. Recent studies have highlighted the influence of personal resources such as self-efficacy, conflict management styles and emotional intelligence on the ability to cope with stressful situations. However, the contributions of these different factors have so far been explored separately., Design: A multicenter cross-sectional survey was performed from February to April 2022. The sample consisted of 1021 first-year student nurses from different nursing schools in France (including 890 women and 113 men), aged 18-55 years., Methods: Students completed an online questionnaire containing measures of well-being, Perceived Stress Scale, Occupational Stress, Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, Emotional Intelligence and Conflict Management Styles., Results: Nearly half (40.4%) of participants reported experiencing symptoms of stress. However, they also reported a satisfactory well-being and high self-efficacy for coping with stressful situations. Multiple regression analyses revealed major contributions of self-efficacy to stress and well-being and additional mediation models showed that these contributions were partially mediated by awareness of one's own and others' emotions., Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of continuing to work on the construction of appropriate educational activities that are consistent with the technical and, above all, nontechnical skills of student nurses., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Adverse effects associated with chemical exposures during pregnancy include several developmental and reproductive disorders. However, considering the tens of thousands of chemicals present on the market, the effects of chemical mixtures on the developing fetus is still likely underestimated. In this critical review, we discuss the potential to apply innovative biomonitoring methods using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) on placenta to improve the monitoring of chemical exposure during pregnancy. The physiology of the placenta and its relevance as a matrix for monitoring chemical exposures and their effects on fetal health is first outlined. We then identify several key parameters that require further investigations before placenta can be used for large-scale monitoring in a robust manner. Most critical is the need for standardization of placental sampling. Placenta is a highly heterogeneous organ, and knowledge of the intraplacenta variability of chemical composition is required to ensure unbiased and robust interindividual comparisons. Other important variables include the time of collection, the sex of the fetus, and mode of delivery. Finally, we discuss the first applications of HRMS methods on the placenta to decipher the chemical exposome and describe how the use of placenta can complement biofluids collected on the mother or the fetus.

Background: In developed countries, about 15% of women are occupationally exposed to solvents. Associations between this maternal occupational exposure and intrauterine fetal growth are inconsistent, but almost no existing study has investigated this relation by solvent family (oxygenated, petroleum, and chlorinated), although they may affect fetal growth differently., Objectives: To investigate the relations between maternal occupational solvent exposure, by solvent family, and the risk of neonates born small for gestational age (SGA), or with low birthweight, or with small head circumference (HC)., Methods: Among the 18,040 women enrolled in the Elfe rather than included in the Elfe birth cohort, we included 13,026 women who worked during pregnancy (72% of the cohort). Information about maternal occupations and industrial activities during pregnancy was collected by questionnaire at the maternity ward, and completed at 2-month when necessary. Using Matgéné job-exposure matrices, we assessed maternal occupational exposure to solvents. Logistic and multiple linear regressions were used to assess the association between maternal occupational solvent exposure and SGA status, birth weight, and HC. Analyses were conducted for exposure during pregnancy and also stratified by the trimester that pregnancy leave began., Results: We observed a higher risk of SGA newborns among mothers occupationally exposed during pregnancy to petroleum solvents (OR adjusted  = 1.26; 95%CI: 1.01 to 1.57). Among women working until the third trimester of pregnancy, we observed a higher risk of SGA newborns to those occupationally exposed to oxygenated solvents (OR adjusted  = 1.75; 95%CI: 1.11 to 2.75), a significantly lower birthweight for infants of mothers exposed to petroleum solvents (β adjusted  = -47.37 g; -89.33 to -5.42), and a lower HC among newborns of those occupationally exposed to oxygenated solvents (β adjusted  = -0.28; -0.49 to -0.07) and to chlorinated solvents (β adjusted  = -0.29; -0.53 to -0.05)., Discussion: Our results suggest that maternal occupational solvent exposure may influence fetal growth, especially exposure into the third trimester of pregnancy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective was to assess the predictive value of head-perineum distance measured at the initiation of the active second stage of labor on the mode of delivery., Material and Methods: It was a prospective cohort study in an academic Hospital of Rennes, France, from July 1, 2020 to April 4, 2021 including 286 full-term parturients who gave birth to a newborn in cephalic presentation. A double-blind