Dimbylow PJ, Nagaoka T, Xu XG. · 2009
The study compared foetal specific absorption rate (SAR) across three sets of pregnant female computational models. The models included a 26-week foetal model from the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Tokyo, and models at 13, 26, and 38 weeks from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. FDTD calculations were performed at a resolution of 2 mm for a plane wave with a vertically aligned electric field incident upon the body from the front, back and two sides from 20 MHz to 3 GHz under isolated conditions. The researchers compared external electric field values required to produce the ICNIRP public exposure localized restriction of 2 W kg(-1) when averaged over 10 g of the foetus with the ICNIRP reference levels.
De Iuliis GN, Newey RJ, King BV, Aitken RJ. · 2009
Researchers exposed purified human spermatozoa in vitro to radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation tuned to 1.8 GHz across a range of specific absorption rates from 0.4 W/kg to 27.5 W/kg. As the SAR increased, sperm motility and vitality were significantly reduced, while mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation and DNA fragmentation were significantly elevated (P<0.001). The researchers also observed highly significant relationships between SAR, the oxidative DNA damage biomarker 8-OH-dG, and DNA fragmentation after exposure.
Valbonesi P et al. · 2008
Researchers used the human trophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo to evaluate HSP70 and HSC70 protein and gene expression and primary DNA damage after nonthermal exposure to pulse-modulated 1817 MHz GSM-217 Hz waves for one hour at a SAR of 2 W/kg. Heat shock significantly enhanced HSP70 expression but not HSC70 expression. Exposure to high-frequency EMFs did not change HSP70 or HSC70 protein or gene expression. Hydrogen peroxide caused a significant increase in DNA strand breaks, but EMF exposure did not. Overall, no evidence was found that the exposure induced a HSP70-mediated stress response or primary DNA damage.
Falzone N et al. · 2008
Researchers exposed ejaculated, density-purified human spermatozoa to pulsed 900 MHz GSM radiation at SAR levels of 2.0 and 5.7 W/kg and compared them with controls over time. Mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by flow cytometry and showed no effect from the radiation. Sperm motility was assessed by computer-assisted sperm analysis, and all kinematic parameters were unaffected at 2.0 W/kg. At 5.7 W/kg, straight-line velocity and beat-cross frequency were significantly impaired over time (P < 0.05), with no exposure-by-time interaction. The authors state the result should not be ascribed to thermal effects due to cooling methods and temperature control.
Dasdag S, Akdag MZ, Ulukaya E, Uzunlar AK, Yegin D. · 2008
Apoptosis was assessed by immunohistochemical staining for cleaved caspase-3 in testicular tissue. The exposed group showed no statistically significant difference in apoptosis scores compared to sham and cage control groups.
Jauchem JR. · 2008
Batellier F, Couty I, Picard D, Brillard JP. · 2008
Researchers exposed fertile chicken eggs to a cell phone in call position over the entire incubation period. Embryo mortality was significantly higher in exposed eggs than in sham eggs in two of four replicates. The additional mortality occurred mainly between days 9 and 12, but a causal relationship with electric field intensity could not be established.
Baste V, Riise T, Moen BE. · 2008
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study among 10,497 military men in the Royal Norwegian Navy to assess work near radiofrequency-emitting equipment, infertility, and offspring sex ratio. Infertility increased significantly with increasing self-reported exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. Adjusted odds ratios for infertility were 1.39 for low exposure, 1.52 for some exposure, 1.93 for high exposure, and 1.86 for very high exposure compared to no exposure. Higher paternal exposure was also associated with a lower ratio of boys to girls at birth. The number of children was not associated with exposure degree.
Agarwal A, Deepinder F, Sharma RK, Ranga G, Li J. · 2008
Three hundred sixty-one men undergoing infertility evaluation were divided into four groups based on daily cell phone use: no use, less than 2 hours, 2 to 4 hours, and more than 4 hours. Comparisons of mean sperm count, motility, viability, and normal morphology among the four groups were statistically significant. The decrease in sperm parameters was dependent on the duration of daily exposure to cell phones and independent of the initial semen quality.
Ribeiro EP, Rhoden EL, Horn MM, Rhoden C, Lima LP, Toniolo L · 2007
Researchers randomly divided 16 male Wistar rats into experimental and control groups; the experimental group was exposed to GSM radiofrequency (1,835–1,850 MHz) for 1 hour daily over 11 weeks. They measured rectal temperature, testicular and epididymal weight, lipid peroxidation, serum testosterone, sperm count, and histopathological endpoints. No statistically significant differences were found between exposed and control groups in any measured endpoint.
Hardell L et al. · 2007
A case-control study investigated the risk of testicular cancer in relation to use of cellular and cordless telephones. The analysis included 542 seminoma cases, 346 non-seminoma cases, and 870 controls. For seminoma, odds ratios were 1.2 for analog phones, 1.3 for digital phones, and 1.1 for cordless phones. For non-seminoma, odds ratios were 0.7 for analog phones, 0.9 for digital phones, and 1.0 for cordless phones. There was no dose-response effect and odds ratios did not increase with latency time.
Yan JG, Agresti M, Bruce T, Yan YH, Granlund A, Matloub HS. · 2007
Rats exposed to 6 hours of daily cellular phone emissions for 18 weeks exhibited a significantly higher incidence of sperm cell death than control group rats through chi-squared analysis. Abnormal clumping of sperm cells was present in exposed rats and absent in controls.
