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Abstract
This is a review of the research on the genetic effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic field (EMF), mainly on radiofrequency radiation (RFR) and static and extremely low frequency EMF (ELF-EMF). The majority of the studies are on genotoxicity (e.g., DNA damage, chromatin conformation changes, etc.) and gene expression. Genetic effects of EMF depend on various factors, including field parameters and characteristics (frequency, intensity, wave-shape), cell type, and exposure duration. The types of gene expression affected (e.g., genes involved in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and stress responses, heat-shock proteins) are consistent with the findings that EMF causes genetic damages. Many studies reported effects in cells and animals after exposure to EMF at intensities similar to those in the public and occupational environments. The mechanisms by which effects are induced by EMF are basically unknown. Involvement of free radicals is a likely possibility. EMF also interacts synergistically with different entities on genetic functions. Interactions, particularly with chemotherapeutic compounds, raise the possibility of using EMF as an adjuvant for cancer treatment to increase the efficacy and decrease side effects of traditional chemotherapeutic drugs. Other data, such as adaptive effects and mitotic spindle aberrations after EMF exposure, further support the notion that EMF causes genetic effects in living organisms.
... The fact that different combinations of exposure parameters are used makes it difficult to draw conclusions about the effects that these magnetic fields might produce in the different cell models studied [11,21,[37][38][39][40][41]; there are many publications that detect nonhomogeneity in the choice of parameters as the main reason for the non-replicability of the experiments and that claim that the results are inconclusive and incomparable among the existing publications [11,24,32,[42][43][44][45]. ...
... Extensively studied cellular processes have been cell viability and proliferation [31,[55][56][57][58], apoptosis [16,31,44,59,60], oxidative stress and mitochondria [17,18,36,44,[57][58][59][61][62][63], the cell cycle [31,56,59], cell signalling pathways such as the calcium-mediated pathway [15,30,58,64], protein alteration [57,59,63] and genetic effects [23][24][25]31,38,42,43,63], as target cellular processes both to try to apply magnetic field exposures as a possible clinical treatment in different clinical areas [37,50] including wound regeneration [45,65,66], bone repair [67][68][69][70][71], cancer [25] and ischaemic cerebral infarction [72]. ...
Since the establishment of regulations for exposure to extremely low-frequency (0–300) Hz electromagnetic fields, scientific opinion has prioritised the hypothesis that the most important parameter determining cellular behaviour has been intensity, ignoring the other exposure parameters (frequency, time, mode, waveform). This has been reflected in the methodologies of the in vitro articles published and the reviews in which they are included. A scope review was carried out, grouping a total of 79 articles that met the proposed inclusion criteria and studying the effects of the different experiments on viability, proliferation, apoptosis, oxidative stress and the cell cycle. These results have been divided and classified by frequency, intensity, exposure time and exposure mode (continuous/intermittent). The results obtained for each of the processes according to the exposure parameter used are shown graphically to highlight the importance of a good methodology in experimental development and the search for mechanisms of action that explain the experimental results, considering not only the criterion of intensity. The consequence of this is a more than necessary revision of current exposure protection regulations for the general population based on the reductionist criterion of intensity.
... Numerous in vitro, animal and human studies have been published concerning the induction of genetic damage by mobile phone specific HF-EMF. The results are controversial and depend strongly on the cell type and on the intensity and frequencies (Franzellitti et al., 2010;Lai et al., 2021;Misik et al., 2023;Tiwari et al., 2015). An important finding in the review by Lai et al. (2021) was that of 361 studies on genetic effects of RF-EMF, the majority (66%) reported positive evidence of genotoxic effects. ...
... The results are controversial and depend strongly on the cell type and on the intensity and frequencies (Franzellitti et al., 2010;Lai et al., 2021;Misik et al., 2023;Tiwari et al., 2015). An important finding in the review by Lai et al. (2021) was that of 361 studies on genetic effects of RF-EMF, the majority (66%) reported positive evidence of genotoxic effects. ...
Several human studies indicate that mobile phone specific electromagnetic fields may cause cancer in humans but the underlying molecular mechanisms are currently not known. Studies concerning chromosomal damage (which is causally related to cancer induction) are controversial and those addressing this issue in mobile phone users are based on the use of questionnaires to assess the exposure. We realized the first human intervention trial in which chromosomal damage and acute toxic effects were studied under controlled conditions. The participants were exposed via headsets at one randomly assigned side of the head to low and high doses of a UMTS signal (n = 20, to 0.1 W/kg and n = 21 to 1.6 W/kg Specific Absorption Rate) for 2 h on 5 consecutive days. Before and three weeks after the exposure, buccal cells were collected from both cheeks and micronuclei (MN, which are formed as a consequence of structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations) and other nuclear anomalies reflecting mitotic disturbance and acute cytotoxic effects were scored. We found no evidence for induction of MN and of nuclear buds which are caused by gene amplifications, but a significant increase of binucleated cells which are formed as a consequence of disturbed cell divisions, and of karyolitic cells, which are indicative for cell death. No such effects were seen in cells from the less exposed side. Our findings indicate that mobile phone specific high frequency electromagnetic fields do not cause acute chromosomal damage in oral mucosa cells under the present experimental conditions. However, we found clear evidence for disturbance of the cell cycle and cyto-toxicity. These effects may play a causal role in the induction of adverse long term health effects in humans.
... follow tagged migratory species or other wildlife. Such infrastructure is increasingly being adopted at nature and interpretive centers, as well as by government regulatory agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service where one of the authors was a long-time researcher and administrator, without an understanding of RFR as an environmental genotoxin (7,62,74) to human and nonhuman species alike. (See Discussion for additional information on such systems.) ...
... -Recycle: Air, water, and the electromagnetic spectrum are finite resources. Today's radio-tagging technology employs a known genotoxin (7,27,49,74) attached on/in sensitive nonhuman species. Every piece of radio tracking gear not used is like a plastic bag taken out of the waste stream. ...
This paper discusses the potential health risks and benefits to tagged wildlife from the use of radio tracking, radio telemetry, and related microchip and data-logger technologies used to study, monitor and track mostly wildlife in their native habitats. Domestic pets, especially canids, are briefly discussed as radio-tagging devices are also used on/in them. Radio tracking uses very high frequency (VHF), ultra-high frequency (UHF), and global positioning system (GPS) technologies, including via satellites where platform terminal transmitters (PTTs) are used, as well as geo-locating capabilities using satellites, radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips, and passive integrated responder (PIT) tags, among others. Such tracking technologies have resulted in cutting-edge findings worldwide that have served to protect and better understand the behaviors of myriad wildlife species. As a result, scientists, field researchers, technicians, fish and wildlife biologists and managers, plus wildlife and other veterinarian specialists, frequently opt for its use without fully understanding the ramifications to target species and their behaviors. These include negative physiological effects from electromagnetic fields (EMF) to which many nonhuman species are exquisitely sensitive, as well as direct placement/use-attachment impacts from radio collars, transmitters, and implants themselves. This paper provides pertinent studies, suggests best management practices, and compares technologies currently available to those considering and/or using such technologies. The primary focus is on the health and environmental risk/benefit decisions that should come into play, including ethical considerations, along with recommendations for more caution in the wildlife and veterinarian communities before such technologies are used in the first place.
... The increasing number of man-made sources of electromagnetic field (EMF) raises interest in occupational groups about its impact on human health, especially concerning the high level of exposure. While there are some beneficial and therapeutic applications of EMF, there are more and more publications devoted to the unfavourable effects of EMF exposure on humans, mostly pointing to the deterioration of their well-being, disruptions to the functions of the nervous system, or linking it to the occurrence of cancer [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. ...
... Reflecting on human biology, we need to bear in mind that the brain is essentially an electro-biochemical organ, so potentially, as EMF passes through the human body, it might be expected that the brain and neurological system will most likely be affected by EMF exposure [3,17]. Special attention is needed for cases of chronic exposure, where conclusions from research into the beneficial effects during short and controlled medical EMF treatments may not apply. ...
This work presents the current state of knowledge about the possible contributory influence of the electromagnetic field on the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis. Up-to-date literature indicates both favourable and adverse effects of electromagnetic exposure on human health, making it difficult to come to valid and unambiguous conclusions. The epidemiological data analysis from the World Health Organization statistics shows a substantial rise in neurological mortality compared with rises in total populations in developed countries over a mere 15-year period. The largest of the analysed countries produced odds ratios of >100%. The contribution of electromagnetic exposure to the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases is still undoubtedly open to discussion, and it requires further in-depth research to assess the action mechanism of electromagnetic fields in neurodegenerative diseases. The limitations of research published hitherto and the problem of drawing unequivocal conclusions are also in focus.
... The harmful effects of the electromagnetic waves (EMWs) emitted by mobile phones and base stations on humans, animals, and other living organisms have been the subject of many studies in recent years. Prolonged exposure to mobile phones that emit lowintensity radiation and generate nonionizing electromagnetic fields has effects on DNA and cells [1]. It may cause the onset of cancer in cells and tissues [2] and negatively affect sperm motility and morphology [3]. ...
... A continuous lighting program (24 h), 60 ± 70% controlled relative humidity, and ad libitum feed and water were supplied during the experiment. 1 -each 2 kg aliquot of vitamin premix contains 12,000,000 IU vitamin A, 3,500,000 IU vitamin D3, 100 g vitamin E, 3 g vitamin K 3 , 2.5 g vitamin B1, 6 g vitamin B 2 , 25 g niacin, 12 g Ca-D-pantothenate, 4 g vitamin B 6 , 15 mg vitamin B 12 , 1.5 g folic acid, 150 mg D-biotin, 100 g vitamin C, and 450 g choline chloride; 2 -each kg of mineral premix contains 100 mg manganese, 25 g iron, 65 g zinc, 15 g copper, 0.25 g cobalt, 1 g iodine, and 0.2 g selenium. ...
This study aimed to investigate the effect of in ovo injection of vitamin C to reduce the harmful effects of electromagnetic waves (EMWs) emitted from mobile phones on chicken embryos. In this study, a total of 750 fertilized eggs of Ross 308 were exposed to EMWs for 1050 min during the incubation period. On the 17th day of incubation, the eggs were divided into three groups and solutions were injected into the amnion sac of embryos. The chicks were housed separately in accordance with in ovo treatments for 5 wk after hatching. An in ovo vitamin C injection resulted in a lower hatching weight. The post-hatch mortality or production efficiency factor of birds in the in ovo vitamin C injection group and the intact egg group were comparable, and were better than that of the other negative control group. In ovo vitamin C injection in eggs subjected to EMWs significantly increased their body weight gain, carcass weight, abdominal fat weight, and AST levels, but reduced spleen weight and PON-1 levels. In conclusion, an in ovo vitamin C injection in eggs subject to mobile phone EMWs improved the post-hatch performance of chicks, but low PON and high AST activities indicate an increase in oxidative damage among broiler chicks.
... Part I gives the introduction to the research, Part II deals with the main thermal and non-thermal effects of biologic exposure to non-ionizing radiation [14][15][16][17]. The third part describes the characteristics of laboratory sources and commercial sources and their corresponding EMF emissions. ...
... Studies have shown a synergistic effect of concomitant exposure to EMF and other stimuli, as well as the fact that the immune system's response is strongly dependent on the degree of variability in EMF. Lai, 2021 [16] conducts a comprehensive analysis of studies on the genetic effects of EMF, particularly genotoxicity (DNA damage) and regulation of genes involved in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, stress response, as well as heat shock proteins. ...
The adapting ability of living organisms is the key to survival of the species, and its scope is defined by homeostasis, meaning the tendency of any living system to maintain its biologic parameters. Heat shock proteins are part of a homeostasis system in charge with the regulation of damaged proteins caused by the action of several types of stressors. Among all types of stressors, the electromagnetic radiation has not yet been investigated in terms of heat shock protein response. Recent investigations regarding in vivo experiments using electromagnetic exposure from laboratory sources and commercial mobile phones indicate that the biologic response is more intense when using real life sources. This paper proposes a model for heat shock proteins expression as response to electromagnetic radiation exposure, based on a Hill controller.
... Similarly, the Oceania Radiofrequency Science Advisory Association (ORSAA) who maintains the world's largest categorized database on electromagnetic fields (ODEB), has stated that approximately 69% of 2,065 relevant peer reviewed studies in ODEB show statistically significant biological effects. These include effects on sleep [22], cardiovascular disease [23], free radicals and oxidative stress [21], cancer [24] and DNA damage [25], which can endanger future generations [26,27]. Overall, the scientific evidence from these two major compilations of the publications in this field reveals that biological effects are occurring far below public limits (see review by ORSAA [28]). ...
... DNA damage induced by radiofrequency exposure was revealed in the 2004 REFLEX study [37] conducted on behalf of the EU by 12 institutions with a total budget of 3 million Euros. The results showed that significant biological damage is caused in human cells and DNA at a SAR value of 1.3 W/kg which is lower than the official limit yet representative of many mobile phones [25]. This is of great concern for foetuses and children who are undergoing growth with rapid cell division, and are therefore vulnerable to RFR genotoxic effects. ...
The fifth generation of radiofrequency communication , 5G, is currently being rolled out worldwide. Since September 2017, the EU 5G Appeal has been sent six times to the EU, requesting a moratorium on the rollout of 5G. This article reviews the 5G Appeal and the EU's subsequent replies, including the extensive cover letter sent to the EU in September 2021, requesting stricter guidelines for exposures to radiofrequency radiation (RFR). The Appeal notes the EU's internal conflict between its approach to a wireless technology-led future, and the need to protect the health and safety of its citizens. It critiques the reliance of the EU on the current guidelines given by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), that consider only heating and no other health relevant biological effects from RFR. To counteract the ICNIRP position, the 2021 cover letter briefly presented recent research from the EU's own expert groups, from a large collection of European and other international studies, and from previous reviews of the effects of RFR on humans and the environment. The 5G Appeal asserts that the majority of scientific evidence points to biological effects , many with the potential for harm, occurring below the ICNIRP public limits. Evidence to establish this position is drawn from studies showing changes to neurotransmit-ters and receptors, damage to cells, proteins, DNA, sperm, the immune system, and human health, including cancer. The 2021 Appeal goes on to warn that 5G signals are likely to additionally alter the behaviour of oxygen and water molecules at the quantum level, unfold proteins, damage skin, and cause harm to insects, birds, frogs, plants and animals. Altogether, this evidence establishes a high priority for the European Union towards (i) replacing the current flawed guidelines with protective thresholds, and (ii) placing a moratorium on 5G deployment so as to (iii) allow industry-independent scientists the time needed to propose new health-protective guidelines. This 2021 Ap-peal's relevance becomes even more pressing in the context of the EU plans to roll out the sixth generation of wireless technologies, 6G, further adding to the known risks of RFR technology for humans and the environment. This all leads to an important question: Do EU decision makers have the right to ignore EU´s own directives by prioritising economic gain over human and environmental health?
... It has been found in the study that an hour of mobile phone use per day can significantly increase the risk of tumor [1] after 10 or more years [2,3]. It may result in neurological, chemical, morphological, and electrical changes in the brain [4]. ...
... It can be observed from Fig. 9 that the features numbered 2 and 4 are the most discriminatory, whereas the features numbered 5 and 10 are the least discriminatory. With a threshold value of 0.5285, a total of nine (1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9,11) features have been selected in preliminary feature selection step, where the features numbered as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 correspond to the features area, major axis length, minor axis length, eccentricity, convex area, compactness, Euler number, equiv Fig. 8 Box plot comparison of features extracted from the brain images in RF-EMR exposed and sham-exposed class Fig. 9 T-stat score of the extracted features diameter, solidity, extent, and perimeter of the segmented brain region respectively. ...