ultrasound measurement of the head-perineum distance was performed during the second phase of labor within five minutes after the onset of pushing efforts. The primary outcome was the mode of delivery (spontaneous vaginal delivery versus instrumental vaginal delivery or cesarean section). We performed a multivariate analysis to determine the predictive value of the head-perineum distance by adjusting on potential confounders., Results: Overall, 199 patients delivered by spontaneous vaginal delivery, 80 by instrumental vaginal delivery, and seven by cesarean section. The head-perineum distance measured at the beginning of pushing efforts was predictive of the mode of delivery with a threshold at 44 mm (crude: sensitivity = 56.8 % and specificity = 79.3 %; adjusted: sensitivity = 79.4 % and specificity = 87.4 %). The risk of medical intervention was higher when the head-perineum distance is>44 mm with an adjusted OR of 2.78 [1.38; 5.76]., Conclusion: The head-perineum distance measured at the initiation of the active second stage of labor is predictive of the mode of delivery. Head-perineum distance below 44 mm predicts a vaginal delivery with the best diagnostic performance, and optimizes the time to start pushing efforts., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

These clinical practice guidelines from the French National College of Midwives (CNSF) are intended to define the messages and the preventive interventions to be provided to women and co-parents by the different professionals providing care to women or their children during the perinatal period. These guidelines are divided into 10 sections, corresponding to 4 themes: 1/ the adaptation of maternal behaviors (physical activity, psychoactive agents); 2/ dietary behaviors; 3/ household exposure to toxic substances (household uses, cosmetics); 4/ promotion of child health (breastfeeding, attachment and bonding, screen use, sudden unexplained infant death, and shaken baby syndrome). We suggest a ranking to prioritize the different preventive messages for each period, to take into account professionals' time constraints., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM).)

We conducted a literature review focusing on the use and health effects of cosmetics, especially among pregnant and lactating women and young children. Based on these data, we propose clinical practice guidelines for health care professionals to use for informing and advising their patients. These include the recommendations that families: (1) reduce the number and the frequency of use (grade B) and the amount applied (expert consensus) of all cosmetic products during the perinatal period and among children; (2) prefer simple, fragrance-free, and rinsable products, with short ingredient lists (expert consensus); and (3) for children, avoid industrial wipes and prefer water, with suitable soap when necessary., (© 2022 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.)

Background: Maternal blood pressure levels reflect cardiovascular adaptation to pregnancy and proper maternal-fetal exchanges through the placenta and are very sensitive to numerous environmental stressors. Maternal hypertension during pregnancy has been associated with impaired placental functions and with an increased risk for children to suffer from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases later on. Investigating changes in placental DNA methylation levels and cell-type composition in association with maternal blood pressure could help elucidate its relationships with placental and fetal development., Methods: Taking advantage of a large cohort of 666 participants, we investigated the association between epigenome-wide DNA methylation patterns in the placenta, measured using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip, placental cell-type composition, estimated in silico, and repeated measurements of maternal steady and pulsatile blood pressure indicators during pregnancy., Results: At the site-specific level, no significant association was found between maternal blood pressure and DNA methylation levels after correction for multiple testing (false discovery rate < 0.05), but 5 out of 24 previously found CpG associations were replicated (p-value < 0.05). At the regional level, our analyses highlighted 64 differentially methylated regions significantly associated with at least one blood pressure component, including 35 regions associated with mean arterial pressure levels during late pregnancy. These regions were found enriched for genes implicated in lung development and diseases. Further mediation analyses show that a significant part of the association between steady blood pressure-but not pulsatile pressure-and placental methylation can be explained by alterations in placental cell-type composition. In particular, elevated blood pressure levels are associated with a decrease in the ratio between mesenchymal stromal cells and syncytiotrophoblasts, even in the absence of preeclampsia., Conclusions: This study provides the first evidence that the association between maternal steady blood pressure during pregnancy and placental DNA methylation is both direct and partly explained by changes in cell-type composition. These results could hint at molecular mechanisms linking maternal hypertension to lung development and early origins of childhood respiratory problems and at the importance of controlling maternal blood pressure during pregnancy., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Influences