Exposure to 1800 MHz radiofrequency radiation induces oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA in primary cultured neurons.
Xu S, Zhong M, Zhang L, Zhou Z, Zhang W, Wang Y, Wang X, Li M, Chen Y, Chen C, He M, Zhang G, Yu Z.
Department of occupational health, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
Increasing evidence indicates that oxidative stress may be involved in the adverse effects of radiofrequency (RF) radiation on the brain. Because mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) defects are closely associated with various nervous system diseases and mtDNA is highly susceptible to oxidative stress, the purpose of this study was to determine whether radiofrequency radiation can cause oxidative damage to mtDNA. In this study, we exposed primary cultured cortical neurons to pulsed RF electromagnetic fields at a frequency of 1800 MHz modulated by 217 Hz at an average special absorption rate (SAR) of 2 W/kg. At 24h after exposure, we found that RF radiation induced a significant increase in the levels of 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OHdG), a common biomarker of DNA oxidative damage, in the mitochondria of neurons. Consistent with this finding, the copy number of mtDNA and the levels of mitochondrial RNA (mtRNA) transcripts showed an obvious reduction after RF exposure. Each of these mtDNA disturbances could be reversed by pretreatment with melatonin, which is known to be an efficient in the brain. Together, these results suggested that 1800 MHz RF radiation could cause oxidative damage to mtDNA in primary cultured neurons. Oxidative damage to mtDNA may account for the neurotoxicity of RF radiation in the brain.
PMID: 19879861 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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Bioelectromagnetics. 2009 Oct 30. [Epub ahead of print]
Signal transduction of the melatonin receptor by electromagnetic fields.
Girgert R, Hanf V, Emons G, Gründker C.
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
The growth of estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer cells is inhibited by the pineal gland hormone, melatonin. Concern has been raised that power-line frequency and microwave electromagnetic fields (EMFs) could reduce the efficiency of melatonin on breast cancer cells. In this study we investigated the impact of EMFs on the signal transduction of the high-affinity receptor MT1 in parental MCF-7 cells and MCF-7 cells transfected with the MT1 gene. The binding of the cAMP-responsive element binding (CREB) protein to a promoter sequence of BRCA-1 after stimulation with melatonin was analyzed by a gel-shift assay and the expression of four estrogen-responsive genes was measured in sham-exposed breast cancer cells and cells exposed to a sinusoidal 50 Hz EMF of 1.2 microT for 48 h. In sham-exposed cells, binding of CREB to the promoter of BRCA-1 was increased by estradiol and subsequently diminished by treatment with melatonin. In cells exposed to 1.2 microT, 50 Hz EMF, binding of CREB was almost completely omitted. Expression of BRCA-1, p53, p21(WAF), and c-myc was increased by estradiol stimulation and subsequently decreased by melatonin treatment in both cell lines, except for p53 expression in the transfected cell line, thereby proving the antiestrogenic effect of melatonin at molecular level. In contrast, in breast cancer cells transfected with MT1 exposed to 1.2 microT of the 50 Hz EMF, the expression of p53 and c-myc increased significantly after melatonin treatment but for p21(WAF) the increase was not significant. These results convincingly prove the negative effect of EMF on the antiestrogenic effect of melatonin in breast cancer cells. Bioelectromagnetics, 2009. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
PMID: 19882681 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Steep hydro bill shocks family
Posted By PAUL SCHLIESMANN
Tuesday November 3, 2009
Heather Wilkins with the new "smart" meter on the side of her westend home.
Michael Lea mlea@thewhig.com
Heather Wilkins with the new "smart" meter on the side of her westend home.
Michael Lea mlea@thewhig.com
Hydro One took $985.15 for electricity the utility said the Wilkins used at their west-end Kingston home from July 24 to Aug. 24 -- 8,076 kilowatt hours worth.
The bill from the same month the year before was just $209.29 -- for 1,769 kilowatt hours.
"I called when I saw this whopper bill and said, 'We are not at home during those months,' " Heather Wilkins said. "How could we use so much hydro?"
The answers the Wilkins have since received from the provincial power distributor have not been reassuring.
At first the family thought the high reading might have resulted from a faulty Smart Meter installed by Hydro in the spring. Smart Meters transmit energy consumption readings directly to Hydro One, no longer requiring human meter readers.
Coincidentally, the meter installed at the Wilkins' began transmitting the day the $985.15 bill was processed.
However, a Hydro technician sent out to look at the meter determined it was working fine.
If not the meter, what would explain the difference? The possible explanations the technician offered perplexed the Wilkins even more.