The brain of a human and other organisms is affected by the electromagnetic field (EMF) radiations, emanating from the cell phones and mobile towers. Prolonged exposure to EMF radiations may cause neurological changes in the brain, which in turn may bring chemical as well as morphological changes in the brain. Conventionally, the identification of EMF radiation effect on the brain is performed using cellular-level analysis. In the present work, an automatic image processing–based approach is used where geometric features extracted from the segmented brain region has been analyzed for identifying the effect of EMF radiation on the morphology of a brain, using drosophila as a specimen. Genetic algorithm–based evolutionary feature selection algorithm has been used to select an optimal set of geometrical features, which, when fed to the machine learning classifiers, result in their optimal performance. The best classification accuracy has been obtained with the neural network with an optimally selected subset of geometrical features. A statistical test has also been performed to prove that the increase in the performance of classifier post-feature selection is statistically significant. This machine learning–based study indicates that there exists discrimination between the microscopic brain images of the EMF-exposed drosophila and non-exposed drosophila.
Proposed Methodology for identification of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) effect on the morphology of brain of Drosophila.
... Interactions, particularly with chemotherapeutic compounds, raise the possibility of using EMF as an adjuvant for cancer treatment to increase the efficacy and decrease side effects of traditional chemotherapeutic drugs. Other data, such as adaptive effects and mitotic spindle aberrations after EMF exposure, further support the notion that EMF causes genetic effects in living organisms (Lai, 2021). ...
... Numerous studies have reported genotoxic effects of both RF/microwave (actually WC) and pure ELF EMFs on a variety of organisms and cell/tissue types (see reviews in Phillips et al. 2009;Panagopoulos 2019bPanagopoulos , 2023Lai 2021;Jagetia 2022). The genetic damage is accompanied by oxidative stress (OS) due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and recent data point that actually genetic damage is due to OS in the cells (Yakymenko et al. 2016;Panagopoulos et al. 2021;Yakymenko and Tsibulin 2022b). ...
I previously reported chromosomal damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBLs) induced by: a) mobile telephony (MT) electromagnetic fields (EMFs)/electromagnetic radiation (EMR), b) a high caffeine dose, and c) the combination of the two stressors. HPBLs from the same subjects exposed to gamma radiation at doses 0.1, 0.3, or 0.5 Gy, displayed more aberrations than those exposed to MT EMFs or the high caffeine dose in a dose-dependent manner. When the cells exposed to these gamma radiation doses were pre-exposed to a single 15-min MT EMF exposure, the number of aberrations increased significantly more than the sum number of aberrations induced by the individual stressors in all subjects. Thus, MT EMF exposure at a power density ~136 times below the latest International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) exposure limit, apart from the fact that it is genotoxic by itself, significantly enhanced the genotoxic action of gamma radiation. Since gamma radiation at similar doses is applied for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, people should be aware of the increased risk during treatment periods. Comparison of the genotoxic action between MT EMF and gamma radiation shows that the ICNIRP limits are, at least, ~4.5×10 4 times less stringent than the limits for gamma radiation.
... On the other hand, exposure to RFR has been shown to increase the expression of HSP70 and HSP90 in rat brain and thyroid [47,48]. Second, RFR exposure has been reported to induce genetic effects, including changes in DNA integrity, chromatin conformation, and DNA replication and repair pathways [49,50]. And cytoplasmic DNA debris has been recognized as an immune-stimulator, which activates T cells through DNA sensing pathways, such as cGAS-STING pathway [51]. ...
Immunosuppression by the tumor microenvironment is a pivotal factor contributing to tumor progression and immunotherapy resistance. Priming the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) has emerged as a promising strategy for improving the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. In this study we investigated the effects of noninvasive radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure on tumor progression and TIME phenotype, as well as the antitumor potential of PD-1 blockage in a model of pulmonary metastatic melanoma (PMM). Mouse model of PMM was established by tail vein injection of B16F10 cells. From day 3 after injection, the mice were exposed to RFR at an average specific absorption rate of 9.7 W/kg for 1 h per day for 14 days. After RFR exposure, lung tissues were harvested and RNAs were extracted for transcriptome sequencing ; PMM-infiltrating immune cells were isolated for single-cell RNA-seq analysis. We showed that RFR exposure significantly impeded PMM progression accompanied by remodeled TIME of PMM via altering the proportion and transcription profile of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. RFR exposure increased the activation and cytotoxicity signatures of tumor-infiltrating CD8 ⁺ T cells, particularly in the early activation subset with upregulated genes associated with T cell cytotoxicity. The PD-1 checkpoint pathway was upregulated by RFR exposure in CD8 ⁺ T cells. RFR exposure also augmented NK cell subsets with increased cytotoxic characteristics in PMM. RFR exposure enhanced the effector function of tumor-infiltrating CD8 ⁺ T cells and NK cells, evidenced by increased expression of cytotoxic molecules. RFR-induced inhibition of PMM growth was mediated by RFR-activated CD8 ⁺ T cells and NK cells. We conclude that noninvasive RFR exposure induces antitumor remodeling of the TIME, leading to inhibition of tumor progression, which provides a promising novel strategy for TIME priming and potential combination with cancer immunotherapy.
... В рамках обширной проблемы воздействия ЭМП различных частот на живые организмы специалисты изучают вопросы генетических последствий этого воздействия. Генетикам к настоящему времени известны как минимум две группы генетических эффектов электромагнитных излучений: индукция генетических нарушений и изменение генной экспрессии [27][28][29]. Генетические эффекты ЭМП зависят от параметров и характеристик поля (частоты, интенсивности, формы волны), длительности его воздействия, а также от типа клеток, подвергнутых облучению. Молекулярные механизмы этих эффектов большей частью остаются неясными и активно изучаются [30,31]. ...
This article reports the results of a study of Cr(VI) ions mutagenicity in the erythrocytes of Bufo viridis tadpoles under the influence of a low-frequency pulsed magnetic field (LF PMF). The tadpoles were randomly divided into 14 groups ( n = 7). One group of intact tadpoles served as control. Other groups were experimental. The first six groups were placed for 24 h in water containing Cr(VI) at different concentrations (0.025, 0.05, 0.125, 0.25, 0.375, and 0.50 mg/L). The eighth group was subjected to an 8-h exposure to LF PMF (41 mT, 16 Hz). The remaining six groups of tadpoles were kept for 24 h in water with Cr(VI) ions at the specified concentrations and were also irradiated with LF PMF (41 mT, 16 Hz) during the first 8 h of this period. A day after the exposure, blood smears were taken, and the frequencies of micronuclei and nuclear anomalies in erythrocytes were analyzed. The results reveal that low concentrations of Cr(VI) (0.025 and 0.05 mg/L), unlike the higher ones (0.125 mg/L and above), did not significantly affect the frequencies of the analyzed anomalies. The combined action of Cr(VI) and LF PMF significantly increased the frequencies of the recorded anomalies in all the six variants of the experiment. The synergistic effect of Cr(VI) and LF PTF was shown.
... Furthermore, we investigated also the impact of HF-EMF on the DNA damaging effects of occupationally relevant chemicals in PBMC from groups that differ in age and BMI. In most previous studies concerning the combination effects of chemicals, pharmaceutical drugs (in particular cytostatics) were studied [18]. ...
Aim of this study was to investigate if age and body mass of humans have an impact on the DNA damaging properties of high-frequency mobile phone-specific electromagnetic fields (HF-EMF, 1950 MHz, UMTS signal) and if this form of radiation has an impact on the genotoxic effects of occupationally relevant exposures. Pooled peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from three groups (young normal weight, young obese and older age normal weight individuals) were exposed to different doses of HF-EMF (0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 W/kg specific absorption rate - SAR) and simultaneously or sequentially to different chemicals which cause DNA damage (CrO3, NiCl2, benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide - BPDE, and 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide - 4NQO) via different molecular mechanisms. We found no difference in regard to the background values in the three groups but a significant increase of DNA damage (81% without and 36% with serum) in cells from old participants after radiation with 1.0 W/kg SAR 16 h. In combined treatment experiments we found no impact of the UMTS-signal on chemically induced DNA damage in the different groups in general. However, a moderate decrease of DNA damage was seen in simultaneous treatment experiments with BPDE and 1.0 W/kg SAR in the young obese group (decline 18%). Taken together our findings indicate that HF-EMF cause DNA damage in PBMC from older subjects (69.1 years). Furthermore, they show that the radiation does not increase induction of DNA damage by occupationally relevant chemicals.
... Higher cancer incidence was observed than other adults. In addition, various lines of research have suggested that exposure to electromagnetic fields could lead to DNA damages in cells under certain conditions [6][7][8]. ...
... Field parameters and characteristics (frequency, intensity, and wave-shape), cell type, and exposure duration all influence EMR genetic effects. The gene expression changes (for example, genes implicated in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and stress responses, and heat-shock proteins) are consistent with the results that EMR causes genetic damage (Lai, H 2021). ...
Many reports highlight biological responses of crop plants after non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exposure based on the phenotypic and physiological levels. So, this study aimed to estimate genetic alterations in proteins, isozymes, and DNA banding patterns as well as the extent of nuclear DNA damage of economic corn (Zea mays) under the stress of EMR using accurate and reliable bioassays like sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), isozymes (Leucine- aminopeptidase, Esterases, Peroxidase, and Catalases), random amplified polymorphic DNA- polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR), and Comet Assay, respectively. SDS-PAGE analysis showed distinct polymorphisms (96.66%) between EMR exposed and non-exposed corn seedlings depending on the number and type of bands, their intensities as well as molecular weight which ranged from (60.27 to 192.35 kDa), gain, and loss of bands. The four isozymes generated varies isozymatic polymorphisms based on relative front, zymogram number, and optical intensities. RAPD analysis generated 85 amplified DNA products with high polymorphism values ranged from 90.91 to 100% based on primers, band type, DNA sizes which ranged from 153 to 1008-bp, lose, gain, and intensity of DNA bands. Comet Assay scored highest extent of loosed DNA from nuclei (DNA damage) reached the value of (tailed ratio 20%) at EMR exposed corn nuclei for 5 days compared to non-exposed nuclei which reached the value of (tailed ratio 3%). This study concluded that each EMR exposure time had unique interaction with proteins, isozymes, and DNA of corn cells exhibiting wide range of genotoxic stress and subsequently, adversely effect on growth and yield of this sensitive crop plants.
... The most recent review in 2021 was conducted by Henry Lai who has extensive research experience in this field. Lai's narrative review highlights many of the problems observed in RF genotoxicity research, but also suggests genotoxicity is plausible [15]. ...
In genetics, the term genotoxicity describes the action of physical agents, such as chemicals and ionising radiation, which results in damage to genetic material encoded in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and can take many forms. Markers of genetic damage include single strand and double strand DNA breaks, DNA base damage, chromosome aberrations and micronuclei induction. It is well-recognised that genetic damage is a major pathway to carcinogenesis.
There has been much debate over the last 30 years as to whether man-made radiofrequency radiation is genotoxic. With a number of narrative reviews, Ruediger’s review in 2009 found 49 studies reporting a genotoxic effect while 42 did not, and more recently, a review by Lai in 2021 found 237 or 66% of studies had a significant effect while 124 or 34% did not. Both papers provide a summary of the current state of science with a “balance of evidence” finding. Further, both suggest some possible reasons for the discrepancies. However, such reviews can only best be described as superficial, as neither of these papers investigated in depth (using meta-analysis techniques) about how experimental methodology and parameters used may affect outcomes.
A search of the ORSAA database has identified over 370 papers investigating RF exposures and genotoxicity. A comprehensive data set was then constructed by capturing important comparable parameters from the collection of identified studies. Example parameters include: experiment type (in vivo, in vitro, epidemiological); funding source; cell type (primary vs cell line); species; RF generation source; carrier wave frequency and signal modulation used; number of sequential exposures; duration of exposures; intensity of the signal; DNA damage assay type; sacrificial method (animal studies); time between exposure cessation and commencement of assay. These parameters and their inter-relationships were methodically analysed.
The resulting comprehensive data set provides valuable insights into how some of these parameters can have significant influences on study results and identifies the main drivers contributing to the mixed findings. The data set also shines a light on methodological limitations and issues that will need to be addressed in future studies in order to further clarify the genotoxic potential of radiofrequency exposures. The preliminary findings to be presented are likely to have far-reaching implications to our understanding of radiofrequency exposure in relation to health and safety. The findings also bring into question the applicability of the current RF Standard (ARPANSA 2021) and RF Guidelines (ICNIRP 2020) for providing suitable protection to all species, not just humans.
... According to published animal and cell experimental studies, RF-EMF exposure below the reference level causes oxidative damage, especially in the brain and testis of rats and mice [69]. Nevertheless, no study has reported the mutagenic effects [70]. ...
... The above examples of inappropriate dismissal of papers in reviews suggest that the credible evidence base for mmWave effects is likely to be larger than stated. To quote Barnes and Greenbaum (38), also cited by Lai (39). ...
The advent of fifth-generation (5G) wireless communication introduces new technology utilizing near-millimeter radiofrequency waves [i.e., with a frequency of 30–300 GHz (mmWaves)]. The long-term effects of these signals on humans and the environment are unknown. Scientific literature reviews investigating biological harm from mmWave usage have concluded . . . no in-depth conclusions can be drawn. . . and no confirmed evidence. Unfortunately, these statements of scientific uncertainty have been used by industry and government advisory bodies to reassure the public of the safety of the 5G rollout. However, the assumption that 5G technologies are safe is not an evidence-based conclusion. Why this is so cannot be easily understood from existing summaries or reviews. Therefore, this article takes one step back from reviews to the original papers, so as to provide a visible overview of the existing mmWave evidence base. It then examines how the science is being conducted and communicated, finding errors in reasoning that cloud judgements and the subsequent conclusions drawn from the existing research.
... Recent reviews, however, report RF related increased oxidative stress in the majority of animal and cell studies, including experiments made with a variety of cell types, exposure times and SAR levels (Schuermann and Mevissen, 2021). A large number of studies also report potential effects of RF exposure on genotoxicity and gene expression (Lai, 2021). Further, two large long-term careful animal experiments have been conducted to evaluate the potential carcinogenic effects of RF exposure. ...
... Although these exposure limits were established as a precautionary measure, scientific studies have highlighted some biological effects of ELF-MF with magnetic flux density within the legally permitted range [6,[14][15][16]. In vitro studies on cancer cell proliferation induced by ELF-MF report conflicting findings [1,8,17]. ...
Background
The exposure of breast cancer to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) results in various biological responses. Some studies have suggested a possible cancer-enhancing effect, while others showed a possible therapeutic role. This study investigated the effects of in vitro exposure to 50 Hz ELF-MF for up to 24 h on the viability and cellular response of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines and MCF-10A breast cell line.
Methods and results
The breast cell lines were exposed to 50 Hz ELF-MF at flux densities of 0.1 mT and 1.0 mT and were examined 96 h after the beginning of ELF-MF exposure. The duration of 50 Hz ELF-MF exposure influenced the cell viability and proliferation of both the tumor and nontumorigenic breast cell lines. In particular, short-term exposure (4–8 h, 0.1 mT and 1.0 mT) led to an increase in viability in breast cancer cells, while long and high exposure (24 h, 1.0 mT) led to a decrease in viability and proliferation in all cell lines. Cancer and normal breast cells exhibited different responses to ELF-MF. Mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were altered after ELF-MF exposure, suggesting that the mitochondria are a probable target of ELF-MF in breast cells.
Conclusions
The viability of breast cells in vitro is influenced by ELF-MF exposure at magnetic flux densities compatible with the limits for the general population and for workplace exposures. The effects are apparent after 96 h and are related to the ELF-MF exposure time.