of pesticide exposures on the clinical expression of children with ASD not known. The aim of this study was to analyze the associations between early residential proximity to agricultural crops, proxy of exposure to pesticides, and adaptive behaviors in children with ASD. Children with ASD were recruited within the Etude Longitudinale de l'Enfant avec Autisme (ELENA) French cohort. Adaptive behaviors were assessed with the second edition of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS-II). Baseline subscores in communication, daily living skills and socialization were considered. Residential exposure to agricultural crops was estimated by crops acreage within a 1000m radius around homes. We ran multiple linear regression models to investigate the associations between exposures to agricultural crops during the pregnancy (n = 183), the first two years of life (n = 193) and adaptive behaviors in children with ASD. The mean (SD) age of children at the inclusion in the ELENA cohort was 6.1 (3.5) years, 39% of them presented an intellectual disability (ID). The mean communication score was 73.0 (15.8). On average, the crop acreage covered 29(27)% of the acreage formed by the 1000m radius around homes. Each increase of 20% in the crop acreage was associated with a significant decrease in communication score of the VABS-II in children without ID for the pregnancy (β = -2.21, 95%CI: 4.16 to -0.27) and the first two years of life (β = -1.90, 95%CI: 3.68 to -0.11) periods. No association was found in children with ID. This study opens perspectives for future works to better understand ASD phenotypes., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Testicular germ cell tumours (TGCT) are the most frequent cancers in young men in developed countries and their incidence rate has doubled worldwide over the past 40 years. Early life exposures to pesticides are suspected to increase TGCT risk. Our research aimed at estimating adult TGCT risk associated with parental domestic use of pesticides during early periods of child development., Methods: We conducted a case-control study of 304 TGCT cases, aged 18-45 years old, recruited in 20 French university hospitals, and 274 controls frequency-matched on hospital and birth year. Participants' mothers provided information on their domestic use of pesticides from 1 year before start of pregnancy to 1 year after their son's birth, for gardening activities, treatment of indoor plants, pets, wood and mold, and pest control. Odds ratios (OR) for TGCT (overall and by histological subtype) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using conditional logistic regression., Results: Prevalence of reported domestic use of pesticides was 77.3% for insecticides, 15.9% for fungicides and 12.1% for herbicides. While no association was found for any use of insecticides (OR = 1.27, CI = 0.80-2.01) or herbicides (OR = 1.15, CI = 0.67-2.00), elevated risks of TGCT overall (OR = 1.73, CI = 1.04-2.87) and non-seminoma subtype (OR = 2.44, CI = 1.26-4.74) were observed for any use of fungicides. When specific purposes were examined, using fungicides and/or insecticides for woodwork (OR = 2.35, CI = 1.06-5.20) and using insecticides on cats and dogs (OR = 1.95, CI = 1.12-3.40) were associated with increased risk of non-seminoma subtype. We found no association for seminoma subtype., Conclusions: Although recall bias may partially explain the elevated ORs, our study provides some evidence of a positive association between domestic use of pesticides during early periods of development, particularly fungicides and risk of adult TGCT and non-seminoma. Given the common domestic use of pesticides in France, further research on TGCT risk is warranted., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Humans are exposed to various anthropogenic chemicals in daily life, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). However, there are limited data on chronic, low-level exposure to such contaminants among the general population. Here hair analysis was used to investigate the occurrence of four polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), seven polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and two bisphenols (BPs) in 204 Chinese women living in the urban areas of Baoding and Dalian and 311 pregnant French women. All the PCBs and PBDEs tested here were more frequently detected in the hair samples of the French women than in those of the Chinese women. In both cohorts, PCB 180 and BDE 47 were the dominant PCB and PBDE congener, respectively. PCB 180 was found in 82% of the French women and 44% of the Chinese women, while the corresponding values of BDE 47 were 54% and 11%, respectively. A discriminant analysis further demonstrated the difference in PCBs and PBDEs exposure profile between the two cohorts. These results demonstrate that hair analysis is sufficiently sensitive to detect exposure to these pollutants and highlight differences in exposure between populations even at environmental levels. Although BPA and BPS were found in 100% of the hair samples in both cohorts, the French women had significantly higher levels of BPA and BPS than the Chinese women. The median concentrations of BPA were one order of magnitude higher than BPS in both the Chinese (34.9 versus 2.84 pg/mg) and the French women (118 versus 8.01 pg/mg) respectively. Our results suggest that both French and Chinese populations were extensively exposed to BPA