Quantitative evaluations of mechanisms of radiofrequency interactions with biological molecules and processes

Effects of 940 MHz EMF on bioluminescence and oxidative response of stable luciferase producing HEK cells

Oxidative stress and response are among EMF mechanisms of action; the absorbed dose and ability of cells to respond might be summarized by the intracellular luciferase activity.

Very-low-frequency and low-frequency electric and magnetic fields associated with electric shuttle bus wireless charging

Tests conducted to date at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) indicate that wireless charging of the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority's (CARTA) downtown shuttle bus, currently operating with off-board battery charging technology, offers significant improvements in performance and cost. The system operates at a frequency of 20 kHz and a peak power of 60 kW. Because the system's wireless charging is expected to occur during a nominal 3-min charging period with passengers on-board, the magnetic and electric fields associated with charging were characterised at UTC's Advanced Vehicle Test Facility and compared with established human exposure limits. The two most prominent exposure limits are those published by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Both organisations include limits for groups who are trained (workers in specific industries) to be aware of electromagnetic environments and their potential hazards, as well as a lower set of limits for the general public, who are assumed to lack such awareness. None of the magnetic or electric fields measured either within or outside the bus during charging exceeded either the ICNIRP or the IEEE exposure limits for the general public.

Wi-Fi and health: review of current status of research

This review summarizes the current state of research on possible health effects of Wi-Fi (a commercial name for IEEE 802.11-compliant wireless networking). In response to public concerns about health effects of Wi-Fi and wireless networks and calls by government agencies for research on possible health and safety issues with the technology, a considerable amount of technology-specific research has been completed. A series of high quality engineering studies have provided a good, but not complete, understanding of the levels of radiofrequency (RF) exposure to individuals from Wi-Fi. The limited number of technology-specific bioeffects studies done to date are very mixed in terms of quality and outcome. Unequivocally, the RF exposures from Wi-Fi and wireless networks are far below U.S. and international exposure limits for RF energy. While several studies report biological effects due to Wi-Fi-type exposures, technical limitations prevent drawing conclusions from them about possible health risks of the technology. The review concludes with suggestions for future research on the topic.

Enhancement of docetaxel-treated MCF-7 cell death by 900-MHz radiation

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of high-frequency electromagnetic field of 900 MHz at 8 W input power on metabolic activity of human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells. With the aid of the colorimetric MTT assay, it was shown that there is significant change in cell culture survival exposed to docetaxel in field-free conditions in comparison with cells treated with docetaxel simultaneously exposed to high-frequency electromagnetic field.

Evaluation of thermal and non-thermal effects of UHF RFID exposure on biological drugs

The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology promises to improve several processes in the healthcare scenario, especially those related to traceability of people and things. Unfortunately, there are still some barriers limiting the large-scale deployment of these innovative technologies in the healthcare field. Among these, the evaluation of potential thermal and non-thermal effects due to the exposure of biopharmaceutical products to electromagnetic fields is very challenging, but still slightly investigated. This paper aims to setup a controlled RF exposure environment, in order to reproduce a worst-case exposure of pharmaceutical products to the electromagnetic fields generated by the UHF RFID devices placed along the supply chain. Radiated powers several times higher than recommended by current normative limits were applied (10 W and 20 W). The electric field strength at the exposed sample location, used in tests, was as high as 100 V/m. Non-thermal effects were evaluated by chromatography techniques and in vitro assays. The results obtained for a particular case study, the ActrapidTM human insulin preparation, showed temperature increases lower than 0.5 °C and no significant changes in the structure and performance of the considered drug.

Targeted In Situ Biosynthetic Transcriptional Activation in Native Surface-Level Human Articular Chondrocytes during Lesion Stabilization

OBJECTIVE

Safe articular cartilage lesion stabilization is an important early surgical intervention advance toward mitigating articular cartilage disease burden. While short-term chondrocyte viability and chondrosupportive matrix modification have been demonstrated within tissue contiguous to targeted removal of damaged articular cartilage, longer term tissue responses require evaluation to further clarify treatment efficacy. The purpose of this study was to examine surface chondrocyte responses within contiguous tissue after lesion stabilization.

METHODS

Nonablation radiofrequency lesion stabilization of human cartilage explants obtained during knee replacement was performed for surface fibrillation. Time-dependent chondrocyte viability, nuclear morphology and cell distribution, and temporal response kinetics of matrix and chaperone gene transcription indicative of differentiated chondrocyte function were evaluated in samples at intervals to 96 hours after treatment.

RESULTS

Subadjacent surface articular cartilage chondrocytes demonstrated continued viability for 96 hours after treatment, a lack of increased nuclear fragmentation or condensation, persistent nucleic acid production during incubation reflecting cellular assembly behavior, and transcriptional up-regulation of matrix and chaperone genes indicative of retained biosynthetic differentiated cell function.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study provide further evidence of treatment efficacy and suggest the possibility to manipulate or induce cellular function, thereby recruiting local chondrocytes to aid lesion recovery. Early surgical intervention may be viewed as a tissue rescue, allowing articular cartilage to continue displaying biological responses appropriate to its function rather than converting to a tissue ultimately governed by the degenerative material property responses of matrix failure. Early intervention may positively impact the late changes and reduce disease burden of damaged articular cartilage.