... Типы затронутых экспрессий генов (например, гены, участвующие в остановке клеточного цикла, апоптозе и реакции на стресс, белки теплового шока) согласуются с выводами о том, что ЭМП вызывает генетические повреждения. Однако механизмы, с помощью которых ЭМП вызывают эффекты, в основном неизвестны [30]. ...
There was carried out the analysis of information and computer technologies (ICT), which are the main hygienically significant sources of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation for children and adolescents. Early forecasts (before 2008) about the adverse impact of the ICT electromagnetic field on the health of children and adolescents, the fundamental scientific basis for forecasts and data on their feasibility to date are considered. According to state statistics, forecasts of an increase in morbidity due to EMF exposure to children and adolescents are likely to come true. For the period 1995-2019, 15-17 years children, a steady trend was identified for the gain in cerebral malignant neoplasms, diseases of the nervous system, blood, hematopoietic organs, and individual disorders involving the immune mechanism. The number of recorded malignant neoplasms of the brain in the adolescent contingent allows performing for the first time “case-control” analysis. Uncertainties in assessing the conditionality of the increase in the incidence in children under the influence of non-ionizing ICT electromagnetic radiation are associated with difficulties in determining personal doses. The limits of EMF exposure of the user’s head by a mobile device, which were developed in 1994, are now outdated and it is necessary to change the limits, as the devices and parameters of exposure to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation of ICT have changed. It is necessary to confirm the reliability of the hygienic safety factor of EMF remote control in relation to children’s contingents in the conditions of modern and promising information and computer technologies, including taking into account possible synergy under the action of radio frequency EMF, optical screen radiation, sound effects and functional load. Obviously, today what is required is an integrated approach to ensuring the health of children “hygiene in the digital environment”. The article substantiates the foreign standards to affect the design and equipment for information and communication technologies of the educational environment in the Russian Federation, which is one of the important reasons for the deterioration of children’s health.
... In the latter study, the extent of DNA damage increased with increasing daily exposure duration. In a review of published studies on genetic effects of ELF-and RF-EMF, Lai [71] listed more than 150 studies in which non-thermal exposures to RFR produced increases in DNA damage, chromosome aberrations, or micronuclei formation. ...
In the late-1990s, the FCC and ICNIRP adopted radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure limits to protect the public and workers from adverse effects of RFR. These limits were based on results from behavioral studies conducted in the 1980s involving 40–60-minute exposures in 5 monkeys and 8 rats, and then applying arbitrary safety factors to an apparent threshold specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4 W/kg. The limits were also based on two major assumptions: any biological effects were due to excessive tissue heating and no effects would occur below the putative threshold SAR, as well as twelve assumptions that were not specified by either the FCC or ICNIRP. In this paper, we show how the past 25 years of extensive research on RFR demonstrates that the assumptions underlying the FCC’s and ICNIRP’s exposure limits are invalid and continue to present a public health harm. Adverse effects observed at exposures below the assumed threshold SAR include non-thermal induction of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, cardiomyopathy, carcinogenicity, sperm damage, and neurological effects, including electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Also, multiple human studies have found statistically significant associations between RFR exposure and increased brain and thyroid cancer risk. Yet, in 2020, and in light of the body of evidence reviewed in this article, the FCC and ICNIRP reaffirmed the same limits that were established in the 1990s. Consequently, these exposure limits, which are based on false suppositions, do not adequately protect workers, children, hypersensitive individuals, and the general population from short-term or long-term RFR exposures. Thus, urgently needed are health protective exposure limits for humans and the environment. These limits must be based on scientific evidence rather than on erroneous assumptions, especially given the increasing worldwide exposures of people and the environment to RFR, including novel forms of radiation from 5G telecommunications for which there are no adequate health effects studies.
... The effects of oscillating magnetic fields on biological functions are abundant [207][208][209][210][211][212][213][214][215], and are often correlated with modulation of ROS levels [216][217][218]. In this section, we review several studies on extremely low-frequency (less than 3 kHz) magnetic fields on various biological functions. ...
Hundreds of studies have found that weak magnetic fields can significantly influence various biological systems. However, the underlying mechanisms behind these phenomena remain elusive. Remarkably, the magnetic energies implicated in these effects are much smaller than thermal energies. Here, we review these observations, and we suggest an explanation based on the radical pair mechanism, which involves the quantum dynamics of the electron and nuclear spins of transient radical molecules. While the radical pair mechanism has been studied in detail in the context of avian magnetoreception, the studies reviewed here show that magnetosensitivity is widespread throughout biology. We review magnetic field effects on various physiological functions, discussing static, hypomagnetic and oscillating magnetic fields, as well as isotope effects. We then review the radical pair mechanism as a potential unifying model for the described magnetic field effects, and we discuss plausible candidate molecules for the radical pairs. We review recent studies proposing that the radical pair mechanism provides explanations for isotope effects in xenon anaesthesia and lithium treatment of hyperactivity, magnetic field effects on the circadian clock, and hypomagnetic field effects on neurogenesis and microtubule assembly. We conclude by discussing future lines of investigation in this exciting new area of quantum biology.
... Wireless communications are a modern trend, leading to technological development. Several studies cause implications regarding the safety of such exposures [7][8][9]. ...
Background:
Electromagnetic non-ionizing radiation has both thermal and non-thermal outcomes on biological systems, such as humans, animals, and bacteria.
Objective:
This study aimed to investigate the effect of non-ionizing radiofrequency radiation, emitted by Wi-Fi routers, on bacterial strains and the modification of their susceptibility to modern antibiotics.
Material and methods:
In this case-control paired study, four bacteria were selected, and one colony from each bacterial strain was exposed to Wi-Fi radiation forming the exposure group. Another set of colonies was not exposed to Wi-Fi radiation, forming the control group. Eight different antibiotic disks were set on the bacterial plates, and the inhibition zone was measured every 3 h for each colony.
Results:
Electromagnetic radiation affects bacterial colonies and their susceptibility to antibiotics. Analysis revealed statistically significant differences, correlated with the bacterial strain, the antibiotic agent, and the time of the exposure, in the inhibition zones, mostly after 6 and 24 h (p-value < 0.05).
Conclusion:
A correlation was observed between antibiotic susceptibility and non-ionizing radiofrequency exposure. Studying the effects of radiofrequency radiation on prokaryotic organisms could clarify more complicated cell structures and organisms, such as eukaryotic. Further experiments, in vitro and in vivo, could provide more information about these outcomes and cause experts to discuss the current guidelines of exposure limits.
... In the 1960s, Brown et al. 11 found that small changes in the intensity of Earth's MF synchronize the CCs of fiddler crabs and other organisms. Since then, the effects of external MF on the CC have been observed in multiple studies [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] . Similarly, Yoshii et al. 25 have shown the effects of static MFs on the CC of Drosophila and found that exposure to these fields exhibited enhanced slowing of clock rhythms in the presence of blue light, with a maximal alteration at 300 µT , and reduced effects at both lower and slightly higher field strengths. ...
Drosophila ’s circadian clock can be perturbed by magnetic fields, as well as by lithium administration. Cryptochromes are critical for the circadian clock. Further, the radical pairs in cryptochrome also can explain magnetoreception in animals. Based on a simple radical pair mechanism model of the animal magnetic compass, we show that both magnetic fields and lithium can influence the spin dynamics of the naturally occurring radical pairs and hence modulate the circadian clock’s rhythms. Using a simple chemical oscillator model for the circadian clock, we show that the spin dynamics influence a rate in the chemical oscillator model, which translates into a change in the circadian period. Our model can reproduce the results of two independent experiments, magnetic field and lithium effects on the circadian clock. Our model predicts that stronger magnetic fields would shorten the clock’s period. We also predict that lithium influences the clock in an isotope-dependent manner. Furthermore, our model also predicts that magnetic fields and hyperfine interactions modulate oxidative stress. The findings of this work suggest that the quantum nature of radical pairs might play roles in the brain, as another piece of evidence in addition to recent results on xenon anesthesia and lithium effects on hyperactivity.
... 63 EMR exposure can be studied after long term exposure. 64 ...
Worldwide, the number of mobile phone users has increased from 5.57 billion in 2011 to 6.8 billion in 2019. However, short- and long-term impact of the electromagnetic radiation emitting from mobile phones on tissue homeostasis with particular to brain proteome composition needs further investigation. In this study, we attempted a global proteome profiling study of rat hippocampus exposed to mobile phone radiation for 20 weeks (for 3 h/day for 5 days/week) to identify deregulated proteins and western blot analysis for validation. As a result, we identified 358 hippocampus proteins, of which 16 showed deregulation (log2 (exposed/sham) ≥ ±1.0, p-value <.05). Majority of these deregulated proteins grouped into three clusters sharing similar molecular pathways. A set of four proteins (Succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase: Aldh5a1, Na⁺ K⁺ transporting ATPase: Atp1b2, plasma membrane calcium transporting ATPase: PMCA and protein S100B) presenting each functional pathway were selected for validation. Western blot analysis of these proteins, in an independent sample set, corroborated the mass spectrometry findings. Aldh5a1 involve in cellular energy metabolism, both Atp1b2 and PMCA responsible for membrane transport and protein S100B have a neuroprotective role. In conclusion, we present a deregulated hippocampus proteome upon mobile phone radiation exposure, which might influence the healthy functioning of the brain.
... Recent reviews, however, report RF related increased oxidative stress in the majority of animal and cell studies, including experiments made with a variety of cell types, exposure times and SAR levels (Schuermann and Mevissen, 2021). A large number of studies also report potential effects of RF exposure on genotoxicity and gene expression (Lai, 2021). Further, two large long-term careful animal experiments have been conducted to evaluate the potential carcinogenic effects of RF exposure. ...
In recent decades, the possibility that use of mobile communicating devices, particularly wireless (mobile and cordless) phones, may increase brain tumour risk, has been a concern, particularly given the considerable increase in their use by young people. MOBI-Kids, a 14-country (Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain) case-control study, was conducted to evaluate whether wireless phone use (and particularly resulting exposure to radiofrequency (RF) and extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF)) increases risk of brain tumours in young people. Between 2010 and 2015, the study recruited 899 people with brain tumours aged 10 to 24 years old and 1,910 controls (operated for appendicitis) matched to the cases on date of diagnosis, study region and age. Participation rates were 72% for cases and 54% for controls.
The mean ages of cases and controls were 16.5 and 16.6 years, respectively; 57% were males. The vast majority of study participants were wireless phones users, even in the youngest age group, and the study included substantial numbers of long-term (over 10 years) users: 22% overall, 51% in the 20–24-year-olds.
Most tumours were of the neuroepithelial type (NBT; n = 671), mainly glioma. The odds ratios (OR) of NBT appeared to decrease with increasing time since start of use of wireless phones, cumulative number of calls and cumulative call time, particularly in the 15–19 years old age group. A decreasing trend in ORs was also observed with increasing estimated cumulative RF specific energy and ELF induced current density at the location of the tumour.
Further analyses suggest that the large number of ORs below 1 in this study is unlikely to represent an unknown causal preventive effect of mobile phone exposure: they can be at least partially explained by differential recall by proxies and prodromal symptoms affecting phone use before diagnosis of the cases. We cannot rule out, however, residual confounding from sources we did not measure.
Overall, our study provides no evidence of a causal association between wireless phone use and brain tumours in young people. However, the sources of bias summarised above prevent us from ruling out a small increased risk.
... there is ample evidence that RF-EMF can alter the genetic material of exposed cells in vivo and in vitro and in more than one way." (Ruediger 2009) Lai (2021) in a comprehensive review of genetic damage studies commented: ...
One major source of controversy related to possible health effects of radiofrequency radiation (RFR) is the large number of reported statistically significant effects of exposure, over the entire RF part of the spectrum and over a wide range of exposure levels, even as health agencies do not find clear evidence for health hazards of exposure at levels within current IEEE and ICNIRP exposure limits. This Perspective considers 31 studies related to genetic damage produced by exposure to RFR at frequencies above 6 GHz, including at millimeter-wave (mm-wave) frequencies. Collectively, the papers report many statistically significant effects related to genetic damage, many at exposure levels below current exposure limits. However, application of five risk of bias (RoB) criteria and other considerations suggest that the studies in many cases are vulnerable to false discovery (nonreplicable results). The authors call for improvements in study design, analysis and reporting in future bioeffects research to provide more reliable information for health agencies and regulatory decision makers. This Perspective is a companion to another Perspective by Mattsson et al. elsewhere in this volume (Mattsson et al., 2021) ¹ .
... The one generally accepted mechanism for interactions between RF fields and biological systems in the considered frequency range, sample heating, was either supposedly controlled in the studies, or the exposure levels were too low for heating to be a credible cause of the reported effects. Other recently published reviews of the RF bioeffects literature involving mm-wave exposures also noted many reported effects of exposure (15,16), as did a previous review of genetic damage studies of RF fields at lower frequencies (17). Needless to say, demonstration of genotoxic effects of RF fields would be very significant for carcinogen risk assessment. ...
This commentary considers research needs for radiofrequency (RF) energy above 6 GHz, including in the "high band" of 5G New Radio (NR) communications systems that exists just beneath the mm-wave band (30-300 GHz). As of late 2020, approximately 100 RF bioeffects studies have been published involving exposures above 6 GHz, encompassing a wide range of exposure levels and frequencies. A majority of these studies report statistically significant effects of exposure, many at exposures within international safety limits. This commentary examines 31 genetic damage studies involving RF exposures above 6 GHz in the context of two sets of quality-assessment criteria: 1. "Risk of bias" (RoB) criteria used for systematic reviews of health-related studies; and 2. a broader set of criteria for research quality from a different scholarly approach (metascience). The 31 studies report several statistically significant effects of exposure on different markers for genetic damage. These effects, if real, would have great potential significance for carcinogen risk assessment. However, the studies as a group have significant technical weaknesses, including small size, failure to meet multiple RoB criteria, naïve use of statistics, and lack of prespecified hypotheses and methods of analysis, all of which increase the chances of false discovery. Here we propose a "carrot" (adequate funding to support high-quality research) and a "stick" (more stringent review of bioeffects manuscripts, including explicit instructions to reviewers to assess study quality) approach to increase the reliability of RF bioeffects studies to facilitate health agency reviews of this socially controversial topic.
... One particular concern in recent years is the accumulated evidence on RF-EMR induced oxidative stress in biological systems, under low-intensity non-thermal levels of exposure (Alkis et al. 2019;Dasdag and Akdag 2016;Yakymenko et al. 2016). Exposure to RF-EMR has been reported to be associated with oxidative stress (OS) caused by enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production which is known to inflict oxidative tissue damage including DNA damage which is now demonstrated by a large evidence base (Lai 2021). RF-EMR can alter the energy levels and spin orientation of electrons in biological molecules giving rise to free radicals that comprise most ROS generated in biological systems (Barnes andGreenebaume 2000, 2016;Murphy et al. 1993;Jajte et al. 2002;Turker et al. 2011;Naziroglu et al. 2012;Yakymenko et al. 2016). ...
This study was designed to investigate the possible effects of exposure to mobile phone base station (MPBS) emits 1800-MHz RF-EMR on some oxidative stress parameters in the brain, heart, kidney and liver of Swiss albino mice under exposures below thermal levels. Mice were randomly assigned to three experimental groups which were exposed to RF-EMR for 6 hr/day, 12 hr/day and 24 hr/day for 45 consecutive days, respectively, and a control group. The glutathione (GSH) levels and activities of glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly reduced in mice brain after exposure to RF-EMR for 12 hr and 24 hr per day. Exposure of mice to RF-EMR for 12 hr and 24 hr per day also led to a significant increase in malondialdehyde (an index of lipid peroxidation) levels in mice brain. On the contrary, exposures used in this study did not induce any significant change in various oxidative stress-related parameters in the heart, kidney and liver of mice. Our findings showed no significant variations in the activities of aspartate amino-transferase (AST), alanine amino-transferase (ALT), and on the level of creatinine (CRE) in the exposed mice. This study also revealed a decrease in RBC count with an increase in WBC count in mice subjected to 12 hr/day and 24 hr/day exposures. Exposure to RF-EMR from MPBS may cause adverse effects in mice brain by inducing oxidative stress arising from the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as indicated by enhanced lipid peroxidation, and reduced levels and activities of antioxidants.