and BPS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: A growing body of evidences suggests an association between early exposure to organophosphates (OPs), organochlorines (OCs), pyrethroids or carbamates and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there are limited data about the other pesticide groups, especially in Europe., Objectives: Based on a systematic review, we aimed to assess the influence of neuro- and thyrotoxic agricultural and domestic pesticides (other than OPs, OCs, pyrethroids and carbamates) authorized in Europe on risk of ASD in children or ASD behavioral phenotypes in rodents., Methods: Pesticides were initially identified in the Hazardous Substances Data Bank. 20 currently used (10 pesticide groups) were retained based on the higher exposure potential. Epidemiological (children) and in vivo (rodents) studies were identified through PubMed, Web of Science and TOXLINE, without restriction of publication date or country (last update: November 2019). The risk of bias and level of evidence were also assessed. This systematic review is registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, registration number CRD42019145384)., Results: In total, two epidemiological and 15 in vivo studies were retained, focusing on the azole, neonicotinoid, phenylpyrazole and phosphonoglycine pesticide groups. No study was conducted in Europe. Glyphosate, imidacloprid, clothianidin, myclobutanil, acetamiprid, tebuconazole, thiabendazole and fipronil, globally reported an association with an increased risk of ASD in children and/or ASD behavioral phenotypes in rodents. In children, glyphosate and myclobutanil showed a "moderate level of evidence" in their association with ASD, whereas imidacloprid showed an "inadequate level of evidence". In rodents, clothianidin, imidacloprid and glyphosate showed a "high level of evidence" in their association with altered behavioral, learning and memory skills., Conclusion: In the framework of environmental risk factors of ASD, novel hypotheses can be formulated about early exposure to eight pesticides. Glyphosate presented the most salient level of evidence. Given their neuro- and thyrotoxic properties, additional studies are needed for the 12 other pesticides not yet studied as potential ASD risk factors according to our inclusion criteria., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare they have no actual or potential competing financial or personal interests., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: A growing body of studies now suggests that the general population is continuously and ubiquitously exposed to numerous pesticides. However, studies investigating the possible role of environmental exposure to pesticides on fetal growth have focused on a limited set of substances, despite the hundreds of modern pesticides currently available., Aim: To explore the relation between maternal hair concentrations of 64 pesticides and metabolites and their newborns' measurements at birth, with data from the ELFE French nationwide birth cohort., Methods: We measured 64 compounds (10-100% detection) in bundles of hair 9 cm long collected at birth from 311 women who gave birth in France in 2011. We assessed their associations with birth weight, length, and head circumference, adjusted for potential confounders, and used elastic net regularization to simultaneously select the strongest predictors of measurements at birth. Selected variables were multiply imputed for missing values, and unpenalized estimators were assessed by standard linear regression., Results: We observed statistically significant associations between maternal hair concentrations of seven pesticides or pesticide metabolites and birth measurements (weight: fipronil sulfone; length: TCPy, bitertanol, DEP, and isoproturon; head circumference: tebuconazole and prochloraz). Analyses restricted to boys identified 12 additional compounds: 8 independently associated with birth weight (3Me4NP, DCPMU, DMST, fipronil, mecoprop, propoxur, fenhexamid, and thiabendazole), 2 with birth length (dieldrin and β-endosulfan), and 6 with head circumference (β-endosulfan, β-HCH, fenuron, DCPMU, propoxur, and thiabendazole)., Conclusion: Our results suggest that prenatal exposure to 19 pesticides or metabolites from various chemical families may influence measurements at birth. As with any exploratory research findings, results should be interpreted cautiously, until they are replicated or verified by further epidemiological or mechanistic studies., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Prenatal occupational exposure to pesticides has been associated with male reproductive tract abnormalities. Little is known about the possible impact of non-occupational pesticide exposure on fetal and child development in the general population. Using data from a nationwide birth cohort, we aimed to assess the association between residential sources of prenatal pesticide exposure and the risks of hypospadias and cryptorchidism., Methods: Of the 9281 boys in ELFE (French Longitudinal Study of Children), the national French birth cohort, 53 were diagnosed with hypospadias and 137 with cryptorchidism. We assessed residential exposure sources from self-reported domestic use of eight types of pesticide products and French spatial land use data with acreage within a 1000 m radius around each family's home for 21 crop types. We used logistic regression modelling, adjusted for possible confounders that