I have been circulating abstracts of newly-published scientific papers on wireless radiation and electromagnetic fields (EMF) about once a month since August, 2016. Several hundred EMF scientists around the world receive these updates. The complete collection including the papers below now contains more than 500 abstracts.
To see the latest studies or download the 405-page document (pdf) go to the following web page:
Recent News
"The 5G Mass Experiment" and the "ICNIRP Cartel"
"... it could also harm your health. Europe's governments ignore the danger."
As part of a project called, “The 5G Mass Experiment,” Investigate Europe, a team of investigative journalists from the European Union (EU), examined the risks of deployment of 5G, the fifth generation of mobile phone technology, and the adequacy of electromagnetic field (EMF) safety guidelines promoted by the International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). To date, the team has published six articles in major newspapers and magazines in five EU countries: Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal.
Investigate Europe alleges the existence of an “ICNIRP cartel.” The journalists identified a group of fourteen scientists who either helped create, or defend, the EMF exposure guidelines disseminated by ICNIRP, a non-governmental organization based in Germany.A compilation of this information about the ICNIRP Cartel members and the health agencies that the Cartel affected can be downloaded at http://bit.ly/IE-ICNIRPcartel.
Recent Papers
Review of biological effects of EMF in intermediate frequency range (300 Hz to 1 MHz)
Bodewein L, Schmiedchen K, Dechent D, Stunder D, Graefrath D, Winter L, Kraus T, Driessen S. Systematic review on the biological effects of electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields in the intermediate frequency range (300 Hz to 1 MHz). Environ Res. 2019 Jan 9;171:247-259. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.01.015.
Highlights
• Biological effects of intermediate frequency fields were systematically analyzed.
• Fifty-six experimental studies were eligible.
• Weak field strengths and frequencies > 100 kHz have been hardly investigated.
• Low quality of evidence for adverse effects for most examined endpoints.
• Methodical limitations lowered credibility of the results.
Excerpt
"... a few studies that were of moderate quality, revealed some potentially adverse effects of MF in the IF range, such as an increased number of abnormal chicken embryos (Juutilainen and Saali, 1986), or an increase in inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress markers in the young mouse brain (Win-Shwe et al., 2015). Such studies should be replicated by independent laboratories."
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Many novel technologies, including induction cookers or wireless power transfer, produce electric fields (EF), magnetic fields (MF) or electromagnetic fields (EMF) in the intermediate frequency (IF) range. The effects of such fields on biological systems, however, have been poorly investigated. The aim of this systematic review was to provide an update of the state of research and to evaluate the potential for adverse effects of EF, MF and EMF in the IF range (300 Hz to 1 MHz) on biological systems.
METHODS: The review was prepared in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Methodical limitations in individual studies were assessed using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) Risk of Bias Rating Tool for Human and Animal Studies.
RESULTS: Fifty-six studies exposing humans, animals or in vitro systems were eligible for this review. In these studies, many different endpoints were examined and most of the findings were obtained in studies with exposure to MF. For most endpoints, however, the reviewed studies yielded inconsistent results, with some studies indicating no effect and some linking IF exposure with adverse effects. In the majority of the included studies, the applied field strengths were above the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) reference levels for the general public and the applied frequencies were mainly below 100 kHz. Furthermore, many of the reviewed studies suffered from methodical limitations which lowered the credibility of the reported results.
CONCLUSION: Due to the large heterogeneity in study designs, endpoints and exposed systems, as well as the inconsistent results and methodical limitations in many studies, the quality of evidence for adverse effects remains inadequate for drawing a conclusion on investigated biological effects of IF fields for most endpoints. We recommend that in future studies, effects of EF, MF and EMF in the IF range should be investigated more systematically, i.e., studies should consider various frequencies to identify potential frequency-dependent effects and apply different field strengths, especially if threshold-dependent effects are expected. Priority should be given to the investigation of acute effects, like induction of phosphenes, perception, excitation of nerves or muscles and thermal effects. This would be an important step towards the validation of the reference levels recommended by ICNIRP. Furthermore, we recommend that any new studies aim at implementing high quality dosimetry and minimizing sources of risk of bias.
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Trends and patterns of incidence of diffuse glioma in adults in the United States, 1973-2014
Li K, Lu D, Guo Y, Wang C, Liu X, Liu Y, Liu D. Trends and patterns of incidence of diffuse glioma in adults in the United States, 1973-2014. Cancer Med. 2018 Oct;7(10):5281-5290. doi: 10.1002/cam4.1757.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The objective of the study was to identify trends in incidence of adult diffuse gliomas in the United States and evaluate the contribution of age, period, and cohort effects to the trends.
METHODS: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 9 database, primary diffuse glioma patients (≥20 years old) diagnosed from 1973 to 2014 were identified. Incidence trends were analyzed using joinpoint regression and age-period-cohort modeling.