... Emerging human studies have begun to report that maternal exposure to MF nonionizing radiation during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of several childhood illnesses, including immune-related conditions (such as asthma), 9 obesity, 10 and neurologic conditions (such as ADHD). 11,12 An experimental study 13 provided further evidence of (1) the direct link between in utero exposure to MF nonionizing radiation and ADHD in offspring and (2) a potential mechanism linking in utero exposure of MF nonionizing radiation with ADHD through altered neuronal developmental programming. Additional evidence from experimental animal studies has also recently been reported. ...
Importance
An association between maternal exposure to magnetic field (MF) nonionizing radiation during pregnancy and the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been reported in both animal and human studies.
Objectives
To determine whether maternal exposure to high levels of MF nonionizing radiation is associated with an increased risk of ADHD in offspring by using more accurate measurements of MF nonionizing radiation levels and physician-diagnosed ADHD, rather than self-reports, and to determine whether the association differs for the subtypes of ADHD with or without immune-related comorbidities.
Design, Setting, and Participants
A longitudinal birth cohort study was conducted at Kaiser Permanente Northern California among 1482 mother-child pairs whose mothers were participants of an existing birth cohort and whose level of exposure to MF nonionizing radiation was captured during pregnancy in 2 studies conducted from October 1, 1996, to October 31, 1998, and from May 1, 2006, to February 29, 2012. The offspring were followed up from May 1, 1997, to December 31, 2017.
Exposure
All participating women wore a monitoring meter for 24 hours during pregnancy to capture the level of exposure to MF nonionizing radiation from any sources.
Main Outcomes and Measures
Physician-diagnosed ADHD and immune-related comorbidities of asthma or atopic dermatitis up to 20 years of age in offspring captured in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California electronic medical record from May 1, 1997, to December 31, 2017. Confounders were ascertained during in-person interviews during pregnancy.
Results
Among the 1454 mother-child pairs (548 white [37.7%], 110 African American [7.6%], 325 Hispanic [22.4%], 376 Asian or Pacific Islander [25.9%], and 95 other or unknown [6.5%]; mean [SD] maternal age, 31.4 [5.4] years]), 61 children (4.2%) had physician-diagnosed ADHD. Using Cox proportional hazards regression to account for follow-up time and confounders, compared with children whose mothers had a low level of exposure to MF nonionizing radiation during pregnancy, children whose mothers were exposed to higher levels of MF nonionizing radiation had more than twice the risk of ADHD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.01; 95% CI, 1.06-3.81). The association was stronger for ADHD that persisted into adolescence (≥12 years of age), with an aHR of 3.38 (95% CI, 1.43-8.02). When the subtypes of ADHD were examined, the association existed primarily for ADHD with immune-related comorbidities (asthma or atopic dermatitis), with an aHR of 4.57 (95% CI, 1.61-12.99) for all ADHD cases and an aHR of 8.27 (95% CI, 1.96-34.79) for persistent cases of ADHD.
Conclusions and Relevance
Consistent with the emerging literature, this study suggests that in utero exposure to high levels of MF nonionizing radiation was associated with an increased risk of ADHD, especially ADHD with immune-related comorbidity. The findings should spur more research to examine the biological association of in utero MF exposure with risk of ADHD in offspring, given that almost everyone is exposed to it.
... The low-frequency electromagnetic field extends from the frequency band of 3Hz to 3 kHz. The power frequency of 50 to 60 Hz is the highest frequency studied to date because power lines and electric devices emit 50 to 60 Hz from EMF (Lai and Seattle 2001). ...
Rosemary is a restorative plant that has numerous utilizations in traditional medicine. In this investigation, rosemary leaf extracts were examined for their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The antimicrobial activity was tested against 8 bacterial strains. The antioxidant feature of rosemary extract on rat testicular tissue after exposure to the electromagnetic field. Sixty adult male albino rats weighing 180–200 g (aged 2 months) were divided into six groups: control group, rosemary group (receiving rosemary extract at a dose of 5 mg/kg b.wt), EMF (2 h) group (exposed to 50 Hz and 5.4 kV per meter of magnetic field for 2 h), EMF (4 h) group (exposed to 50 Hz and 5.4 kV per meter of magnetic field for 4 h), EMF (2 h) + rosemary group (receiving both magnetic field for 2 h and extract), and EMF (4 h) + rosemary group (receiving both magnetic field for 4 h and extract). After 30 days, the rats were sacrificed, and some estimates were determined. Results exhibited that the ethanolic extract of rosemary leaves was active against pathogenic bacteria. Results also demonstrated that exposure to EMF diminished level of male hormones (e.g., follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, and luteinizing hormone (LH)) in serum and catalase (CAT) activity remarkably and increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in comparison to the control group. Signs of improvement in the male hormones, CAT activity, and MDA levels were noticed during the treatments with rosemary. Histological results showed that the rosemary extract inhibited the destructive effect of electromagnetic fields on testicular tissue. This research reveals that the ethanolic extract of rosemary has many beneficial effects that can be compelling in supporting individuals living with EMF ecological contamination.
... This interaction of DNA and EMR generates free radicals, produces stress proteins and causes gene mutations. Human DNA and stems cells are permanently damaged by EMR exposure as they do not have the ability to adapt to chronic exposures of EMR and thus DNA repair is not possible [36]. ...
The electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted out of wireless communication modules in various IoT devices (especially used for healthcare applications due to their close proximity to the body) devices have been identified by researchers as biologically hazardous to humans as well as other living beings. Different countries have different regulations to limit the radiation density levels caused by these devices. The radiation absorbed by an individual depends on various factors such as the device they use, the proximity of use, the type of antenna, the relative orientation of the antenna on the device, and many more. Several standards exist which have tried to quantify the radiation levels and come up with safe limits of EMR absorption to prevent human harm. In this work, we determine the radiation concern levels in several scenarios using a handheld radiation meter by correlating the findings with several international standards, which are determined based on thorough scientific evidence. This study also analyzes the EMR from common devices used in day to day life such as smartphones, laptops, Wi-Fi routers, hotspots, wireless earphones, smartwatches, Bluetooth speakers and other wireless accessories using a handheld radio frequency radiation measurement device. The procedure followed in this paper is so presented that it can also be utilized by the general public as a tutorial to evaluate their own safety with respect to EMR exposure. We present a summary of the most prominent health hazards which have been known to occur due to EMR exposure. We also discuss some individual and collective human-centric protective and preventive measures that can be undertaken to reduce the risk of EMR absorption. This paper analyses radiation safety in pre-5G networks and uses the insight gained to raise valuable concerns regarding EMR safety in the upcoming 5G networks.
... Currently, the effect of RF-EMR on humans and various other organisms is a topic of interest. Work has been extensively carried out to understand the effects of RF-EMR in single-celled organisms (Aksoy et al. 2005;Gos et al. 2000;Markkanen et al. 2004), lower model organisms (Cammaerts 2013;Chavdoula et al. 2010), in rodents (Ahmadi et al. 2018;Mokarram et al. 2017;Sienkiewicz and van Rongen 2019), and in humans (Lai 2014;Carlberg and Hardell 2017;Henz et al. 2018;Elsawy et al. 2019). Behavior is defined as the way in which an organism reacts or acts. ...
The primary objective of mobile phone technology is to achieve communication with any person at any place and time. In the modern era, it is impossible to ignore the usefulness of mobile phone technology in cases of emergency as many lives have been saved. However, the biological effects they may have on humans and other animals have been largely ignored and not been evaluated comprehensively. One of the reasons for this is the speedy uncontrollable growth of this technology which has surpassed our researching ability. Initiated with the first generation, the mobile telephony currently reaches to its fifth generation without being screened extensively for any biological effects that they may have on humans or on other animals. Mounting evidences suggest possible non-thermal biological effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) on brain and behavior. Behavioral studies have particularly concentrated on the effects of RF-EMR on learning, memory, anxiety, and locomotion. The literature analysis on behavioral effects of RF-EMR demonstrates complex picture with conflicting observations. Nonetheless, numerous reports suggest a possible behavioral effect of RF-EMR. The scientific findings about this issue are presented in the current review. The possible neural and molecular mechanisms for the behavioral effects have been proposed in the light of available evidences from the literature.
... Higher cancer incidences were noticed for adults living beside transmission lines [16]. In addition, various papers have proposed that exposure to electric fields may lead to DNA destructions in cells under some conditions (17). These conditionds are depending on factors such as type of cell, mode of exposure, duration of exposure and field intensity. ...
The aim of this paper is to compute the electric fields of parallel high and extra high voltage transmission lines in Egyptian power network. Three parallel high and extra high voltage transmission lines are analysed and simulated. The first two lines are the same configurations with voltage of 220 kV, double circuit, two bundles. The third line is a flat configuration, 500 kV, three bundles, and single circuit. The charge simulation technique (CST) is used to calculate the electric field at ground level for these lines. The maximum electric field of the three lines is affected by changing the phase sequence for each line and the spacings between them. The effect of changing thelinès phase sequence on the spatial distribution of the electric field is also studied. The effect of taking one on sub-circuit or line of is out of service is also studied.
... Most EEG devices use wireless RF communication technologies such as Bluetooth and ZigBee for wireless data transmission. However, Bluetooth and ZigBee devices emit microwave radiation that may cause biological changes in the human body [1]. Long-term exposure to microwave signals from Bluetooth devices may cause health problems such as brain cancer, brain tumor, stress, and leukemia. ...
A wearable electroencephalogram (EEG) is a small mobile device used for long-term brain monitoring systems. Applications of these systems include fatigue monitoring, mental/emotional monitoring, and brain–computer interfaces. However, the usage of wireless wearable EEG systems is limited due to the risks posed by the wireless RF communication radiation in a long-term exposure to the human brain. A novel microwave radiation-free system was developed by integrating visible light communication technology into a wearable EEG device. In this work, we investigated the system’s performance in transmitting EEG data at different illuminance level and proposed an algorithm that functions at low illuminance levels for increased transmission distance. Using a 30 Hz smartphone camera, the proposed system was able to transmit 2.4 kbps of error-free EEG data up to 4 meter, which is equal to ~300 lux using an aspheric focus lens.
The use of nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMFs) has attracted interest in cancer research during the past few decades due to its noninvasive therapeutic successes in the treatment of cancer. Some epidemiological studies suggest that there may be a link between exposure to EMF and developing malignancies (such as leukemia and gliomas) or neurodegenerative diseases since EMF has a variety of biological effects such as altering reactive oxygen species (ROS)-regulated pathways. EMF exposure, however, has the potential to cause cancer cells to undergo a period of regulated cell death. Therefore, it is important to thoroughly investigate how EMF might influence cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis – processes that are targeted in cancer treatment. In this chapter, we give a thorough summary of the most recent studies on the potential use of various EMF applications with adjustable settings to treat different forms of cancer.
Purpose:
This review considers issues related to interpreting the mixed legacy of >300 papers published during the past three decades on possible genotoxic effects of exposure of human and animal tissues to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). The main paper reviews the evolution of consensus guidelines for genotoxicity testing and the increasing emphasis on systematic reviews for evaluation of scientific studies for use in health risk assessments. An Appendix considers some issues in assessing the bioeffects literature by examining a subset of genotoxicity publications that employed the comet assay. While most studies found no statistically significant effects of exposure, a significant minority of studies (chiefly, in vivo studies) reported statistically significant effects of exposure. The quality of the studies was highly variable; while several studies were meticulously done and documented, none of these studies were compliant with currently accepted guidelines such as those of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Evaluation of the studies using risk of bias (RoB) criteria showed that, in this sample of studies, higher quality studies were less likely to find statistically significant results than those of lower quality.
Conclusion:
The authors conclude that statistical significance should be only one consideration in evaluation of bioeffects studies. Simply listing 'statistically' significant effects identified using null hypothesis testing and the criterion p < 0.05 for statistical significance is misleading and uninformative in assessing health risks of exposure. A careful synthesis of evidence is needed, including assessment of study validity, biological significance of reported effects, and coherence of study results with those of other related studies.The authors recommend that all future RF genotoxicity studies intended for use in human health risk assessments and evaluations of the literature should be done in compliance with accepted quality guidelines, i.e. OECD or equivalent guidelines for genotoxicity screening studies and PRISMA or other accepted guideline for reviews of the literature. The positive studies in this group should be redone with tighter quality control to establish the reliability of the findings.
The way that living cells respond to non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF), including static/extremely-low frequency and radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, fits the pattern of 'cellular stress response' - a mechanism manifest at the cellular level intended to preserve the entire organism. It is a set pattern of cellular and molecular responses to environmental stressors, such as heat, ionizing radiation, oxidation, etc. It is triggered by cellular macromolecular damage (in proteins, lipids, and DNA) with the goal of repairing and returning cell functions to homeostasis. The pattern is independent of the type of stressor encountered. It involves cell cycle arrest, induction of specific molecular mechanisms for repair, damage removal, cell proliferation, and cell death if damage is too great. This response could be triggered by EMF-induced alternation in oxidative processes in cells. The concept that biological response to EMF is a 'cellular stress response' explains many observed effects of EMF, such as nonlinear dose- and time-dependency, increased and decreased risks of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, enhanced nerve regeneration, and bone healing. These responses could be either detrimental or beneficial to health, depending on the duration and intensity of the exposure, as well as specific aspects of the living organism being exposed. A corollary to electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome (EHS) could be an inappropriate response of the hippocampus/limbic system to EMF, involving glucocorticoids on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
Pada waktu sekarang kemampuan mengkonversi gelombang elektromagnetik menjadi daya DC adalah salah satu cara untuk memaksimalkan dan mengurangi polusi gelombang elektromagnetik. Switch rectifier antenna adalah sebuah sistem yang mengurangi jumlah polusi gelombang elektromagnetik dengan mengkonversikannya menjadi daya DC dan lebih efisien tanpa campur tangan manusia secara langsung. Switch rectifier antenna bekerja dengan mengaktifkan atau menonaktifkan sebuah relay yang terhubung dengan rectifier antenna dan dapat diakses secara nirkabel dalam satu jaringan melalui webserver. Relay terhubung dengan webserver dan dapat diakses dalam satu jaringan yang sama menggunakan protokol IP. Penggunaan switch rectifier antenna ini diaplikasikan pada frekuensi 2400MHz dengan menghasilkan gelombang DC yang dapat diukur menjadi sebuah tegangan. Komponen yang digunakan dalam perancangan ini meliputi, modul WiFi ESP8266, relay SRD-05VDC-SL-C, antena mikrostrip bahan FR-4 berkonstanta dielektrik (εr) = 3,9 dan dioda berjenis HSMS 2828. Daya keluaran pada saat pengukuran berlangsung untuk rectifier tanpa switch adalah -1.884dBm, 2m adalah -5.333dBm, 3 meter adalah -8.713dBm, 4 meter adalah -9.605dBm, dan 5m adalah -14.948dBm. Sedangkan daya keluaran untuk switch rectifier antenna pada jarak 1m dari sumber adalah -3.071dBm, 2m adalah -6.241dBm, 3 meter adalah -8.299dBm, 4 meter adalah -11dBm, dan 5m adalah -14.948dBm.