included estimated dietary pesticide intake. Multiple imputations were used to handle missing data., Results: An increased risk of hypospadias was associated with domestic pesticide use against fleas and ticks (OR=2.28, 95% CI 1.09 to 4.75); no associations were found between cryptorchidism and any domestic pesticide use. Slightly increased risks of cryptorchidism were observed in association with all crop acreages near homes during pregnancy, especially for orchards, and no association was observed for hypospadias., Conclusions: Our results suggest a possible increased risk of hypospadias associated with prenatal use of some domestic pesticide products, likely to contain insecticides, and of cryptorchidism with nearby orchard acreage (crops repeatedly sprayed with pesticides). This work is limited by its modest number of cases., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Pesticides have been associated with various pathologies, and there is growing evidence of pesticide presence in domestic environments. However, most available studies focused on a limited number of pesticides or households, and few have been conducted in Europe. We aimed to assess indoor pesticide contamination by screening the prevalence of 276 pesticides and ten pesticide metabolites, in French households from different agricultural and urban areas. We sampled indoor dust from 239 households in 2012, proximate to orchards (n = 69), cereals (n = 66) and vineyard (n = 68) crops, or from urban area (n = 36). we used cellulose wipes moistened with isopropanol and polypropylene dust traps to collect recent (7 and 30 days, respectively) and settled dust (> 6 months). Overall, 125 pesticides and piperonyl butoxide were detected at least once in households, mostly at low prevalence: 97 in recent dust, and 111 in settled dust. In recent dust, the most prevalent compounds were o-phenylphenol (168 households, 70%), pentachlorophenol (86, 36%), and piperonyl butoxide (82, 34%). In addition to agricultural pesticides, we found a high proportion of domestic and banned compounds in recent and settled house dust. Several pesticides were identified in house dust, from different pesticide groups and sources. Our results suggest that domestic usage and persistence of banned pesticides may contribute substantially to indoor pesticide contamination. Graphical abstract 97 pesticides detected in households' recent indoor dust.

Purpose of Review: The use of pesticides is predominant in agriculture, inducing environmental contamination, and has been extended to the domestic sphere. In France, > 500 pesticides were authorized for use in 2009; given their various toxicological properties, there are legitimate concerns about the possible consequences for child health. This review summarizes the recent French studies of good quality dealing with pesticides and child health., Recent Findings: Three cohorts (mother-child, retrospective) and two case-control studies have been conducted in the last decade. Using various instruments for exposure assessment including biomarkers, they have suggested alterations of subclinical health parameters at birth, increased risk of otitis at age 2, and increased risk of several types of childhood cancer. However, there were no adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes at 6 years of age following prenatal exposure to pesticides. Both agricultural and domestic pesticides might be involved in such adverse health outcomes. Similar studies are lacking in Europe. Studies on fungicides and child health are scarce.

Background: A growing body of evidence suggests that prenatal exposure to pesticides might impair fetal development. Nonetheless, knowledge about pesticide exposure of pregnant women, especially in Europe, is largely restricted to a limited panel of molecules., Aim: To characterize the concentration of 140 pesticides and metabolites in hair strands from women in the ELFE French nationwide birth cohort., Methods: Among cohort members who gave birth in northeastern and southwestern France in 2011, we selected those with a sufficient available mass of hair (n = 311). Bundles of hair 9 cm long were collected at delivery. We screened 111 pesticides and 29 metabolites, including 112 selected a priori based on their reported usage or detection in the French environment. The bundles of hair from 47 women were split into three segments to explore the intraindividual variability of the exposure. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were computed for the chemicals with a detection frequency >70%., Results: We detected a median of 43 chemicals per woman (IQR 38-47). Overall, 122 chemicals (>20 chemical families) were detected at least once, including 28 chemicals detected in 70-100% of hair samples. The highest median concentrations were observed for permethrin (median: 37.9 pg/mg of hair), p-nitrophenol (13.2 pg/mg), and pentachlorophenol (10.0 pg/mg). The ICCs for the 28 chemicals studied ranged from 0.59 to 0.94., Conclusion: Pregnant women are exposed to multiple pesticides simultaneously from various chemical families, including chemicals suspected to be reproductive toxicants or endocrine disruptors. The ICCs suggest that the intraindividual variability of pesticide concentrations in hair is lower than its interindividual variability., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Following publication of the original article [1], the author asked to replace Table 2 with the correct version.