Wdowiak A, Wdowiak L, Wiktor H. · 2007
The objective was to determine the effect of cellular phone usage on the fertility of males undergoing marital infertility therapy. The study included 304 men divided into groups: 99 who did not use mobile phones, 157 who used GSM equipment sporadically for 1-2 years, and 48 who regularly used mobile phones for more than 2 years. An increase in the percentage of sperm cells with abnormal morphology was associated with longer duration of exposure to waves emitted by GSM phones. A decrease in the percentage of sperm cells with vital progressive motility was correlated with the frequency of mobile phone use.
Panagopoulos DJ et al. · 2007
Researchers used Drosophila melanogaster reproductive capacity to compare the biological activity of GSM 900 MHz and DCS 1800 MHz radiation. Both radiation types significantly reduced reproductive capacity in a non-thermal manner. GSM 900 MHz radiation appeared more bioactive than DCS 1800 MHz, a difference attributed mostly to field intensity and less to carrier frequency.
Panagopoulos DJ, Chavdoula ED, Nezis IP, Margaritis LH · 2007
Researchers used the TUNEL assay to detect DNA fragmentation in early and mid-oogenesis stages of Drosophila melanogaster. Flies were exposed to GSM 900-MHz or DCS 1800-MHz radiation from a mobile phone for a few minutes daily over the first six days of adult life. Both radiation types induced DNA fragmentation in all cell types of the egg chamber, leading to degeneration of egg chambers. Germarium and stages 7-8 were the most sensitive developmental stages, with germarium even more sensitive than stages 7-8.
Liu XY et al. · 2007
Researchers interviewed 200 women with early spontaneous abortion and age-matched controls and used multivariable logistic regression. In single-factor analysis, higher proportions of watching TV ≥10 hours/week, computer use ≥45 hours/week, using copycat, microwave oven and mobile phone, and proximity to switch rooms ≤50 m and launching towers ≤500 m were found in cases versus controls. After multivariable adjustment, using a microwave oven and mobile phone, exposure to abnormal renovation smell for ≥3 months, emotional stress in early pregnancy, and prior spontaneous abortion remained significantly associated with miscarriage risk. The odds ratios for these risk factors were 2.23 and 4.63.
Dimbylow P. · 2007
Researchers used finite-difference time-domain calculations to estimate SAR from 20 MHz to 3 GHz in hybrid voxel-mathematical models of the pregnant female. Mathematical models of the developing foetus at 8-, 13-, 26- and 38-week gestation were converted into voxels and combined with the reference adult female model, NAOMI at a resolution of 2 mm. The study calculated the electric field values needed to produce the ICNIRP public exposure restriction of 2 W kg(-1) when averaged over 10 g of the foetus.
Erogul O et al. · 2006
Researchers enrolled 27 men and divided each semen sample into two parts, exposing one to 900 MHz cellular phone radiation. Exposure caused a subtle decrease in rapid and slow progressive sperm movement and an increase in non-motile sperm. Sperm concentration did not differ significantly between exposed and unexposed samples.
Forgacs Z et al. · 2006
Researchers studied the possible effects of whole-body 1800 MHz GSM-like microwave exposure on male reproduction in mice. After repeated exposure at 0.018-0.023 W/kg SAR, an elevated serum testosterone level was measured, but no histopathological alteration could be detected in the reproductive organs. Leydig cell cultures from exposed animals did not differ from controls in their steroidogenic response.
Ozguner M et al. · 2005
Twenty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into a control group and an EMF group exposed to 900 MHz EMF for 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Testicular weight, biopsy score, and interstitial tissue percentage did not differ significantly between groups. Seminiferous tubule diameter and germinal epithelium height were significantly decreased in the EMF group. Serum testosterone was significantly lower in the EMF group, while LH and FSH did not change significantly.
Fejes I et al. · 2005
Researchers surveyed 371 men at a university clinic about their cell phone use habits and analyzed semen using conventional methods. Duration of possession and daily transmission time correlated negatively with rapid progressive motile sperm (r = -0.12 and r = -0.19) and positively with slow progressive motile sperm (r = 0.12 and r = 0.28). Men in the high transmitter group had a lower proportion of rapid progressive motile sperm than those in the low transmitter group (40.6% vs 48.7%).
Aitken RJ, Bennetts LE, Sawyer D, Wiklendt AM, King BV. · 2005
Researchers exposed mice to 900 MHz RFEMR at a specific absorption rate of approximately 90 mW/kg inside a waveguide for 7 days at 12 h per day. Sperm number, morphology, and vitality were not significantly affected by the exposure. However, detailed DNA analysis using QPCR revealed statistically significant damage to both the mitochondrial genome and the nuclear beta-globin locus.
Panagopoulos DJ, Karabarbounis A, Margaritis LH · 2004
The study used GSM mobile phones with a carrier frequency at 900 MHz. Insects were exposed to the near field of the mobile phone antenna for 6 minutes per day during the first 2–5 days of adult life. Modulated radiation decreased reproductive capacity by 50–60% while nonmodulated radiation decreased it by 15–20%. The authors suggested the radiation decreases the rate of cellular processes during gonad development.
Dasdag S et al. · 2003
Sixteen Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into exposed and sham-exposed groups of eight each. The exposed group received cell phone radiation for 20 minutes per day, seven days a week, for one month. No statistically significant alterations were found in any endpoints, including sperm count, morphology, testicular histology, lipid composition, malondialdehyde concentration, p53 immune reactivity, or rectal temperature.
Weisbrot D, Lin H, Ye L, Blank M, Goodman R. · 2003
Researchers exposed fruit flies to a discontinuous RF signal from a GSM multiband phone at 900/1,900 MHz with SAR approximately 1.4 W/kg for 10 days from egg laying through pupation. The non-thermal radiation increased offspring numbers, elevated hsp70 levels, increased SRE DNA-binding, and induced ELK-1 phosphorylation.