Extremely low frequency pulsed magnetic fields (MFs) have been increasingly used as an effective method in oral therapy, but its potential impact on health has not been clarified. In this study, we investigated the impact of 10 Hz pulsed MF exposure on primary human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) derived from eight healthy persons (four males and four females). Cells were exposed to 10 Hz pulsed MFs at 1.0 mT for 24 h. Cell apoptosis, cell cycle progression, intracellular reactive oxygen species levels, DNA damage, and cell proliferation were determined after exposure. The results showed that 10 Hz pulsed MFs exposure have slight effects on cellular apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and DNA damage in primary HGFs from some but not all samples. In addition, no significant effect was found on cell proliferation.
Much of the controversy over the cause of electrohypersensitivity (EHS) lies in the absence of recognized clinical and biological criteria for a widely accepted diagnosis. However, there are presently sufficient data for EHS to be acknowledged as a distinctly well-defined and objectively characterized neurologic pathological disorder. Because we have shown that 1) EHS is frequently associated with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) in EHS patients, and 2) that both individualized disorders share a common pathophysiological mechanism for symptom occurrence; it appears that EHS and MCS can be identified as a unique neurologic syndrome, regardless its causal origin. In this overview we distinguish the etiology of EHS itself from the environmental causes that trigger pathophysiological changes and clinical symptoms after EHS has occurred. Contrary to present scientifically unfounded claims, we indubitably refute the hypothesis of a nocebo effect to explain the genesis of EHS and its presentation. We as well refute the erroneous concept that EHS could be reduced to a vague and unproven “functional impairment”. To the contrary, we show here there are objective pathophysiological changes and health effects induced by electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure in EHS patients and most of all in healthy subjects, meaning that excessive non-thermal anthropogenic EMFs are strongly noxious for health. In this overview and medical assessment we focus on the effects of extremely low frequencies, wireless communications radiofrequencies and microwaves EMF. We discuss how to better define and characterize EHS. Taken into consideration the WHO proposed causality criteria, we show that EHS is in fact causally associated with increased exposure to man-made EMF, and in some cases to marketed environmental chemicals. We therefore appeal to all governments and international health institutions, particularly the WHO, to urgently consider the growing EHS-associated pandemic plague, and to acknowledge EHS as a new real EMF causally-related pathology.
Plusieurs maladies neuropsychiatriques, telles que la dépression, l’autisme, l’épilepsie, ou encore la maladie d’Alzheimer, ont été associées à des dysfonctionnements du microbiote intestinal (Kelly et al. 2017 ; Bastiaanssen et al. 2019) en même temps qu’elles ont été associées à l’exposition à des champs électromagnétiques non naturels de fréquence extrêmement basse et/ou de radiofréquence (voir Pall 2016 pour une revue). Dans le courant de recherches sur l’électrohypersensibilité (EHS) pour la préparation d’une revue précédente (« Mécanismes biologiques de l’électrohypersensibilité et de conditions associées »), il est apparu que celle-ci se caractérise par une étiologie au moins en partie intestinale, impliquant des signes et symptômes apparentés à l’allergie alimentaire et/ou à l’intolérance alimentaire et/ou au syndrome du côlon irritable (SCI). Au vu des différentes données disponibles au sujet de ces différentes conditions (dépression, autisme, épilepsie, maladie d’Alzheimer, et EHS), et au vu de l’implication conjointe de l’exposition à des champs électromagnétiques non naturels et du microbiote intestinal dans leur pathogenèse, il semblait nécessaire de rechercher comment des champs électromagnétiques exogènes pourraient affecter ce microbiote et/ou le mucus intestinal, où le microbiote réside, de façon particulière. Le but de cette revue a donc été de rassembler les différentes données disponibles relatives à l’électrophysiologie du microbiote et du mucus intestinal, et aux effets possibles de champs électromagnétiques non naturels sur cette dernière.
A bstract
Drosophila ’s circadian clock can be perturbed by magnetic fields, as well as by lithium administration. Cryptochromes are critical for the circadian clock. Further, the radical pairs in cryptochrome also can explain magnetoreception in animals. Based on a simple radical pair mechanism model of the animal magnetic compass, we show that both magnetic fields and lithium can influence the spin dynamics of the naturally occurring radical pairs and hence modulate the circadian clock’s rhythms. Using a simple chemical oscillator model for the circadian clock, we show that the spin dynamics influence a rate in the chemical oscillator model, which translates into a change in the circadian period. Our model can reproduce the results of two independent experiments, magnetic fields and lithium effects on the circadian clock. Our model predicts that stronger magnetic fields would shorten the clock’s period. We also predict that lithium influences the clock in an isotope-dependent manner. Furthermore, our model also predicts that magnetic fields and hyperfine interactions modulate oxidative stress. The findings of this work suggest that quantum nature and entanglement of radical pairs might play roles in the brain, as another piece of evidence in addition to recent results on xenon anesthesia and lithium effects on hyperactivity.
Ambient levels of nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) have risen sharply in the last five decades to become a ubiquitous, continuous, biologically active environmental pollutant, even in rural and remote areas. Many species of flora and fauna, because of unique physiologies and habitats, are sensitive to exogenous EMF in ways that surpass human reactivity. This can lead to complex endogenous reactions that are highly variable, largely unseen, and a possible contributing factor in species extinctions, sometimes localized. Non-human magnetoreception mechanisms are explored. Numerous studies across all frequencies and taxa indicate that current low-level anthropogenic EMF can have myriad adverse and synergistic effects, including on orientation and migration, food finding, reproduction, mating, nest and den building, territorial maintenance and defense, and on vitality, longevity and survivorship itself. Effects have been observed in mammals such as bats, cervids, cetaceans, and pinnipeds among others, and on birds, insects, amphibians, reptiles, microbes and many species of flora. Cyto- and geno-toxic effects have long been observed in laboratory research on animal models that can be extrapolated to wildlife. Unusual multi-system mechanisms can come into play with non-human species — including in aquatic environments — that rely on the Earth’s natural geomagnetic fields for critical life-sustaining information. Part 2 of this 3-part series includes four online supplement tables of effects seen in animals from both ELF and RFR at vanishingly low intensities. Taken as a whole, this indicates enough information to raise concerns about ambient exposures to nonionizing radiation at ecosystem levels. Wildlife loss is often unseen and undocumented until tipping points are reached. It is time to recognize ambient EMF as a novel form of pollution and develop rules at regulatory agencies that designate air as ‘habitat’ so EMF can be regulated like other pollutants. Long-term chronic low-level EMF exposure standards, which do not now exist, should be set accordingly for wildlife, and environmental laws should be strictly enforced — a subject explored in Part 3.
Solitons, as self-reinforcing solitary waves, interact with complex biological phenomena such as cellular self-organization. A soliton model is able to describe a spectrum of electromagnetism modalities that can be applied to understand the physical principles of biological effects in living cells, as caused by endogenous and exogenous electromagnetic fields and is compatible with quantum coherence. A bio-soliton model is proposed, that enables to predict which eigen-frequencies of non-thermal electromagnetic waves are life-sustaining and which are, in contrast, detrimental for living cells. The particular effects are exerted by a range of electromagnetic wave eigen-frequencies of one-tenth of a Hertz till Peta Hertz that show a pattern of 12 bands, and can be positioned on an acoustic reference frequency scale. The model was substantiated by a meta-analysis of 240 published articles of biological electromagnetic experiments, in which a spectrum of non-thermal electromagnetic waves were exposed to living cells and intact organisms. These data support the concept of coherent quantized electromagnetic states in living organisms and the theories of Fröhlich, Davydov and Pang. It is envisioned that a rational control of shape by soliton-waves and related to a morphogenetic field and parametric resonance provides positional information and cues to regulate organism-wide systems properties like anatomy, control of reproduction and repair.
Solitons, as self-reinforcing solitary waves, interact with complex biological phenomena such as cellular self-organization. This soliton model is able to describe a spectrum of electromagnetism (EM) modalities, that can be applied to understand the physical principles of biological effects in living cells, as caused by endogenous and exogenous electromagnetic fields, on the basis of quantum coherence. A bio-soliton model is proposed, that enables to predict which eigen-frequencies of non-thermal EM waves are life-sustaining and which are, in contrast, detrimental for living cells. The particular effects are exerted by a range of EM-wave eigen-frequencies of one-tenth of a Hertz till Peta Hertz that show a pattern of twelve bands, and can be positioned on an acoustic frequency scale. The model was substantiated by a meta-analysis of 250 published papers of biological EM- radiation experiments, in which a spectrum of non-thermal EM-waves were exposed to living cells and intact organisms. These data support the concept of coherent quantized EM-states in living organisms as put forward in the theories of Fröhlich, Davydov and Pang. It is postulated that long-distance control of cellular morphology and fine tuning of cellular networks by soliton-waves, is instrumental in providing a morphogenetic field that maintains cellular health and potentially may have played a role in the initiation of first life. Parametric resonance may, in addition, yield positional information and cues to regulate organism-wide systems properties like anatomy, control of reproduction and repair. Potential damaging effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields on life systems can be counteracted by dedicated phyllosilicate (clay) materials, that act as semi-conducting EM transformational nano-materials. Such a technology can be based, for instance, on the principle of toroidal trapping by which detrimental EM frequencies of man-made electromagnetic signals can be converted to rather beneficial radiation modes. Our papers, collectively, picture the rapidly growing and dynamic discipline of electromics, that also shows promising clinical effects in the treatment of various sincere, and often, chronic diseases, and should be positioned in the framework of the current developments in Quantum Biology.
Solitons, as self-reinforcing solitary waves, interact with complex biological phenomena such as cellular self-organisation. Soliton models are able to describe a spectrum of electromagnetism modalities that can be applied to understand the physical principles of biological effects in living cells, as caused by electromagnetic radiation. A bio-soliton model is proposed, that enables to predict which eigen-frequencies of non-thermal electromagnetic waves are life-sustaining and which are, in contrast, detrimental for living cells. The particular effects are exerted by a range of electromagnetic wave frequencies of one-tenth of a Hertz till Peta Hertz, that show a pattern of twelve bands, if positioned on an acoustic frequency scale. The model was substantiated by a meta-analysis of 240 published papers of biological radiation experiments, in which a spectrum of non-thermal electromagnetic waves were exposed to living cells and intact organisms. These data support the concept of coherent quantized electromagnetic states in living organisms and the theories of Davydov, Fr\"ohlich and Pang. A spin-off strategy from our study is discussed in order to design bio-compatibility promoting semi-conducting materials and to counteract potential detrimental effects due to specific types of electromagnetic radiation produced by man-made electromagnetic technologies.
Background:
The growing popularity of mobile phones and the expansion of network infrastructure in Greece have raised concerns about the possible negative health effects on sensitive groups, such as children, from exposure to long-term radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs).
Aims:
The objective of this study is to estimate mean RF-EMF exposure levels of primary and secondary education schools located in the municipality of Korydallos, Athens, Greece.
Methods:
We performed measurements to all the schools units ($n=62$) in the region in order to calculate the mean value for RF-EMF exposure in the range of 27 MHz-3 GHz, which covers the whole spectrum of RF-EMF sources.
Results:
At the $97.5\%$ of schools found in Korydallos region, the exposure level is at least 2200 times below the Greek exposure limits.
Conclusion:
The exposure levels in the locations tested are both below $60\%$ of the highest limit set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection regarding school exposures.
With the increase in the use of different types of electronic systems used inside and outside the hospital, the electromagnetic medium in the hospital has changed significantly. The increase in the number and type of EMF sources in sensitive mediums such as hospitals has led researchers to measure EMFs to assess the potential risk to patients and staff. For this reason, this study aims to determine the radio frequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) levels to which patients and staff are exposed voluntarily or unintentionally in the hospital environment and to control their compliance with the limits defined in the standards. In order to achieve these goals, three different types of RF-EMF measurements were carried out as, short-term, long-term, and band selective in 21 state hospitals in the Samsun Province, Turkey. Total RF-EMF in the band between 100 kHz and 3 GHz is measured using PMM–8053, while band selective is conducted using SRM–3006 in the frequency range from 27 MHz up to 3 GHz. The recorded RF-EMF values were statistically analyzed, and the main RF-EMF sources in the medium were determined. The highest average RF-EMF exposure level obtained for short-term measurements was 2.52 V/m. For long-term measurements, the highest average RF-EMF was 3.11 V/m and the highest mean RF-EMF was 2.29 V/m. Within our measurements, the limit of 3 V/m set by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) was exceeded in the hospital, although the highest RF-EMF was below the limit level set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Long-term measurement results showed that the RF-EMF level at midday was higher than at night; the highest RF-EMF was measured in the afternoon and during evening hours. The mean RF-EMF levels are 1.01 V/m, 1.15 V/m, 1.12 V/m, and 0.84 V/m, for morning, afternoon, evening, and night respectively. The RF-EMF level measured during the afternoon hours maybe about 37% higher than the RF-EMF levels measured at night. The main sources of total RF-EMF in the environment determined from the band-selective RF-EMF results were base stations located outside the hospital and their contribution to total RF-EMF was 92.6%. Systems that make the most contribution to the RF-EMF in the environment are base stations using the LTE 800, GSM 900, GSM 1800, LTE 1800, and UMTS 2100 frequency bands. Among these, the UMTS 2100 frequency band gave the highest contribution with 40.42%. With the use of these main RF-EMF sources, an empirical model that helps in computing the total E of the medium with 99.8% accuracy was proposed.
The specific biological effect of electromagnetic field (EMF) remains unknown even though devices present in our daily lives, such as smartphones and Wi-Fi antennae increase the environmental level of electromagnetic radiation. It is said that the human immune system is able to react to discrete environmental stimuli like EMF. To investigate the effect of 900 MHz microwave stimulation on the immune system our research aimed to analyze lymphocyte proliferation and observe and assess the basic immunoregulatory activities using a newly developed and improved anechoic chamber. Samples of mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from the blood of healthy donors were exposed to 900 MHz pulse-modulated radiofrequency radiation (20 V/m, SAR 0.024 W/kg) twice (15 min each) or left without irradiation (control group). Subsequently, the control and exposed cells were set up to determine several parameters characterizing T cell immunocompetence and monocyte immunogenic activity. Although the microcultures of PBMC exposed to radiofrequency radiation demonstrated higher immunogenic activity of monocytes (LM index) and T-cell response to concanavalin A than control cultures after first exposure, this parameter decreased after a second stimulation. Saturation of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor rose significantly after the second day of exposure. On the other hand, response to mitogen dropped after EMF stimulation. The results suggest that PBMC are able to overcome stress caused by mitogens after stimulation with 900 MHz radiation.
It is known that the circadian clock in Drosophila can be sensitive to static magnetic fields (MFs). Man-made radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields have been shown to have effects on animal orientation responses at remarkably weak intensities in the nanotesla range. Here, we tested if weak broadband RF fields also affect the circadian rhythm of the German cockroach (Blatella germanica). We observed that static MFs slow down the cockroach clock rhythm under dim UV light, consistent with results on the Drosophila circadian clock. Remarkably, 300 times weaker RF fields likewise slowed down the cockroach clock in a near-zero static magnetic field. This demonstrates that the internal clock of organisms can be sensitive to weak RF fields, consequently opening the possibility of an influence of man-made RF fields on many clock-dependent events in living systems.
Background:
The association between the extremely low-frequency magnetic field generated by overhead power lines and neurodegenerative disease is still a matter of debate.