Background: Numerous industries use organic solvents, and many workers from various occupational sectors are exposed to these known neurotoxicants, including pregnant women. Our objective is to explore whether occupational exposure of pregnant women to solvents may impair the neurodevelopment of their babies and consequently affect their behavior in childhood., Methods: Within the French birth cohort PELAGIE, parents assessed their children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors using items from the Child Behavior Checklist and the Preschool Social Behavior Questionnaire at age 2, and the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire at age 6. The occupational exposure to solvents of the pregnant women was self-reported prospectively at the beginning of their pregnancy (N = 715). We applied structural equation modeling to capture the longitudinal association of prenatal exposure to solvents with children's behavioral traits at 2 and 6 years., Results: Increased externalizing behavior score at age 2 was associated with prenatal exposure to solvents (standardized score: 0.34 (95% CI = 0.11, 0.57) for occasional exposure and 0.26 (0.05, 0.48) for regular exposure). This association was attenuated at age 6 (0.22 (- 0.02, 0.47) for occasional exposure and 0.07 (- 0.14, 0.28) for regular exposure). No association was observed for internalizing behavior., Conclusions: Pregnant women's occupational exposure to solvents may affect their children's behavior in early childhood. This effect may be attenuated with aging or diluted by the effects of other postnatal predictors.

Background: There are concerns that developmental exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals such as phenolic compounds and phthalates could affect child cognitive function. Epidemiological studies tackling this question have mainly focused on phthalate metabolites and bisphenol A, but not on the other phenolic compounds. Our study aimed to assess the relationship between in-utero exposure to phthalates, bisphenol A and other phenolic compounds (parabens, triclosan, dichlorophenols and benzophenone-3) and the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of boys at 5-6 years., Methods: In 452 mother-son dyads from the French EDEN cohort, we measured 11 phthalate metabolites and 9 phenolic compounds (4 parabens, benzophenone-3, bisphenol A, 2 dichlorophenols and triclosan) in spot urine samples collected between 22 and 29 gestational weeks. Verbal and performance IQ of children were assessed at 5-6 years by a psychologist using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI). We used adjusted Structural Equation Models (SEM) combined with Benjamini and Hochberg false discovery rate correction to assess the associations between maternal urine phenol and phthalate metabolite concentrations considered simultaneously and the boys' IQ., Results: No phenol or phthalate metabolite concentration was negatively associated with the boys' verbal or performance IQ (uncorrected p-values ≥0.09). Mono(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate tended to be associated with increased verbal IQ (β = 0.136, 95% confidence interval, 0.01; 0.27). This association disappeared after correction for multiple comparison (corrected p-value, 0.71)., Conclusion: Our results did not provide evidence of an inverse association between in-utero exposure to phenols or phthalates and verbal and performance IQ among boys. Since phenols and phthalates may have sex-specific effects, these null findings cannot be generalized to girls. Limitations included use of a single spot urine sample to assess exposures and lack of consideration of postnatal exposures.

Background: Glycol ethers (GE) are widely used organic solvents. Despite the potential neurotoxicity of several families of organic solvents, little is known about the impact of GE on the neurodevelopment of infants and children., Objectives: We investigated the relation between urinary concentrations of GE metabolites in pregnant women and neurocognitive abilities in their 6-year-old children in the PELAGIE mother-child cohort., Methods: Five GE metabolites were measured in first morning void urine samples of 204 French pregnant women in early pregnancy (< 19 weeks of gestation). Psychologists assessed the neurocognitive abilities of their 6-year-old children with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV (WISC) and the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (NEPSY). We analyzed the results with linear (WISC) and Poisson regression models (NEPSY), adjusted for potential confounders, including child's stimulation at home., Results: GE metabolites were detected in 90-100% of maternal urine samples. The WISC Verbal Comprehension score was significantly lower for children with the highest tertile of urinary phenoxyacetic acid (PhAA) [β (third vs. first tertile) = -6.53; 95% CI: -11.44, -1.62]. Similarly, the NEPSY Design Copying subtest score was lower in those with the highest tertile of urinary ethoxyacetic acid (EAA) [β (third vs. first tertile) = -0.11; 95% CI: -0.21, 0.00]. The other GE metabolites we studied were not significantly associated with WISC or NEPSY scores., Conclusions: Prenatal urine concentrations of two GE metabolites were associated with lower WISC Verbal Comprehension Index scores and NEPSY Design Copying subscale scores, respectively, at age 6 years. PhAA is the primary metabolite of 2-phenoxyethanol (EGPhE), which is commonly found in cosmetics, and precursors of EAA are frequently used in cleaning agents. Additional research is needed to confirm our findings and further explore potential effects of prenatal GE exposures on neurocognitive performance in children.