RESULTS: Overall, the incidence for adult glioma decreased slowly from 1985 to 2014 (annual percent change [APC] = 0.5%, 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.3%-0.6%). In histology subtype-stratified analysis, glioblastoma and nonglioblastoma exhibited opposite trends. The incidence for glioblastoma increased from 1978 to 2014 (APC for year 1978-1992 = 2.7%, 95% CI, 1.8%-3.6%; APC for 1992-2014 = 0.3%, 95% CI, 0%-0.6%), while the incidence for nonglioblastoma decreased significantly from 1982 to 2014 (APC = 2.2%, 95% CI, 2.0%-2.5%). Age-period-cohort modeling revealed significant period and cohort effects, with the patterns for glioblastoma and nonglioblastoma distinctive from each other. Compared with adults born 1890s, those born 1920s had approximately 4-fold the risk of glioblastoma after adjustment of age and period effects, while the risk of nonglioblastoma was reduced by half in individuals in the 1939 cohort as compared with those in the 1909 cohort.
CONCLUSIONS: The results support the hypothesis of etiological heterogeneity of diffuse gliomas by histology subtypes. The established risk factors cannot fully explain the distinct patterns by histology subtypes, which necessitate further epidemiological studies.
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Effects of evening exposure to 3G mobile phone EMF on health and night sleep EEG architecture
Lowden A, Nagai R, Åkerstedt T, Hansson Mild K, Hillert L. Effects of evening exposure to electromagnetic fields emitted by 3G mobile phones on health and night sleep EEG architecture. J Sleep Res. 2019 Jan 15:e12813. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12813.
Abstract
Studies on sleep after exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields have shown mixed results. We investigated the effects of double-blind radiofrequency exposure to 1,930-1,990 MHz, UMTS 3G signalling standard, time-averaged 10 g specific absorption rate of 1.6 W kg-1on self-evaluated sleepiness and objective electroencephalogram architecture during sleep. Eighteen subjects aged 18-19 years underwent 3.0 hr of controlled exposure on two consecutive days 19:45-23:00 hours (including 15-min break); active or sham prior to sleep, followed by full-night 7.5 hr polysomnographic recordings in a sleep laboratory. In a cross-over design, the procedure was repeated a week later with the second condition. The results for sleep electroencephalogram architecture showed no change after radiofrequency exposure in sleep stages compared with sham, but power spectrum analyses showed a reduction of activity within the slow spindle range (11.0-12.75 Hz). No differences were found for self-evaluated health symptoms, performance on the Stroop colour word test during exposure or for sleep quality. These results confirm previous findings that radiofrequency post-exposure in the evening has very little influence on electroencephalogram architecture but possible on spindle range activity.
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Telecommunication devices use, screen time and sleep in adolescents
Cabré-Riera A, Torrent M, Donaire-Gonzalez D, Vrijheid M, Cardis E, Guxens M. Telecommunication devices use, screen time and sleep in adolescents. Environ Res. 2018 Nov 1;171:341-347. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.10.036.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To investigate the association between telecommunication and other screen devices use and subjective and objective sleep measures in adolescents at 17-18 years.
METHODS: Cross-sectional study on adolescents aged 17-18 years from a Spanish population-based birth cohort established in Menorca in 1997-1998. Information on devices use was collected using self-reported questionnaires. Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale was used to assess mobile phone use dependency. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to assess subjective sleep (n = 226). ActiGraph wGT3X-BT for 7 nights was used to assess objective sleep (n = 110).
RESULTS: One or more cordless phone calls/week was associated with a lower sleep quality [Prevalence Ratio (PR) 1.30 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.04; 1.62)]. Habitual and frequent problematic mobile phone use was associated with a lower sleep quality [PR 1.55 (95%CI 1.03; 2.33) and PR 1.67 (95% CI 1.09; 2.56), respectively]. Higher tablet use was associated with decreased sleep efficiency and increased minutes of wake time after sleep onset [β-1.15 (95% CI -1.99; -0.31) and β 7.00 (95% CI 2.40; 11.60) per increase of 10 min/day of use, respectively]. No associations were found between other devices and sleep measures.
CONCLUSIONS: Frequency of cordless phone calls, mobile phone dependency, and tablet use were related to an increase of subjective and objective sleep problems in adolescents. These results seem to indicate that sleep displacement, mental arousal, and exposure to blue light screen emission might play a more important role on sleep than a high RF-EMF exposure to the brain. However, more studies are needed assessing personal RF-EMF levels to draw conclusions.
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Note: The increased cancer incidence observed in the cell phone radiation studies conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) and the Ramazzini Institute was not likely due to heating, that is, it was not a thermal effect because hyperthermia alone is not carcinogenic according to this 2003 review paper. Dr. John Bucher pointed this out in the NTP's media teleconference about the study.
Carcinogenic effects of hyperthermia
Dewhirst MW, Lora-Michiels M, Viglianti BL, Dewey WC, Repacholi M. Carcinogenic effects of hyperthermia. Int J Hyperthermia. 2003 May-Jun;19(3):236-51.
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to assess the evidence for and against the premise that hyperthermia is carcinogenic. The paper is one of several published in this issue of the International Journal of Hyperthermia on the subject of the health risks of hyperthermia.