Methods:
A population-based case-control study was carried out on the residents in the Milan metropolitan area between 2011 and 2016 to evaluate the possible association between exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields generated by high-voltage overhead power lines and Alzheimer's dementia and Parkinson's disease. A statistical analysis was performed on cases and controls matched by sex, year of birth and municipality of residence (with a case to controls ratio of 1 : 4) using conditional logistic regression models adjusted for socio-economic deprivation and distance from the major road network as potential confounders.
Results:
Odds ratios for residents <50 m from the source of exposure compared with residents at ≥600 m turned out to be 1.11 (95% confidence interval: 0.95-1.30) for Alzheimer's dementia and 1.09 (95% confidence interval: 0.92-1.30) for Parkinson's disease.
Conclusions:
The finding of a weak association between exposure to the extremely low-frequency magnetic field and neurodegenerative diseases suggests the continuation of research on this topic. Moreover, the low consistency between the results of the already existing studies emphasises the importance of increasingly refined study designs.
Prolonged exposure to weak (~1 µT) extremely-low-frequency (ELF, 50/60 Hz) magnetic fields has been associated with an increased risk of childhood leukaemia. One of the few biophysical mechanisms that might account for this link involves short-lived chemical reaction intermediates known as radical pairs. In this report, we use spin dynamics simulations to derive an upper bound of 10 parts per million on the effect of a 1 µT ELF magnetic field on the yield of a radical pair reaction. By comparing this figure with the corresponding effects of changes in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field, we conclude that if exposure to such weak 50/60 Hz magnetic fields has any effect on human biology, and results from a radical pair mechanism, then the risk should be no greater than travelling a few kilometres towards or away from the geomagnetic north or south pole.
Objectives: To carry out an integrated and stratified meta-analysis on occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs), metals and pesticides and its effects on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, and investigate the possibility of publication bias. Methods: In the current study, we updated our recently published meta-analyses on occupational exposures in relation to ALS, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Based on 66 original publications of good scientific epidemiological standard, according to the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) guidelines, we analysed subgroups by carrying out stratified meta-analyses on publication year, statistical precision of the relative risk (RR) estimates, inspection of the funnel plots and test of bias. Results: Based on 19 studies the weighted RR for occupational exposure to EMFs was 1.26 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07–1.50) for ALS, 1.33 (95% CI 1.07–1.64) for Alzheimer’s disease and 1.02 (95% CI 0.83–1.26) for Parkinson’s disease. Thirty-one studies concerned occupational exposure to pesticides and the weighted RR was 1.35 (95% CI 1.02–1.79) for ALS, 1.50 (95% CI 0.98–2.29) for Alzheimer’s disease and 1.66 (95% CI 1.42–1.94) for Parkinson’s disease. Finally, 14 studies concerned occupational exposure to metals and only exposure to lead (five studies) involved an elevated risk for ALS or Parkinson’s disease and the weighted RR was 1.57 (95% CI 1.11–2.20). The weighted RR for all the non-lead exposures was 0.97 (95% CI 0.88–1.06). Conclusions: Exposure to pesticides increased the risk of getting the mentioned neurodegenerative diseases by at least 50%. Exposure to lead was only studied for ALS and Parkinson’s disease and involved 50% increased risk. Occupational exposure to EMFs seemed to involve some 10% increase in risk for ALS and Alzheimer’s disease only.
Objectives: We conducted a systematic literature review to identify studies fulfilling good scientific epidemiological standards for use in meta-analyses of occupational risk factors for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: We identified 79 original publications on associations between work and ALS. The MOOSE (Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations) guidelines were used to ensure high scientific quality, and reliable protocols were applied to classify the articles. Thirty-seven articles fulfilled good scientific standards, while 42 were methodologically deficient and thus were excluded from our meta-analyses. Results: The weighted relative risks for the various occupational exposures were respectively; 1.29 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.97–1.72; six articles) for heavy physical work, 3.98 (95% CI: 2.04–7.77; three articles) for professional sports, 1.45 (95% CI: 1.07–1.96; six articles) for metals, 1.19 (95% CI: 1.07–1.33; 10 articles) for chemicals, 1.18 (95% CI: 1.07–1.31; 16 articles) for electromagnetic fields or working with electricity, and 1.18 (95% CI: 1.05–1.34; four articles) for working as a nurse or physician. Conclusions: Meta-analyses based only on epidemiologic publications of good scientific quality show that the risk of ALS is statistically significantly elevated for occupational exposures to excessive physical work, chemicals (especially pesticides), metals (especially lead), and possibly also to electromagnetic fields and health care work. These results are not explained by publication bias.
The nervous system is an important target of radiofrequency (RF) radiation exposure since it is the excitable component that is potentially able to interact with electromagnetic fields. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of 1,800 MHz RF radiation and the protective role of paricalcitol on the rat sciatic nerve. Rats were divided into four groups as control, paricalcitol, RF, and RF + paricalcitol. In RF groups, the rats were exposed to 1,800 MHz RF for 1 h per day for 4 weeks. Control and paricalcitol rats were kept under the same conditions without RF application. In paricalcitol groups, the rats were given 0.2 μg/kg/day paricalcitol, three times per week for 4 weeks. Amplitude and latency of nerve compound action potentials, catalase activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and ultrastructural changes of sciatic nerve were evaluated. In the RF group, a significant reduction in amplitude, prolongation in latency, an increase in the MDA level, and an increase in catalase activity and degeneration in the myelinated nerve fibers were observed. The electrophysiological and histological findings were consistent with neuropathy, and the neuropathic changes were partially ameliorated with paricalcitol administration. Bioelectromagnetics.
Exposure to man-made electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which increasingly pollute our environment, have consequences for human health about which there is continuing ignorance and debate. Whereas there is considerable ongoing concern about their harmful effects, magnetic fields are at the same time being applied as therapeutic tools in regenerative medicine, oncology, orthopedics, and neurology. This paradox cannot be resolved until the cellular mechanisms underlying such effects are identified. Here, we show by biochemical and imaging experiments that exposure of mammalian cells to weak pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) stimulates rapid accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), a potentially toxic metabolite with multiple roles in stress response and cellular ageing. Following exposure to PEMF, cell growth is slowed, and ROS-responsive genes are induced. These effects require the presence of cryptochrome, a putative magnetosensor that synthesizes ROS. We conclude that modulation of intracellular ROS via cryptochromes represents a general response to weak EMFs, which can account for either therapeutic or pathological effects depending on exposure. Clinically, our findings provide a rationale to optimize low field magnetic stimulation for novel therapeutic applications while warning against the possibility of harmful synergistic effects with environmental agents that further increase intracellular ROS.
Over the last three decades, evidence has emerged that low-intensity magnetic fields can influence biological systems. It is now well established that migratory birds have the capacity to detect the Earth's magnetic field; it has been reported that power lines are associated with childhood leukemia and that pulsed magnetic fields increase the production of reactive oxidative species (ROS) in cellular systems. Justifiably, studies in this field have been viewed with skepticism, as the underlying molecular mechanisms are unknown. In the accompanying paper, Sherrard and colleagues report that low-flux pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) result in aversive behavior in Drosophila larvae and ROS production in cell culture. They further report that these responses require the presence of cryptochrome, a putative magnetoreceptor. If correct, it is conceivable that carcinogenesis associated with power lines, PEMF-induced ROS generation, and animal magnetoreception share a common mechanistic basis.
This study was focused on the measurement of residential exposure to power frequency (50-Hz) electric and magnetic fields in the city of Ramallah-Palestine. A group of 32 semi-randomly selected residences distributed amongst the city were under investigations of fields variations. Measurements were performed with the Spectrum Analyzer NF-5035 and were carried out at one meter above ground level in the residence's bedroom or living room under both zero and normal-power conditions. Fields' variations were recorded over 6-min and some times over few hours. Electric fields under normal-power use were relatively low; ~59% of residences experienced mean electric fields <10 V/m. The highest mean electric field of 66.9 V/m was found at residence R27. However, electric field values were log-normally distributed with geometric mean and geometric standard deviation of 9.6 and 3.5 V/m, respectively. Background electric fields measured under zero-power use, were very low; ~80% of residences experienced background electric fields <1 V/m. Under normal-power use, the highest mean magnetic field (0.45 μT) was found at residence R26 where an indoor power substation exists. However, ~81% of residences experienced mean magnetic fields <0.1 μT. Magnetic fields measured inside the 32 residences showed also a log-normal distribution with geometric mean and geometric standard deviation of 0.04 and 3.14 μT, respectively. Under zero-power conditions, ~7% of residences experienced average background magnetic field >0.1 μT. Fields from appliances showed a maximum mean electric field of 67.4 V/m from hair dryer, and maximum mean magnetic field of 13.7 μT from microwave oven. However, no single result surpassed the ICNIRP limits for general public exposures to ELF fields, but still, the interval 0.3-0.4 μT for possible non-thermal health impacts of exposure to ELF magnetic fields, was experienced in 13% of the residences.
Previously, it has been shown that long-distance migrants, garden warblers (Sylvia borin), were disoriented in the presence of narrow-band oscillating magnetic field (1.403 MHz OMF, 190 nT) during autumn migration. This agrees with the data of previous experiments with European robins (Erithacus rubecula). In this study, we report the results of experiments with garden warblers tested under a 1.403 MHz OMF with various amplitudes (~}0.4, 1, ~{2.4, 7 and 20 nT). We found that the ability of garden warblers to orient in round arenas using the magnetic compass could be disrupted by a very weak oscillating field, such as an approximate 2.4, 7 and 20 nT OMF, but not by an OMF with an approximate 0.4 nT amplitude. The results of the present study indicate that the sensitivity threshold of the magnetic compass to the OMF lies around 2textendash3 nT, while in experiments with European robins the birds were disoriented in a 15 nT OMF but could choose the appropriate migratory direction when a 5 nT OMF was added to the stationary magnetic field. The radical-pair model, one of the mainstream theories of avian magnetoreception, cannot explain the sensitivity to such a low-intensity OMF, and therefore, it needs further refinement.
Purpose:
Evidence of whether exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) is related to central nervous system diseases is inconsistent. This study updates a previous study of the incidence of such diseases in a large cohort of Danish utility workers by almost doubling the period of follow-up.
Methods:
We investigated the risks for dementia, motor neurone disease, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy among 32,006 men employed at the 99 utility companies that supplied Denmark with electricity during the period 1900-1993. Cases were identified in the Danish National Patient Registry and the cohort was followed during 1982-2010. Exposure was estimated from a job-exposure matrix based on company records of job title and area of work and cohort members were allocated to one of three categories (<0.1, 0.1-0.99 and ≥1.0 µT).
Results:
For dementia, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy the incidence rate ratios (IRR) were close to unity, but higher for motor neurone disease [IRR 1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-1.79] and lower for Parkinson disease (IRR 0.81, 95% CI 0.67-0.97) among workers exposed to ≥0.1 µT compared with the Danish population. For the highest level of exposure (≥1.0 µT), IRRs of 1.44, 1.78, 1.40 and 1.34 were observed for dementia, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, respectively.
Conclusions:
We observed elevated risks of dementia, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy and lower risks of Parkinson disease in relation to exposure to ELF-MF in a large cohort of utility employees.
A total of 271 measurements were conducted at 69 different sites including homes, hospitals, educational institutions and other public places to assess the exposure to radiofrequency emission from wireless local area networks (WLANs). Measurements were conducted at different distances from 40 to 10 m from the access points (APs) in real life conditions using Narda SRM-3000 selective radiation meter. Three measurements modes were considered at 1 m distance from the AP which are transmit mode, idle mode, and from the client card (laptop computer). All measurements were conducted indoor in the West Bank environment. Power density levels from WLAN systems were found to vary from 0.001 to ~1.9 μW cm-2 with an average of 0.12 μW cm-2. Maximum value found was in university environment, while the minimum was found in schools. For one measurement case where the AP was 20 cm far while transmitting large files, the measured power density reached a value of ~4.5 μW cm-2. This value is however 221 times below the general public exposure limit recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, which was not exceeded in any case. Measurements of power density at 1 m around the laptop resulted in less exposure than the AP in both transmit and idle modes as well. Specific absorption rate for the head of the laptop user was estimated and found to vary from 0.1 to 2 mW/kg. The frequency distribution of measured power densities follows a log-normal distribution which is generally typical in the assessment of exposure resulting from sources of radiofrequency emissions.
Exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation was classified as a possible human carcinogen, Group 2B, by the International Agency for Research on Cancer at WHO in 2011. The exposure pattern is changing due to the rapid development of technology. Outdoor RF radiation level was measured during five tours in Stockholm Old Town in April, 2016 using the EME Spy 200 exposimeter with 20 predefined frequencies. The results were based on 10,437 samples in total. The mean level of the total RF radiation was 4,293 µW/m² (0.4293 µW/cm²). The highest mean levels were obtained for global system for mobile communications (GSM) + universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) 900 downlink and long-term evolution (LTE) 2600 downlink (1,558 and 1,265 µW/m², respectively). The town squares displayed highest total mean levels, with the example of Järntorget square with 24,277 µW/m² (min 257, max 173,302 µW/m²). These results were in large contrast to areas with lowest total exposure, such as the Supreme Court, with a mean level of 404 µW/m² (min 20.4, max 4,088 µW/m²). In addition, measurements in the streets surrounding the Royal Castle were lower than the total for the Old Town, with a mean of 756 µW/m² (min 0.3, max 50,967 µW/m²). The BioInitiative 2012 Report defined the scientific benchmark for possible health risks as 30–60 µW/m². Our results of outdoor RF radiation exposure at Stockholm Old Town are significantly above that level. The mean exposure level at Järntorget square was 405-fold higher than 60 µW/m². Our results were below the reference level on 10,000,000 µW/m² established by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), which, however, are less credible, as they do not take non-thermal effects into consideration and are not based on sound scientific evaluation. Our highest measured mean level at Järntorget was 0.24% of the ICNIRP level. A number of studies have found adverse, non-thermal (no measurable temperature increase) health effects far below the ICNIRP guidelines.
Drosophila have been used as model organisms to explore both the biophysical mechanisms of animal magnetoreception and the possibility that weak, low-frequency anthropogenic electromagnetic fields may have biological consequences. In both cases, the presumed receptor is cryptochrome, a protein thought to be responsible for magnetic compass sensing in migratory birds and a variety of magnetic behavioural responses in insects. Here, we demonstrate that photo-induced electron transfer reactions in Drosophila melanogaster cryptochrome are indeed influenced by magnetic fields of a few millitesla. The form of the protein containing flavin and tryptophan radicals shows kinetics that differ markedly from those of closely related members of the cryptochrome–photolyase family. These differences and the magnetic sensitivity of Drosophila cryptochrome are interpreted in terms of the radical pair mechanism and a photocycle involving the recently discovered fourth tryptophan electron donor.
