Mattei E, Censi F, Triventi M, Calcagnini G · 2014
The study evaluated electromagnetic interference potential and immunity of ten implantable pacemakers from five manufacturers tested in vitro with Wi-Fi signals. The exposure setup reproduced the IEEE 802.11b/g protocol and amplified the Wi-Fi signal to power levels higher than allowed by international regulation. None of the tested pacemakers showed any performance degradation even when exposed to radiofrequency field levels five times higher than the regulatory limit. The researchers concluded that Wi-Fi devices do not pose EMI risks to implantable pacemakers and that modern pacemaker immunity is much higher than the transmitting power of RF devices operating at 2.4 GHz.
Cam ST, Seyhan N, Kavaklı C, Celikbıçak O. · 2014
The study investigated whether pulse-modulated radiofrequency radiation affects hydroxyproline content in rat skin, because skin is described as the first target of external electromagnetic fields. Two-month-old male Wistar rats were exposed to 900 MHz pulse-modulated radiofrequency radiation at an average whole-body SAR of 1.35 W/kg for 20 min/day for 3 weeks. Exposure caused a statistically significant increase in skin hydroxyproline level (p = 0.049), at a SAR below the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection safety limit.
Chen L, Qin F, Chen Y, Sun J, Tong J. · 2014
Kim HS et al. · 2014
Researchers assigned male Sprague-Dawley rats to cage-control, sham-exposed, and CDMA-exposed groups, with six rats per group. The CDMA-exposed rats received whole-body exposure to an 848.5 MHz CDMA signal at 2 W/kg for either 1 or 8 hours daily, five days a week, for two weeks. During the last five exposure days, all rats were injected with BrdU to label dividing cells, and the numbers of BrdU-positive cells in the subventricular zone and dentate gyrus were estimated using an unbiased stereological method. The study found no significant difference in BrdU-positive cell counts in either brain region between CDMA-exposed rats and both control groups.
Luo YP, Ma HR, Chen JW, Li JJ, Li CX. · 2014
Researchers randomly assigned 40 male SD rats to a normal control group, a model group, a Shuifei Jibin Capsule group, and an American Ginseng Capsule group, with 10 rats each. Rats in the model, SJC, and AGC groups were exposed to imitated 900 MHz cellular phone radiation for 4 h in 12 consecutive days, while the normal control group was not irradiated. Compared to the normal control, the model group showed hepatocyte nuclear atrophy, increased liver MDA and Nrf2 protein, and decreased SOD and GSH. In the SJC group, liver MDA and Nrf2 decreased and SOD, GSH, and GSH-PX increased; in the AGC group, MDA and Nrf2 decreased and SOD and GSH increased.
Senavirathna MD, Asaeda T, Thilakarathne BL, Kadono H · 2014
Researchers investigated the effect of EMR on the growth dynamics of Myriophyllum aquaticum by measuring nanometric elongation rate fluctuation using a statistical interferometry technique. Plants were exposed to 2 GHz EMR at a maximum of 1.42 Wm(-2) for 1 hour. After continuous exposure, M. aquaticum plants exhibited a statistically significant 51 ± 16% reduction in NERF standard deviation. Temperature observations revealed that EMR exposure did not cause dielectric heating, so the reduced NERF was due to a non-thermal effect. The alteration in NERF continued for at least 2.5 hours after exposure with no significant recovery during the experimental period.
Maskey D et al · 2014
Researchers exposed mice to 835 MHz RF radiation at 4.0 W/kg for three months. They used free-floating immunohistochemistry to assess glycine receptor immunoreactivity in the auditory brainstem. The number of glycine receptor immunoreactive cells decreased in several cochlear and superior olivary nuclei. Auditory brainstem response thresholds were significantly elevated in the exposed group.
Maskey D et al · 2014
Researchers exposed mice to cell phone radiation (835 MHz) at 4.0 W/kg for three months and found significant damage to hearing-related brain regions. The radiation reduced critical brain receptors responsible for sound processing by up to 37% and caused measurable hearing problems. This suggests chronic cell phone use may harm the auditory system through direct brain damage.
Canseven AG, Esmekaya MA, Kayhan H, Tuysuz MZ, Seyhan N. · 2014
Raji cells were exposed to microwave radiation at a specific absorption rate of 0.350 W/kg for 24 hours. Microwave exposure alone significantly increased apoptotic activity and significantly decreased cell viability, and combined exposure with Gemcitabine increased apoptotic cells further than microwave radiation alone.
Rosado MM et al · 2014
Researchers exposed mice to GSM-modulated 900 MHz RF fields and transplanted bone marrow cells into irradiated syngeneic recipients from exposed, sham-exposed, or cage control donors. Twelve weeks later, thymocyte numbers, subpopulation frequencies, cell proliferation, spleen cell counts, B/T cell percentages, B/T proliferation, and IFN-γ production were all similar across groups. In a competitive transplant into Rag2-deficient mice, marrow from RF-exposed and sham-exposed mice performed equally, though both were less effective than cage-control marrow, an effect the authors linked to restraint stress, and they concluded that GSM-modulated RF exposure did not impair long-term reconstitution of peripheral T and B cell compartments.
Rosado MM et al · 2014
Italian researchers exposed mice to GSM-modulated 900 MHz radiofrequency fields (the same type used in cell phones) and then transplanted their bone marrow cells into other mice to test immune system function. After 12 weeks, they found no differences in immune cell development, numbers, or function between bone marrow from RF-exposed mice versus unexposed controls. The study suggests that cell phone-type radiation doesn't impair the bone marrow's ability to produce healthy immune cells.