Objectives: A potential impact of exposure to endocrine disruptors, including pesticides, during intrauterine life, has been hypothesised in testicular germ cell tumour (TGCT) aetiology, but exposure assessment is challenging. This large-scale registry-based case-control study aimed to investigate the association between parental occupational exposure to pesticides and TGCT risk in their sons., Methods: Cases born in 1960 or onwards, aged between 14 and 49 years, and diagnosed between 1978 and 2013 in Denmark, Finland, Norway or Sweden, were identified from the respective nationwide cancer registries. Four controls per case were randomly selected from the general national populations, matched on year of birth. Information on parental occupation was collected through censuses or Pension Fund information and converted into a pesticide exposure index based on the Finnish National Job-Exposure Matrix., Results: A total of 9569 cases and 32,028 controls were included. No overall associations were found for either maternal or paternal exposures and TGCT risk in their sons, with ORs of 0.83 (95% CI 0.56 to 1.23) and of 1.03 (0.92 to 1.14), respectively. Country-specific estimates and stratification by birth cohorts revealed some heterogeneity. Cryptorchidism, hypospadias and family history of testicular cancer were risk factors but adjustment did not change the main results., Conclusions: This is the largest study on prenatal exposure to pesticides and TGCT risk, overall providing no evidence of an association. Limitations to assess individual exposure in registry-based studies might have contributed to the null result., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.)

Pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are commonly found in house dust and have been described as a valuable matrix to assess indoor pesticide and PCB contamination. The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency and precision of cellulose wipe for collecting 48 pesticides, eight PCBs, and one synergist at environmental concentrations. First, the efficiency and repeatability of wipe collection were determined for pesticide and PCB residues that were directly spiked onto three types of household floors (tile, laminate, and hardwood). Second, synthetic dust was used to assess the capacity of the wipe to collect dust. Third, we assessed the efficiency and repeatability of wipe collection of pesticides and PCB residues that was spiked onto synthetic dust and then applied to tile. In the first experiment, the overall collection efficiency was highest on tile (38%) and laminate (40%) compared to hardwood (34%), p<0.001. The second experiment confirmed that cellulose wipes can efficiently collect dust (82% collection efficiency). The third experiment showed that the overall collection efficiency was higher in the presence of dust (72% vs. 38% without dust, p<0.001). Furthermore, the mean repeatability also improved when compounds were spiked onto dust (<30% for the majority of compounds). To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the efficiency of wipes as a sampling method using a large number of compounds at environmental concentrations and synthetic dust. Cellulose wipes appear to be efficient to sample the pesticides and PCBs that adsorb onto dust on smooth and hard surfaces., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The incidence of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT), the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 45 years, has doubled over the last 30 years in developed countries. Reasons remain unclear but a role of environmental factors, especially during critical periods of development, is strongly suspected. Reliable data on environmental exposure during this critical time period are sparse. Little is known on whether it could be a combined effect of early and later-life exposures., Methods/design: Our research aims to study the association between TGCT risk and pesticide exposures (domestic, occupational and environmental) during critical time periods of development and combined early and later-life exposures. The study design, developed during a 2-year pilot study, is a multicenter case-control study of 500 cases (ascertained through histology) and 1000 fertile/fecund controls recruited through 21 French 'Centres d'Etude et de Conservation des Œufs et de Sperme humain' (CECOS). Trained professional interviewers interview the subjects and their mothers by phone. Using a geographic information system developed and tested for application in this study design, environmental pesticides exposure assessment is based on life-time residential history. Occupational pesticides exposures are assessed by an industrial hygienist based on parents' occupations and tasks. Exposures during the prenatal period, early childhood and puberty are focused. A blood sample is collected from each participant to assess genetic polymorphisms known to be associated with TGCT risk, as well as to explore gene-environment interactions., Discussion: The results of our study will contribute to better understanding the causes of TGCT and the rapid increase of its incidence. We explore the effect of combined early and later-life pesticides exposure from multiple sources, as well as potential gene-environment interactions that have until now been rarely studied for TGCT. Our design allows future pooled studies and the bio-bank allows additional genetic or toxicological analyses.