In this study, the effect of radiofrequency (RF) exposure to 1950 MHz, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System signal, was investigated in Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line (V79). Genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of 20-h exposure at specific absorption rate (SAR) values from 0.15 W/kg to 1.25 W/kg were measured by means of cytokinesis-block micronucleus (MN) assay. Exposure was carried out blinded under strictly controlled conditions of dosimetry and temperature. The effect of RF exposure alone at four SAR values was tested, that is, 0.15, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.25 W/kg. A statistically significant increase in MN frequency was found in cultures exposed to 0.15 and 0.3 W/kg (P < 0.05) compared to sham-exposed ones, in the absence of cytotoxicity. SAR values of 0.6 and 1.25 W/kg did not exert any effect. Moreover, to evaluate the ability of RF to exert protective effects with respect to a chemical mutagen, cell cultures were also pre-exposed for 20 h at 0.3 or 1.25 W/kg, and then treated with 500 ng/ml of mitomycin-C (MMC). A significant reduction in the frequency of MN was detected in cultures pre-exposed to 1.25 W/kg compared to cultures treated with MMC alone (P < 0.05), indicating induction of adaptive response. Such a decrease was not induced by pre-exposure at 0.3 W/kg SAR. Taken together, our results indicated that V79 is a sensitive cell model to evidence either adverse or beneficial effects of RF exposure, depending on experimental conditions applied. Bioelectromagnetics. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) have been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as possible carcinogens to humans; however, this conclusion is based on limited epidemiological findings and lacks solid support from experimental studies. In particular, there are no consistent data regarding the genotoxicity of RF-EMFs. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is recognised as a chief guardian of genomic stability. To address the debate on whether RF-EMFs are genotoxic, we compared the effects of 1,800 MHz RF-EMF exposure on genomic DNA in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) with proficient (Atm+/+) or deficient (Atm−/−) ATM. In Atm+/+ MEFs, RF-EMF exposure for 1 h at an average special absorption rate of 4.0 W/kg induced significant DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs) and activated the SSB repair mechanism. This effect reduced the DNA damage to less than that of the background level after 36 hours of exposure. In the Atm−/− MEFs, the same RF-EMF exposure for 12 h induced both SSBs and double-strand breaks and activated the two repair processes, which also reduced the DNA damage to less than the control level after prolonged exposure. The observed phenomenon is similar to the hormesis of a toxic substance at a low dose. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report a hormesis-like effect of an RF-EMF.
The Stockholm Central Railway Station in Sweden was investigated for public radiofrequency (RF) radiation exposure. The exposimeter EME Spy 200 was used to collect the RF exposure data across the railway station. The exposimeter covers 20 different radiofrequency bands from 88 to 5,850 MHz. In total 1,669 data points were recorded. The median value for total exposure was 921 µW/m2 (or 0.092 µW/cm2; 1 µW/m2=0.0001 µW/cm2) with some outliers over 95,544 µW/m2 (6 V/m, upper detection limit). The mean total RF radiation level varied between 2,817 to 4,891 µW/m2 for each walking round. High mean measurements were obtained for GSM + UMTS 900 downlink varying between 1,165 and 2,075 µW/m2. High levels were also obtained for UMTS 2100 downlink; 442 to 1,632 µW/m2. Also LTE 800 downlink, GSM 1800 downlink, and LTE 2600 downlink were in the higher range of measurements. Hot spots were identified, for example close to a wall mounted base station yielding over 95,544 µW/m2 and thus exceeding the exposimeter's detection limit. Almost all of the total measured levels were above the precautionary target level of 3-6 µW/m2 as proposed by the BioInitiative Working Group in 2012. That target level was one-tenth of the scientific benchmark providing a safety margin either for children, or chronic exposure conditions. We compare the levels of RF radiation exposures identified in the present study to published scientific results reporting adverse biological effects and health harm at levels equivalent to, or below those measured in this Stockholm Central Railway Station project. It should be noted that these RF radiation levels give transient exposure, since people are generally passing through the areas tested, except for subsets of people who are there for hours each day of work.
This review aims to cover experimental data on oxidative effects of low-intensity radiofrequency radiation (RFR) in living cells. Analysis of the currently available peer-reviewed scientific literature reveals molecular effects induced by low-intensity RFR in living cells; this includes significant activation of key pathways generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), activation of peroxidation, oxidative damage of DNA and changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes. It indicates that among 100 currently available peer-reviewed studies dealing with oxidative effects of low-intensity RFR, in general, 93 confirmed that RFR induces oxidative effects in biological systems. A wide pathogenic potential of the induced ROS and their involvement in cell signaling pathways explains a range of biological/health effects of low-intensity RFR, which include both cancer and non-cancer pathologies. In conclusion, our analysis demonstrates that low-intensity RFR is an expressive oxidative agent for living cells with a high pathogenic potential and that the oxidative stress induced by RFR exposure should be recognized as one of the primary mechanisms of the biological activity of this kind of radiation.
The growing human exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields has raised a considerable concern regarding their genotoxic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo effects of ELF magnetic fields irradiation on mutation induction in the germline and somatic tissues of male mice. Seven week old BALB/c×CBA/Ca F1 hybrid males were exposed to 10, 100 or 300μT of 50Hz magnetic fields for 2 or 15h. Using single-molecule PCR, the frequency of mutation at the mouse Expanded Simple Tandem Repeat (ESTR) locus Ms6-hm was established in sperm and blood samples of exposed and matched sham-treated males. ESTR mutation frequency was also established in sperm and blood samples taken from male mice exposed to 1Gy of acute X-rays. The frequency of ESTR mutation in DNA samples extracted from blood of mice exposed to magnetic fields did not significantly differ from that in sham-treated controls. However, there was a marginally significant increase in mutation frequency in sperm but this was not dose-dependent. In contrast, acute exposure X-rays led to significant increases in mutation frequency in sperm and blood of exposed males. The results of our study suggest that, within the range of doses analyzed here, the in vivo mutagenic effects of ELF magnetic fields are likely to be minor if not negligible.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Background:
Previous research has suggested a possible link between neurodegenerative disease and exposure to extremely low-frequency electric and magnetic fields.
Aims:
To investigate whether risks of Alzheimer's, motor neurone or Parkinson's disease are related to occupational exposure to magnetic fields.
Methods:
The mortality experienced by a cohort of 73051 employees of the former Central Electricity Generating Board of England and Wales was investigated for the period 1973-2010. All employees were hired in the period 1952-82, were employed for at least 6 months and had some employment after 1 January 1973. Detailed calculations had been performed by others to enable an assessment to be made of exposures to magnetic fields. Poisson regression was used to calculate relative risks (rate ratios) of developing any of the three diseases under investigation for categories of lifetime, distant (lagged) and recent (lugged) exposure.
Results:
No statistically significant trends were shown for risks of any of these diseases to increase with estimates of lifetime, recent or distant exposure to magnetic fields.
Conclusions:
There is no convincing evidence that UK electricity generation and transmission workers have suffered elevated risks from neurodegenerative diseases as a consequence of exposure to magnetic fields.
Concern about the possible health effects from exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields is increasing worldwide. This paper presents analyses of measurements of low frequency magnetic and electric fields caused by conductors carrying current in the Oman electric power system. Measurements were taken during the summer period at around 3 PM to capture peak loads. Field measurements were from several high voltage environments which including different types of electricity infrastructure including overhead lines, underground cables and substations. The measured values were compared to the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) standards for both general public and occupational exposure. All the Oman values of electric and magnetic fields are lower than the recommended values provided by ICNIRP.
Extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) have raised some concerns due to their possible effects on workers' health. In this study ELF-MFs were measured in different units of the thermal power plant based on gridding the indoor space. The exposure level was measured by spot measurement based on the IEEE Std C95.3.1 and then simulated in units with the highest magnetic field intensity by using ArcGIS software. The operators and balance of plant (BOP) technicians (12.64 ± 9.74 μT) and office workers (2.41 ± 1.22 μT) had the highest and lowest levels of both measured and estimated ELF-MFs exposure. The highest measured ELF-MFs were in the vicinity of the power transmission lines in the transformers' building (48.2 μT). Our simulation showed the high and low exposure areas and ranked exposure well; but, the actual measurements of ELF-MFs exposure were in all cases higher than the estimated values, which means we still need to improve our estimations.
Current limits for exposures to nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) are set, based on relatively short‐term exposures. Long‐term exposures to weak EMF are not addressed in the current guidelines. Nevertheless, a large and growing amount of evidence indicates that long‐term exposure to weak fields can affect biological systems and might have effects on human health. If they do, the public health issues could be important because of the very large fraction of the population worldwide that is exposed. We also discuss research that needs to be done to clarify questions about the effects of weak fields. In addition to the current short‐term exposure guidelines, we propose an approach to how weak field exposure guidelines for long‐term exposures might be set, in which the responsibility for limiting exposure is divided between the manufacturer, system operator, and individual being exposed. Bioelectromagnetics. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society
Purpose: Various sources of radiation including radiofrequency, electromagnetic radiation (EMR), low- dose X-radiation, low-level microwave radiation and ionizing radiation (IR) are indispensable parts of modern life. In the current review, we discussed the adaptive responses of biological systems to radiation with a focus on the impacts of radiation-induced oxidative stress (RIOS) and its molecular downstream signaling pathways.
Materials and methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in Web of Sciences, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Keywords included Mesh terms of “radiation”, “electromagnetic radiation”, “adaptive immunity”, “oxidative stress”, and “immune checkpoints”. Manuscript published up until December 2019 were included.
Results: RIOS induces various molecular adaptors connected with adaptive responses in radiation exposed cells. One of these adaptors includes p53 which promotes various cellular signaling pathways. RIOS also activates the intrinsic apoptotic pathway by depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential and activating the caspase apoptotic cascade. RIOS is also involved in radiation-induced proliferative responses through interaction with mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPks) including p38 MAPK, ERK, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Protein kinase B (Akt)/phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway has also been reported to be involved in RIOS-induced proliferative responses. Furthermore, RIOS promotes genetic instability by introducing DNA structural and epigenetic alterations, as well as attenuating DNA repair mechanisms. Inflammatory transcription factors including macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), and signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT-3) paly major role in RIOS-induced inflammation.
Conclusion: In conclusion, RIOS considerably contributes to radiation induced adaptive responses. Other possible molecular adaptors modulating RIOS-induced responses are yet to be divulged in future studies.
A sub‐acute electromagnetic field (EMF) biological effect study was carried out on rats exposed in the Transverse ElectroMagnetic exposure chamber at 171 MHz Continuous Wave (CW). The experiments involved three exposure levels (15, 25, and 35 V/m) for 15 days with triplicate parallel sham‐exposed controls in each series. All exposure conditions were simulated for the evaluation of the electromagnetic energy distribution and specific absorption rate (SAR) in the rat phantoms. Studies have shown a biphasic biological response depending on time and absorbed electromagnetic energy. Under low SAR, approximately 0.006 W/kg, EMF exposure leads to the stimulation of adrenal gland activity. This process is accompanied by an initial increase of daily excretion of corticosterone and Na+, which is seen as a higher Na+/K+ ratio, followed by a decrease of these parameters over time. It is possible that EMF exposure causes a stress response in animals, which is seen as an increased adrenal activity. Bioelectromagnetics.
This paper summarizes studies on changes in cellular free radical activities from exposure to static and extremely-low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF), particularly magnetic fields. Changes in free radical activities, including levels of cellular reactive oxygen (ROS)/nitrogen (RNS) species and endogenous antioxidant enzymes and compounds that maintain physiological free radical concentrations in cells, is one of the most consistent effects of EMF exposure. These changes have been reported to affect many physiological functions such as DNA damage; immune response; inflammatory response; cell proliferation and differentiation; wound healing; neural electrical activities; and behavior. An important consideration is the effects of EMF-induced changes in free radicals on cell proliferation and differentiation. These cellular processes could affect cancer development and proper growth and development in organisms. On the other hand, they could cause selective killing of cancer cells, for instance, via the generation of the highly cytotoxic hydroxyl free radical by the Fenton Reaction. This provides a possibility of using these electromagnetic fields as a non-invasive and low side-effect cancer therapy. Static- and ELF-EMF probably play important roles in the evolution of living organisms. They are cues used in many critical survival functions, such as foraging, migration, and reproduction. Living organisms can detect and respond immediately to low environmental levels of these fields. Free radical processes are involved in some of these mechanisms. At this time, there is no credible hypothesis or mechanism that can adequately explain all the observed effects of static- and ELF-EMF on free radical processes. We are actually at the impasse that there are more questions than answers.
Background:
The aim of this study was to quantify RF-EMF exposure applying a tested protocol of RF-EMF exposure measurements using portable devices with a high sampling rate in different microenvironments of Switzerland, Ethiopia, Nepal, South Africa, Australia and the United States of America.
Method:
We used portable measurement devices for assessing RF-EMF exposure in 94 outdoor microenvironments and 18 public transport vehicles. The measurements were taken either by walking with a backpack with the devices at the height of the head and a distance of 20-30 cm from the body, or driving a car with the devices mounted on its roof, which was 170-180 cm above the ground. The measurements were taken for about 30 min while walking and about 15-20 min while driving in each microenvironment, with a sampling rate of once every 4 s (ExpoM-RF) and 5 s (EME Spy 201).
Results:
Mean total RF-EMF exposure in various outdoor microenvironments varied between 0.23 V/m (non-central residential area in Switzerland) and 1.85 V/m (university area in Australia), and across modes of public transport between 0.32 V/m (bus in rural area in Switzerland) and 0.86 V/m (Auto rickshaw in urban area in Nepal). For most outdoor areas the major exposure contribution was from mobile phone base stations. Otherwise broadcasting was dominant. Uplink from mobile phone handsets was generally very small, except in Swiss trains and some Swiss buses.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates high RF-EMF variability between the 94 selected microenvironments from all over the world. Exposure levels tended to increase with increasing urbanity. In most microenvironments downlink from mobile phone base stations is the most relevant contributor.
We performed a meta-analysis to examine associations of occupational exposure to extremely-low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Epidemiologic studies were identified in EMBASE and MEDLINE, in reference lists and a specialist database. We included studies that reported risk estimates of ALS in association with occupational ELF-MF exposure. Summary relative risks (RR) or odds ratios (OR) were obtained with random effect meta-analysis, and analyses were stratified by type of exposure assessment. This was done to evaluate whether observed heterogeneity between studies could be explained with differences in the way the exposure had been determined. We included 20 studies in our meta-analysis. Overall, studies reported a slightly increased risk of ALS in those exposed to higher levels of ELF-MF compared to lower levels with a summary RR (sRR) of 1.14 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.00–1.30) and for workers in electrical occupations (sRR 1.41, CI 1.05–1.92), but with large heterogeneity between studies (I2 > 70%). Self-reported exposure or occupations determined from death certificates did not show increased risks. Highest-longest types of exposure translated into increased risks of ALS if the studies had evaluated the whole occupational history, in contrast to evaluating only few points in time (e.g., from census records); sRR were 1.89 (CI 1.31–2.73, I2 0%) and 1.06 (CI 0.75–1.57, I2 76%), respectively. In this meta-analysis, we observed an increased risk of ALS in workers occupationally exposed to ELF-MF. Results of studies depended on the quality of the exposure assessment. Bioelectromagnetics.
Introduction:
Occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) occurs in many occupations such as welders, electric utility workers, train drivers and sewing machine operators. There is some evidence suggesting ELF-MF exposure to be a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The current study aims at systematically reviewing the literature and conducting a meta-analysis to evaluate the risk of AD amongst workers exposed to ELF-MF.
Methods:
Bibliographic databases were searched including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science in November 2017. Risk of bias was assessed in the all included studies. Pooled estimates were obtained using random-effects meta-analysis. In addition, sources of heterogeneity between studies and publication bias were explored.
Results:
In total, 20 articles met the inclusion criteria. The pooled results suggest an increased risk of AD (RR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.35, 1.96). Higher risk estimates were obtained from case-control studies (OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.40, 2.32) than from cohort studies (RR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.87). A moderate to high heterogeneity (I2 = 61.0%) and indication for publication bias (Egger test: p < .001) were found.
Conclusion:
The results suggested that occupational exposure to ELF-MF might increase the risk of AD. However, this suggestion should be interpreted with caution given the moderate to high heterogeneity and indication for publication bias.