The motivation for this issue of the journal was the result of a World Health Organization workshop that dealt with this issue, as it relates to exposure of the population to RF fields. Since hyperthermia can be a natural consequence of such exposures, the health risks of hyperthermia are relevant in this context.Particularly in the case of carcinogenesis, it is necessary to provide a brief overview of the data that have been generated to examine the carcinogenic risks of RF exposure, so that these results can be compared with studies that have examined the carcinogenic risks of hyperthermia. For this reason, the paper is organized into three sections dealing with: (1) effects of heat on DNA damage/repair and mutations, (2) in vivo studies evaluating the carcinogenic potential of heat alone and combined with other carcinogens, and (3) in vivo studies involving RF exposures.
The bulk of the data presented indicate that hyperthermia alone is not carcinogenic. If hyperthermia occurs in the presence of exposure to known carcinogens, such as radiation or chemical carcinogens there is the potential for modulation of carcinogenic effects of those agents. In some circumstances, hyperthermia can actually protect against tumour formation. In other instances, hyperthermia clearly increases incidence of tumour formation, but this occurs following thermal exposures (several degrees C temperature rise for up to 1 h or more) and radiation (therapeutic levels as for treatment of cancer) or chemical carcinogen doses higher than would be encountered by the general population.
The extrapolation of these results to the general population, where radiation exposure levels would be at background and temperature rise from incidental RF exposure, such as cell phones (which are estimated to cause no more than 0.1 degrees C temperature rise) is not recommended. Current evidence indicates that the temperature elevations resulting from RF exposure are not carcinogenic. Caution should be used in situations where exposure to known carcinogens is combined with thermal exposures high enough to cause tissue damage. A summary of thermal thresholds for tissue damage from hyperthermia is presented in another paper in this special issue (Dewhirst et al.). No data exist that examine the carcinogenic risks of chronic thermal exposures below the threshold for detectable tissue damage, either alone or in combination with known carcinogens. This is an important goal for future research.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12745970
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Significance of micronuclei in buccal smears of mobile phone users: A comparative study
Vanishree M, Manvikar V, Rudraraju A, Reddy KMP, Kumar NHP, Quadri SJM. Significance of micronuclei in buccal smears of mobile phone users: A comparative study. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2018 Sep-Dec;22(3):448. doi: 10.4103/jomfp.JOMFP_201_18.
Abstract
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The present study was designed to evaluate the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in the buccal exfoliated cells of mobile phone users. In addition, comparison of MN frequency between high and low mobile phone users was also done.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 male and 30 female participants between the age group of 20-28 years were selected from the Outpatient Department of Navodaya Dental College and Hospital, Raichur, Karnataka. The participants were divided into two groups: Group A - low mobile phone users and Group B - high mobile phone users. Cell sampling and preparation was done on the slide. All the slides were observed for a total of 1000 cells for the presence and number of MN in each cell.
RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the mean MN count in Group B in comparison to the Group A. There was highly significant difference in the mean MN count of participants using (code division multiple access) CDMA than (global system for mobiles) GSM mobile phones. The MN mean count was found to be significantly increased in non-headphone users in comparison to headphone users. In Group B, the MN count on the side of mobile phone use was found to be statistically significantly elevated in comparison to the opposite side.
CONCLUSION: Mobile phone radiation even in the permissible range when used for longer duration can cause significant genotoxicity. The genotoxicity accentuates when mobile phones are frequently used on the same side which may be due to more amount of radiation and increase in the temperature. Headphone usage reduces the genotoxicity of mobile phone radiation to some extent.
Open access paper:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6306606/
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Transdermal patches loaded with L-cysteine HCL as a strategy for protection from cell phone radiation
Omar SM, Nasr M, Rafla DA. Transdermal patches loaded with L-cysteine HCL as a strategy for protection from mobile phone-emitting electromagnetic radiation hazards. Saudi Pharm J. 2019 Jan;27(1):112-125. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2018.09.004.
Mobile phone usage has been increased in the last few years emitting electromagnetic radiation (EMR), which disturbs normal cellular processes via oxidative stress. L-cysteine, a glutathione precursor, prevents oxidative damage.
Transdermal patches (TDPs) loaded with L-cysteine hydrochloride (L-CyS-HCL) were fabricated by dispersion of L-CyS-HCL 5% w/w and different concentrations of sorbitol as a plasticizer in room-temperature vulcanizable synthetic silicone matrices (RTV-Si). The effect of sorbitol on patch physicochemical parameters was assessed; in-vitro L-CyS-HCL release profiles and ex-vivo permeation were studied. Pharmacokinetic parameters of endogenous synthetized in-vivo glutathione, after receiving IV bolus dose of L-CyS-HCl and L-CyS-HCl-RTV-Si-TDPs were studied in rat model. The influence of L-CyS-HCL-RTV-Si-TDPs against damaging effects of mobile phone EMR on rats' blood and brain tissues was studied.