Background: Testicular cancer mainly affects White Caucasian populations, accounts for 1% of all male cancers, and is frequently the most common malignancy among young adult men. In light of the escalating rates of testicular cancer incidence in Europe, and in support of future planning to ensure optimal care of patients with what can be a curable disease, we predict the future burden in 40 European countries around 2025., Methods: Current observed trends were extrapolated with the NORDPRED model to estimate the future burden of testicular cancer in the context of changes in risk versus changes in demographics., Findings: Despite substantial heterogeneity in the rates, the vast majority of European countries will see an increasing burden over the next two decades. We estimate there will be 23,000 new cases of testicular cancer annually in Europe by 2025, a rise of 24% from 2005. Some of the most rapid increases in testicular cancer are observed in Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and Spain, and a transition is underway, whereby recent attenuations and declines in rates in certain high-risk countries in Northern Europe contrast with the increasing trends and escalating burden in Southern Europe. According to our estimates for 2025, around one in 100 men will be diagnosed with the disease annually in the highest risk countries of Europe (Croatia, Slovenia and Norway)., Interpretation: Elucidating the key determinants of testicular cancer and the equitable provision of optimal care for patients across Europe are priorities given the steady rise in the number of patients by 2025, and an absence of primary prevention opportunities., Funding: None., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) represent the most frequent cancer in men aged between 15 and 45 years. Current hypotheses are focusing on environmental exposures occurring during prenatal periods. However, very few studies have explored intra-uterine environmental exposure related to TGCT. TESTEPERA is a pilot case-control study aiming to determine the effectiveness of different recruitment approaches in the French context and to verify our ability to collect relevant data on their prenatal periods. Between 2011 and 2012, 150 male subjects were contacted in the Rhône-Alpes region (58 cases from a cancer center and 92 controls from a regional maternity). Participation rate varied from 33% for cases diagnosed in 2008 vs 68% for cases diagnosed in 2010. Participation rate of controls varied depending on modalities of contact (13% for face-to-face recruitment; 0% for contact by phone only; 50% for face-to-face contact with phone reminder). Data collection allowed precise job identification and geolocation of subjects' addresses. Precision of geolocation was dependent upon the level of urbanization (p < 0.001) but not on the time period (p = 0.52). Our results support the feasibility of a case-control study focusing on the relation between TGCT and environmental pesticide exposures during early and later life.

Background: Testicular germ cell tumours (TGCT) are the most common cancers in men aged between 15 and 44 years and the incidence has increased steeply over the past 30 years. The rapid increase in the incidence, the spatial variation and the evolution of incidence in migrants suggest that environmental risk factors play a role in TGCT aetiology. The purpose of our review is to summarise the current state of knowledge on occupational and environmental factors thought to be associated with TGCT., Methods: A systematic literature search of PubMed. All selected articles were quality appraised by two independent researchers using the 'Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale'., Results: After exclusion of duplicate reports, 72 relevant articles were selected; 65 assessed exposure in adulthood, 7 assessed parental exposures and 2 assessed both. Associations with occupation was reported for agricultural workers, construction workers, firemen, policemen, military personnel, as well as workers in paper, plastic or metal industries. Electromagnetic fields, PCBs and pesticides were also suggested. However, results were inconsistent and studies showing positive associations tended to had lower quality ranking using the assessment scale (p=0.02)., Discussion: Current evidence does not allow concluding on existence of any clear association between TGCT and adulthood occupational or environmental exposure. The limitations of the studies may partly explain the inconsistencies observed. The lack of association with adulthood exposure is in line with current hypotheses supporting the prenatal origin of TGCT. Future research should focus on prenatal or early life exposure, as well as combined effect of prenatal and later life exposure. National and international collaborative studies should allow for more adequately powered epidemiological studies. More sophisticated methods for assessing exposure as well as evaluating gene-environment interactions will be necessary to establish clear conclusion.

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a cause of infertility that affects about 1% of women under 40, and is considered as idiopathic in 75% of cases. An occupational chemical origin has been identified at least once with 2-bromopropane, but human studies are rare and experimental data are sparse. This review aims to carry out a critical synthesis of knowledge of the chemical agents likely to affect follicular stock in humans and/or animals, by direct toxicity to follicles, or by increasing their recruitments. Of 140 chemical agents (or groups) studied, 20 have been identified as potentially damaging to the ovarian reserve. For the majority of toxic agents, only experimental data are currently available. At least four of these agents are likely to lead to POF in descendents (ethylene glycol methyl ether; 2,2-bis(bromomethyl)-1,3-propanediol; benzo[a]pyrene; dimethylbenzantracene). We propose a strategy aiming to encourage progress in identifying occupational factors responsible for POF., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)