Far infrared radiation (FIR): its biological effects and medical applications

Far infrared (FIR) radiation (λ = 3-100 μm) is a subdivision of the electromagnetic spectrum that has been investigated for biological effects. The goal of this review is to cover the use of a further sub-division (3- 12 μm) of this waveband, that has been observed in both in vitro and in vivo studies, to stimulate cells and tissue, and is considered a promising treatment modality for certain medical conditions. Technological advances have provided new techniques for delivering FIR radiation to the human body. Specialty lamps and saunas, delivering pure FIR radiation (eliminating completely the near and mid infrared bands), have became safe, effective, and widely used sources to generate therapeutic effects. Fibers impregnated with FIR emitting ceramic nanoparticles and woven into fabrics, are being used as garments and wraps to generate FIR radiation, and attain health benefits from its effects.

Non-thermal effects of 2.45 GHz microwaves on spindle assembly, mitotic cells and viability of Chinese hamster V-79 cells

The production of mitotic spindle disturbances and activation of the apoptosis pathway in V79 Chinese hamster cells by continuous 2.45 GHz microwaves exposure were studied, in order to investigate possible non-thermal cell damage. We demonstrated that microwave (MW) exposure at the water resonance frequency was able to induce alteration of the mitotic apparatus and apoptosis as a function of the applied power densities (5 and 10mW/cm(2)), together with a moderate reduction in the rate of cell division. After an exposure time of 15 min the proportion of aberrant spindles and of apoptotic cells was significantly increased, while the mitotic index decreased as well, as compared to the untreated V79 cells. Additionally, in order to understand if the observed effects were due to RF exposure per se or to a thermal effect, V79 cells were also treated in thermostatic bath mimicking the same temperature increase recorded during microwave emission. The effect of temperature on the correct assembly of mitotic spindles was negligible up to 41°C, while apoptosis was induced only when the medium temperature achieved 40°C, thus exceeding the maximum value registered during MW exposure. We hypothesise that short-time MW exposures at the water resonance frequency cause, in V79 cells, reversible alterations of the mitotic spindle, this representing, in turn, a pro-apoptotic signal for the cell line.

Systematic review of wireless phone use and brain cancer and other head tumors

We conducted a systematic review of scientific studies to evaluate whether the use of wireless phones is linked to an increased incidence of the brain cancer glioma or other tumors of the head (meningioma, acoustic neuroma, and parotid gland), originating in the areas of the head that most absorb radiofrequency (RF) energy from wireless phones. Epidemiology and in vivo studies were evaluated according to an agreed protocol; quality criteria were used to evaluate the studies for narrative synthesis but not for meta-analyses or pooling of results. The epidemiology study results were heterogeneous, with sparse data on long-term use (≥ 10 years). Meta-analyses of the epidemiology studies showed no statistically significant increase in risk (defined as P < 0.05) for adult brain cancer or other head tumors from wireless phone use. Analyses of the in vivo oncogenicity, tumor promotion, and genotoxicity studies also showed no statistically significant relationship between exposure to RF fields and genotoxic damage to brain cells, or the incidence of brain cancers or other tumors of the head. Assessment of the review results using the Hill criteria did not support a causal relationship between wireless phone use and the incidence of adult cancers in the areas of the head that most absorb RF energy from the use of wireless phones. There are insufficient data to make any determinations about longer-term use (≥ 10 years).

Impacto do uso do telefone celular na saúde de crianças e adolescentes

OBJETIVO: Apresentar o conhecimento sobre efeitos biológicos dos campos eletromagnéticos, detalhes da absorção da energia dos campos de micro-ondas na criança, efeitos da exposição a esses campos no período pré e pós-natal e impacto do uso dos telefones celulares no sistema nervoso central e no comportamento de crianças. FONTES DE DADOS: Trabalhos em língua inglesa publicados entre 2004 e 2009 e indexados na base de dados PubMed com os unitermos: "crianças", "telefones celulares" e "micro-ondas". SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: Telefones celulares emitem radiofrequência na faixa de micro-ondas, cujos efeitos biológicos podem ser térmicos (aquecimento dos tecidos) ou não térmicos (estresse oxidativo e mudanças na conformação da cromatina). Pesquisas experimentais sugerem que a dissipação da energia de radiofrequência nos tecidos seria maior na criança do que no adulto. Em ratos, a exposição pré-natal à radiofrequência em níveis não térmicos não produz efeito teratogênico ou mutagênico, nem aumento da permeabilidade da barreira hematoencefálica ou da expressão de heat shock proteins no encéfalo. Não há evidência de efeito nocivo da radiação dos celulares na cognição de crianças. Fazer ligações ou enviar mensagens de texto no horário noturno aumenta a probabilidade de sonolência diurna em adolescentes. Crianças que usam mais o celular podem ter déficit de memória e comportamento impulsivo. CONCLUSÕES: Não está comprovado que a exposição à radiação dos celulares, pré ou pós-natal, dentro dos limites de segurança para humanos, induz dano ao desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso central. Entretanto, padrões culturais relacionados à posse e uso dos aparelhos influenciam o comportamento de crianças e adolescentes e podem provocar distúrbios do sono.