The technician suggested that the sudden high bill could be the result of appliances and equipment such as an air-conditioner, pool pump, pool heater or their hot tub, but the Wilkins have no air-conditioning, no pool heater and the hot tub is unplugged during the summer, unused because they spend July and August at their cottage.
The pool pump, said Heather Wilkins, is on a timer and is the same one they've had for the past seven years.
Typically, their summer Hydro bills at the house are the lowest all year."If all of a sudden a house is drawing that much power, I would think the police would show up at the door looking for a hydroponic [drug-growing] operation," quipped Wilkins, noting that the home only has a 100-amp service.
"Would you not expect fireworks if you were drawing the maximum?"
The family jokes now about turning off lights because they're probably costing a hundred dollars to run.
Hydro spokeswoman Nancy Shaddick said there was never an issue with the meter.
"They were billed based on the consumption they used," she said. "We've concluded there wasn't an issue with their Smart Meter."
Shaddick said that there may have been a problem with a Hydro employee's meter reading -- but not on the big August bill.
She pointed to the bill for June, two months prior, indicating 1,387 kilowatt hours used at a charge of $198.12.
That bill, said Shaddick, appears to have been recorded too low.
The Smart Meter reading for August, therefore, corrects the error.
Shaddick said the Wilkins have two possible courses of action to follow: They can have Measurement Canada test their new meter but that would be done at the family's expense. Or, they could hire an electrician to test their home and appliances, also at their cost, to look for "energy leaks" or "grounding issues."
"They could have malfunctioning appliances in their home that could be leading to higher consumption," said Shaddick. "We do feel that to have a certified electrician visit the home is a good idea."
A Hydro customer service representative told Heather Wilkins over the phone last week that the household electricity bill should return to normal -- around the $223 level -- next month.
Wilkins said she would have an energy check done if she thought their billing patterns warranted it.
"I don't see a trend in my hydro consumption that indicates that," she said.
"I just want to understand but I don't think I'm closer to understanding it. If I owe it, I'll pay it. I have a sense they don't know where they went wrong."
| Wednesday, 04 November 2009 | |
 A NORTHSIDE man has expressed serious concern at the location of a new mobile phone mast at his local shopping centre. Con Colbert, from Raheny, has reacted angrily after An Bord Pleanala gave permission for the mast at Greendale Shopping Centre, Kilbarrack. Mr Colbert has been a lifelong sufferer of electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), a condition that is believed to cause headache, fatigue, dizziness and other symptoms when sufferers are exposed to strong electromagnetic fields. He told Northside People he has spent years researching the potential dangers of mobile phone masts and other radiation emitting technologies. However, a recent Department of the Environment report stated that there were no adverse short or long-term health effects shown to occur from exposure to mobile phones and base station transmitters. Mr Colbert claimed that the planned mast for the centre is "totally unnecessary" and believes it could pose a serious health risk. Mr Colbert objected to the planning permission claiming that there was growing evidence of health problems associated with masts. Dublin City Council initially declined permission for two transmission dishes at the site, along with four ground-based units. However, An Bord Pleanala has overturned the decision. Mr Colbert claimed that the mast would limit his ability to enjoy the area without risking his health. "I have been closely studying the effects of radiation for over 20 years because of my condition," he told Northside People. "This mast will add to the local radiation load. "There are already antennae on plenty of roofs in the area." Mr Colbert claimed that unpleasant results can be caused to people with hypersensitivity when exposed to mobile phone radiation. When travelling in public he said he is constantly aware of his surroundings and the vast number of masts and dishes positioned around the city by mobile phone operators. "If I am on the bus and someone answers their phone beside me, it tends to sap my energy, leaving me very fatigued," he stated. "I don't carry a mobile because I am too sensitive to these signals but I am able to use laptop computers and other appliances for short periods of time." The Department of the Environment report stated that while the symptoms reported by EHS sufferers were real, they were not linked to exposure to fields, and that sufferers do not experience worse symptoms when exposed to electromagnetic fields. ComReg licensees must ensure that non-ionising radiation emissions from each transmitter operated under their licence must be within the limits set down in the guidelines published by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. Levels of radiation emissions from a licensed transmitter must not exceed the limits in any part of the site or surrounding area to which the general public has access. ComReg regularly test sites across the country to ensure they comply with their strict regulations. Donaghmede ward councillor Tom Brabazon (FF) said he was disappointed with An Bord Pleanala's decision. Cllr Brabazon said there were genuine health concerns surrounding masts. "I think the proliferation of communications antennae needs to be looked at not just from an aesthetic perspective but also on health grounds," he stated. Cllr Brabazon added that the public have genuine concerns and these need to be allayed. Northside People contacted Greendale Shopping Centre but the person dealing with the issue was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press. |