This study examined whether non-ionizing radiofrequency fields (RF) exposure is capable of inducing poly ADP-ribose polymerase-1 (PARP-1) in bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and whether it plays a role in RF-induced adaptive response (AR). Bone marrow stromal cells(BMSCs) were exposed to 900 MHz RF at 120 μW/cm² power flux density for 3 hours/day for 5 days and then challenged with a genotoxic dose of 1.5 Gy gamma-radiation (GR). Some cells were also treated with 3-aminobenzamide (3-AB, 2 mM final concentration), a potent inhibitor of PARP-1. Un-exposed and sham (SH)-exposed control cells as well as positive control cells exposed to gamma radiation (GR) were included in the experiments. The expression of PARP-1 mRNA and its protein levels as well as single strand breaks in the DNA and the kinetics of their repair were evaluated at several times after exposures. The results indicated the following. (a) Cells exposed to RF alone showed significantly increased PARP-1 mRNA expression and its protein levels compared with those exposed to SH- and GR alone. (b) Treatment of RF-exposed cells with 3-AB had diminished such increase in PARP-1. (c) Cells exposed to RF + GR showed significantly decreased genetic damage as well as faster kinetics of repair compared with those exposed to GR alone. (d) Cells exposed to RF + 3-AB + GR showed no such decrease in genetic damage. Thus, the overall date suggested that non-ionizing RF exposure was capable of inducing PARP-1 which has a role in RF-induced AR.
Objective:
To prospectively study suspected occupational risk factors for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Methods:
For this case-cohort analysis within the prospective Netherlands Cohort Study, 58?279 men and 62?573 women aged 55-69 years at enrolment in 1986 were followed up for 17.3 years on ALS mortality. Information on occupational history and potential confounders were collected at baseline through a self-administered questionnaire and entered for a random subcohort (2092 men and 2074 women) and ALS deaths (76 men and 60 women). Occupational exposure to solvents, pesticides, metals, extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) and electrical shocks was estimated by means of job exposure matrices (JEMs). Associations between ever/never occupationally exposed and cumulative exposure and ALS mortality were analysed by gender using Cox regression.
Results:
Occupational exposure to ELF-MF showed a possible association with ALS mortality among men: HR for ever holding a job with high exposure versus background 2.19 (95% (CI): 1.02 to 4.73) and HR for the highest tertile of cumulative exposure versus background 1.93 (95% CI 1.05 to 3.55).
Interpretation:
These results strengthen the evidence suggesting a positive association between ELF-MF exposure and ALS. We did not replicate earlier positive findings for other occupational exposures.
Proposed is a general physical mechanism of magnetoreception of weak magnetic fields (MFs). The mechanism is based on classical precessional dynamics of a magnetic moment in a thermally disturbed environment and includes a minimum of necessary parameters—the gyromagnetic ratio, thermal relaxation time, and rate of downstream events generated by changes in the state of the magnetic moment. The mechanism imposes general restrictions on the probability of initial biophysical magnetic transduction event before the involvement of specific biophysical and biochemical mechanisms—i.e., regardless of the nature of an MF target and the subsequent cascade of events. It is shown that biological effects of weak MFs have, in certain cases, nonlinear and frequency selective properties. The observation of these characteristics provides information not only on the target's gyromagnetic ratio, but also on the parameters of its interaction with the immediate environment. This enables one to develop experimental strategies for identifying the biophysical mechanisms of magnetoreception including the specific case of effects of a near-zero MF exposure. The mechanism is universally applicable to magnetic moments of different nature, in particular, of electron and proton orbital motion and of spins. Experimental exposure conditions are derived which would lead to validation of the proposed mechanism. Bioelectromagnetics.
In the last two decades, the deployment of phone masts around the world has taken place and, for many years, there has been a discussion in the scientific community about the possible environmental impact from mobile phone base stations. Trees have several advantages over animals as experimental subjects and the aim of this study was to verify whether there is a connection between unusual (generally unilateral) tree damage and radiofrequency exposure. To achieve this, a detailed long-term (2006-2015) field monitoring study was performed in the cities of Bamberg and Hallstadt (Germany). During monitoring, observations and photographic recordings of unusual or unexplainable tree damage were taken, alongside the measurement of electromagnetic radiation. In 2015 measurements of RF-EMF (Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields) were carried out. A polygon spanning both cities was chosen as the study site, where 144 measurements of the radiofrequency of electromagnetic fields were taken at a height of 1.5m in streets and parks at different locations. By interpolation of the 144 measurement points, we were able to compile an electromagnetic map of the power flux density in Bamberg and Hallstadt. We selected 60 damaged trees, in addition to 30 randomly selected trees and 30 trees in low radiation areas (n=120) in this polygon. The measurements of all trees revealed significant differences between the damaged side facing a phone mast and the opposite side, as well as differences between the exposed side of damaged trees and all other groups of trees in both sides. Thus, we found that side differences in measured values of power flux density corresponded to side differences in damage. The 30 selected trees in low radiation areas (no visual contact to any phone mast and power flux density under 50μW/m(2)) showed no damage. Statistical analysis demonstrated that electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone masts is harmful for trees. These results are consistent with the fact that damage afflicted on trees by mobile phone towers usually start on one side, extending to the whole tree over time.
Paper in:
http://media.withtank.com/592b5448ab/waldmann-selsam_2016_scitotenv572p554-569_rf__trees.pdf
http://kompetenzinitiative.net/KIT/KIT/baeume-in-bamberg/
http://kompetenzinitiative.net/KIT/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Trees-in-Bamberg-and-Hallstadt-Documentation-2006-2016.pdf
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/mobilfunk_newsletter/5r37cJ-EqPI
The aim of this study was to examine whether radiofrequency field (RF) preexposure induced adaptive responses (AR) in mouse bone-marrow stromal cells (BMSC) and the mechanisms underlying the observed findings. Cells were preexposed to 900-MHz radiofrequency fields (RF) at 120 μW/cm2 power intensity for 4 h/d for 5 d. Some cells were subjected to 1.5 Gy γ-radiation (GR) 4 h following the last RF exposure. The intensity of strand breaks in the DNA was assessed immediately at 4 h. Subsequently, some BMSC were examined at 30, 60, 90, or 120 min utilizing the alkaline comet assay and γ-H2AX foci technique. Data showed no significant differences in number and intensity of strand breaks in DNA between RF-exposed and control cells. A significant increase in number and intensity of DNA strand breaks was noted in cells exposed to GR exposure alone. RF followed by GR exposure significantly decreased number of strand breaks and resulted in faster kinetics of repair of DNA strand breaks compared to GR alone. Thus, data suggest that RF preexposure protected cells from damage induced by GR. Evidence indicates that in RF-mediated AR more rapid repair kinetics occurs under conditions of GR-induced damage, which may be attributed to diminished DNA strand breakage.
Although it has been known for almost half a century that migratory birds can detect the direction of theEarth's magnetic field, the primary sensory mechanism behind this remarkable feat is still unclear. The leading hypothesis centers on radical pairs-magnetically sensitive chemical intermediates formed by photoexcitation of cryptochrome proteins in the retina. Our primary aim here is to explain the chemical and physical aspects of the radical-pair mechanism to biologists and the biological and chemical aspects to physicists. In doing so, we review the current state of knowledge on magnetoreception mechanisms. We dare to hope that this tutorial will stimulate new interdisciplinary experimental and theoretical work that will shed much-needed additional light on this fascinating problem in sensory biology. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics Volume 45 is May 06, 2016. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/catalog/pubdates.aspx for revised estimates.
This work presents the results of measured indoor exposure levels to radiofrequency (RF) radiation emitting sources in one of the major cities in the West Bank-the city of Hebron. Investigated RF emitters include FM, TV broadcasting stations, mobile telephony base stations, cordless phones [Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT)], and wireless local area networks (WLAN). Measurements of power density were conducted in 343 locations representing different site categories in the city. The maximum total power density found at any location was about 2.3 × 10 W m with a corresponding exposure quotient of about 0.01. This value is well below unity, indicating compliance with the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). The average total exposure from all RF sources was 0.08 × 10 W m. The relative contributions from different sources to the total exposure in terms of exposure quotient were evaluated and found to be 46% from FM radio, 26% from GSM900, 15% from DECT phones, 9% from WLAN, 3% from unknown sources, and 1% from TV broadcasting. RF sources located outdoors contribute about 73% to the population exposure indoors.
In recent years, terahertz (THz) radiation has been widely used in a variety of applications: medical, security, telecommunications and military areas. However, few data are available on the biological effects of this type of electromagnetic radiation and the reported results, using different genetic or cellular assays, are quite discordant. This multidisciplinary study focuses on potential genotoxic and cytotoxic effects, evaluated by several end-points, associated with THz radiation. For this purpose, in vitro exposure of human foetal fibroblasts to low frequency THz radiation (0.1–0.15 THz) was performed using a Compact Free Electron Laser. We did not observe an induction of DNA damage evaluated by Comet assay, phosphorylation of H2AX histone or telomere length modulation. In addiction, no induction of apoptosis or changes in pro-survival signalling proteins were detected. Moreover, our results indicated an increase in the total number of micronuclei and centromere positive micronuclei induction evaluated by CREST analysis, indicating that THz radiation could induce aneugenic rather than clastogenic effects, probably leading to chromosome loss. Furthermore, an increase of actin polymerization observed by ultrastructural analysis after THz irradiation, supports the hypothesis that an abnormal assembly of spindle proteins could lead to the observed chromosomal malsegregation.
The purpose of this work is to measure the magnetic emitted from underground transmission lines and camper with international limit. The measurements of magnetic field were performed with the aid of TRIAXIAL ELF Magnetic Field Meter. The level of magnetic field were found in the range 1 to 197 with mean value of 51.6 ± 44.2 mG. The survey of magnetic field measurements revealed that the level of radiation dose found to be far below than the standard dose limit for the public exposure set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection ICNIRP 830.
It is proposed that radical concentrations can be modified by combinations of weak, steady and alternating magnetic fields that modify the population distribution of the nuclear and electronic spin state, the energy levels and the alignment of the magnetic moments of the components of the radical pairs. In low external magnetic fields, the electronic and nuclear angular momentum vectors are coupled by internal forces that outweigh the external fields' interactions and are characterized in the Hamiltonian by the total quantum number F. Radical pairs form with their unpaired electrons in singlet (S) or triplet (T) states with respect to each other. At frequencies corresponding to the energy separation between the various states in the external magnetic fields, transitions can occur that change the populations of both electron and nuclear states. In addition, the coupling between the nuclei, nuclei and electrons, and Zeeman shifts in the electron and nuclear energy levels can lead to transitions with resonances spanning frequencies from a few Hertz into the megahertz region. For nuclear energy levels with narrow absorption line widths, this can lead to amplitude and frequency windows. Changes in the pair recombination rates can change radical concentrations and modify biological processes. The overall conclusion is that the application of magnetic fields at frequencies ranging from a few Hertz to microwaves at the absorption frequencies observed in electron and nuclear resonance spectroscopy for radicals can lead to changes in free radical concentrations and have the potential to lead to biologically significant changes. Bioelectromagnetics. 2014;9999:1–10. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Purpose:
To determine whether mice exposed to radiofrequency fields (RF) and then injected with a radiomimetic drug, bleomycin (BLM), exhibit adaptive response and provide some mechanistic evidence for such response.
Materials and methods:
Adult mice were exposed to 900 MHz RF at 120 μW/cm(2) power density for 4 hours/day for 7 days. Immediately after the last exposure, some mice were sacrificed while the others were injected with BLM 4 h later. In each animal: (i) The primary DNA damage and BLM-induced damage as well as its repair kinetics were determined in blood leukocytes; and (ii) the oxidative damage was determined from malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the antioxidant status was assessed from superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in plasma, liver and lung tissues.
Results:
There were no indications for increased DNA and oxidative damages in mice exposed to RF alone in contrast to those treated with BLM alone. Mice exposed to RF+ BLM showed significantly: (a) reduced BLM-induced DNA damage and that remained after each 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 min repair time, and (b) decreased levels of MDA in plasma and liver, and increased SOD level in the lung.
Conclusions:
The overall data suggested that RF exposure was capable of inducing adaptive response and mitigated BLM- induced DNA and oxidative damages by activating certain cellular processes.
In 1980, Tell and Mantiply published a study of radiofrequency (RF) fields measured across 15 major metropolitan areas in
the USA. They required a van fully equipped with instrumentation and computing capability for their measurements. This study
aimed to assess whether and how hand-held instrumentation available today would facilitate and enhance the efficiency of large-scale
surveys of ambient RF fields. In addition, the data would provide a suggestion as to how the profile of ambient RF fields
has changed with respect to frequency content and magnitude. Not unexpectedly, the relative power densities were orders of
magnitude lower than the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) maximum permissible exposure (MPE) for the general public,
with a maximum time-averaged value across the VHF–FM–UHF–cellular bands of 0.12 % of the MPE (AM's contribution was negligible).
In both the 1980 and the present study, the power density in the FM band was a major contributor to overall power density,
but over time, power densities in the VHF and UHF band decreased and increased, respectively. From the perspective of absolute
power density, the wideband values in the 1980 study, this study and any number of assessments conducted in European nations
are not generally different from one another.
A novel, car based, measuring system for estimation of general public outdoor exposure to radiofrequency fields (RF) has been developed. The system enables fast, large area, isotropic spectral measurements with a bandwidth covering the frequency range of 30 MHz to 3 GHz. Measurements have shown that complete mapping of a town with 15000 inhabitants and a path length of 115 km is possible to perform within 1 day. The measured areas were chosen to represent typical rural, urban and city areas of Sweden. The data sets consist of more than 70000 measurements. All measurements were performed during the daytime. The median power density was 16 µW/m(2) in rural areas, 270 µW/m(2) in urban areas, and 2400 µW/m(2) in city areas. In urban and city areas, base stations for mobile phones were clearly the dominating sources of exposure. Bioelectromagnetics © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) exposure is attracting increased attention as a possible disease-inducing factor. The in vivo effects of short-term and long-term ELF-EMF exposure on male Drosophila melanogaster were studied using transcriptomic analysis for preliminary screening and QRT-PCR for further verification. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that 439 genes were up-regulated and 874 genes were down-regulated following short-term exposures and that 514 genes were up-regulated and 1206 genes were down-regulated following long-term exposures (expression >2- or <0.5-fold, respectively). In addition, there're 238 up-regulated genes and 598 down-regulated genes in the intersection of short-term and long-term exposure (expression >2- or <0.5-fold). The DEGs (Differentially Expressed Genes) in D. melanogaster following short-term exposures were involved in metabolic processes, cytoskeletal organization, mitotic spindle organization, cell death, protein modification and proteolysis. Long-term exposure let to changes in expression of genes involved in metabolic processes, response to stress, mitotic spindle organization, aging, cell death and cellular respiration. In the intersection of short-term and long-term exposure, a series of DEGs were related to apoptosis, aging, immunological stress and reproduction. To check the ELF-EMF effects on reproduction, some experiments on male reproduction ability were performed. Their results indicated that short-term ELF-EMF exposure may decrease the reproductive ability of males, but long-term exposures had no effect on reproductive ability. Down-regulation of ark gene in the exposed males suggests that the decrease in reproductive capacity may be induced by the effects of ELF-EMF exposure on spermatogenesis through the caspase pathway. QRT-PCR analysis confirmed that jra, ark and decay genes were down regulated in males exposed for 1 Generation (1 G) and 72h, which suggests that apoptosis may be inhibited in vivo. ELF-EMF exposure may have accelerated cell senescence, as suggested by the down-regulation of both cat and jra genes and the up-regulation of hsp22 gene. Up-regulation of totA and hsp22 genes during exposure suggests that exposed flies might induce an in vivo immune response to counter the adverse effects encountered during ELF-EMF exposure. Down-regulation of cat genes suggests that the partial oxidative protection system might be restrained, especially during short-term exposures. This study demonstrates the bioeffects of ELF-EMF exposure and provides evidence for understanding the in vivo mechanisms of ELF-EMF exposure on male D. melanogaster.