Absence of nonlinear responses in cells and tissues exposed to RF energy at mobile phone frequencies using a doubly resonant cavity

A doubly resonant cavity was used to search for nonlinear radiofrequency (RF) energy conversion in a range of biological preparations, thereby testing the hypothesis that living tissue can demodulate RF carriers and generate baseband signals. The samples comprised high-density cell suspensions (human lymphocytes and mouse bone marrow cells); adherent cells (IMR-32 human neuroblastoma, G361 human melanoma, HF-19 human fibroblasts, N2a murine neuroblastoma (differentiated and non-differentiated) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells) and thin sections or slices of mouse tissues (brain, kidney, muscle, liver, spleen, testis, heart and diaphragm). Viable and non-viable (heat killed or metabolically impaired) samples were tested. Over 500 cell and tissue samples were placed within the cavity, exposed to continuous wave (CW) fields at the resonant frequency (f) of the loaded cavity (near 883 MHz) using input powers of 0.1 or 1 mW, and monitored for second harmonic generation by inspection of the output at 2f. Unwanted signals were minimised using low pass filters (≤ 1 GHz) at the input to, and high pass filters (≥ 1 GHz) at the output from, the cavity. A tuned low noise amplifier allowed detection of second harmonic signals above a noise floor as low as -169 dBm. No consistent second harmonic of the incident CW signals was detected. Therefore, these results do not support the hypothesis that living cells can demodulate RF energy, since second harmonic generation is the necessary and sufficient condition for demodulation.

Radiophonosurgery of vocal fold nodules

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To describe the current support in the literature for radiophonosurgery in cases of vocal fold nodules.

RECENT FINDINGS

Radiophonosurgery is a recent innovation in the field of laryngeal surgery. It is emerging as a reliable and practical method for treating benign superficial vocal fold lesions that is increasingly becoming popular. It induces an excellent subjective and objective improvement in voice parameters. Histologically, it produces unremarkable lateral thermal damage and char penetration, which is quite crucial in a functional surgery such as in phonosurgery. Well designed probes are still lacking in the market.

SUMMARY

Radiophonosurgery provides a new approach for patients with vocal fold nodules. It combines the advantages of both cold knife and laser phonosurgery and is easy, well tolerated, precise and effective with excellent tactile and hemostatic properties.

Measurement and analysis of radiofrequency radiations from some mobile phone base stations in Ghana

A survey of the radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation at public access points in the vicinity of 50 cellular phone base stations has been carried out. The primary objective was to measure and analyse the electromagnetic field strength levels emitted by antennae installed and operated by the Ghana Telecommunications Company. On all the sites measurements were made using a hand-held spectrum analyser to determine the electric field level with the 900 and 1800 MHz frequency bands. The results indicated that power densities at public access points varied from as low as 0.01 microW m(-2) to as high as 10 microW m(-2) for the frequency of 900 MHz. At a transmission frequency of 1800 MHz, the variation of power densities is from 0.01 to 100 microW m(-2). The results were found to be in compliant with the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiological Protection guidance level but were 20 times higher than the results generally obtained for such a practice elsewhere. There is therefore a need to re-assess the situation to ensure reduction in the present level as an increase in mobile phone usage is envisaged within the next few years.

Acute mobile phones exposure affects frontal cortex hemodynamics as evidenced by functional near-infrared spectroscopy

This study aimed to evaluate by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), the effects induced by an acute exposure (40 mins) to a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) signal emitted by a mobile phone (MP) on the oxygenation of the frontal cortex. Eleven healthy volunteers underwent two sessions (Real and Sham exposure) after a crossover, randomized, double-blind paradigm. The whole procedure lasted 60 mins: 10-mins baseline (Bsl), 40-mins (Exposure), and 10-mins recovery (Post-Exp). Together with frontal hemodynamics, heart rate, objective and subjective vigilance, and self-evaluation of subjective symptoms were also assessed. The fNIRS results showed a slight influence of the GSM signal on frontal cortex, with a linear increase in [HHb] as a function of time in the Real exposure condition (F(4,40)=2.67; P=0.04). No other measure showed any GSM exposure-dependent changes. These results suggest that fNIRS is a convenient tool for safely and noninvasively investigating the cortical activation in MP exposure experimental settings. Given the short-term effects observed in this study, the results should be confirmed on a larger sample size and using a multichannel instrument that allows the investigation of a wider portion of the frontal cortex.