Unknown authors · 2014
Turkish researchers exposed 30 male rats to cell phone frequencies (1800 and 2100 MHz) for 30 minutes daily over one to two months, then examined their bladder cells for genetic damage. They found no increase in micronucleus formation, a marker of DNA damage, compared to unexposed control rats. The study suggests these specific RF exposures may not cause detectable genetic damage in bladder tissue.
Zhou H et al. · 2014
Researchers used the finite-difference time-domain method to compute the specific absorption rate (SAR) of radio frequency (RF) waves in the human brain and to investigate the effects of geometry and polarisation on SAR value. The results suggested that high SAR values were found in the brain at approximately 250 MHz for vertical polarisation and 900-1200 MHz for both vertical and horizontal polarisation, which may be the result of head resonance at these frequencies.
Vereshchako GG, Chueshova NV, Gorokh GA, Naumov AD. · 2014
Researchers studied the effects of prolonged 897 MHz cell phone radiation exposure on male rats from irradiated parents during embryogenesis and postnatal development. Irradiation decreased the number of births and shifted the sex ratio toward more males. Radiation accelerated sexual development at two months, caused disproportions in spermatogenic cell stages, and increased mature sperm count while reducing their viability.
Chen C et al. · 2014
Researchers exposed embryonic neural stem cells (eNSCs) to 1800 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields at SAR values of 1, 2, and 4 W/kg for 1, 2, and 3 days. RF-EMF exposure did not influence eNSC apoptosis, proliferation, cell cycle, or the ratio of differentiated neurons and astrocytes. However, neurite outgrowth of eNSC-derived neurons was inhibited after 4 W/kg RF-EMF exposure for 3 days. The mRNA and protein expression of proneural genes Ngn1 and NeuroD were decreased after RF-EMF exposure, while expression of their inhibitor Hes1 was upregulated.
Li H et al. · 2014
Researchers exposed Wistar rats to 2.856 GHz microwaves at power densities of 5, 10, 20, or 30 mW/cm2 for 6 minutes three times a week for up to 6 weeks. Spatial learning and memory, hippocampus structure, brain electrical activity, and neurotransmitter levels were assessed at different time points after the last exposure. The study found dose-dependent memory deficits alongside inhibition of brain electrical activity, hippocampus neuron degeneration, and neurotransmitter disturbances. The researchers suggested that the serotonin system may be involved in the cognitive deficits seen after long-term microwave exposure.
Maskey D, Kim MJ · 2014
Researchers applied radiofrequency at a specific absorption rate of 1.6 W/kg or 0 W/kg to mice to study the distribution of BDNF and GDNF in the nuclei of the superior olivary complex. In the exposed group, significant reductions in BDNF immunoreactivity were noted in the lateral superior olive, medial superior olive, superior paraolivary nucleus, and medial nucleus of the trapezoid body. GDNF immunoreactivity was also significantly decreased (p < 0.001) in all superior olivary complex nuclei of the exposed group. The researchers suggested that the decrease in these neurotrophic factors in the superior olivary complex suggests a detrimental effect of RF exposure in the auditory nuclei.
Narayanan SN, Kumar RS, Kedage V, Nalini K, Nayak S, Bhat PG · 2014
Researchers studied the effects of 900 MHz radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation on oxidant stress and antioxidant defense in discrete brain regions of adolescent rats. Thirty-six male Wistar rats aged 6 to 8 weeks were divided into a control group, a sham group, and an RF-EMR-exposed group, with 12 animals in each group. The exposed group received 900 MHz RF-EMR at a peak power density of 146.60 µW/cm2 for one hour per day for four weeks from an activated GSM mobile phone. Elevated TBARS levels were found in all brain regions studied, and altered behavioral performances were found in RF-EMR-exposed rats.
Schneider J, Stangassinger M · 2014
Researchers exposed male and female rats continuously to either 900-MHz GSM or 1.966-GHz UMTS electromagnetic fields at 0.4 W/kg. Memory was assessed using a social discrimination procedure, with differences in sniffing duration to familiar and novel juvenile rats used as the measure. EMF-exposed females showed no differences in sniffing duration compared with controls, but sniffing durations of EMF-exposed males at 3 months of age were significantly affected. At 6 months of age, GSM-exposed male adults showed a memory performance deficit, but UMTS-exposed males did not.
Yilmaz A et al. · 2014
Researchers exposed rats to electromagnetic waves from mobile phones at frequencies between 1900 and 2100 MHz for a four-week period to study effects on apoptosis-related proteins in brain tissue. Immunohistopathological examinations showed that the study group had more p53 and Bcl-2 positive stained cells, and they were stained denser, with statistically significant differences between the study and control groups (p < 0.003). The researchers concluded that electromagnetic waves from mobile phones may have an effect on apoptosis.
Liu K et al. · 2014
Researchers exposed mouse spermatocyte-derived cells (GC-2) to 1800 MHz GSM signals at SAR values of 1, 2, or 4 w/kg for 24 hours. The expression of LC3-II increased in a dose- and time-dependent manner with RF exposure, and showed a significant change at the SAR value of 4 w/kg. RF exposure did not increase the percentage of apoptotic cells, but inhibition of autophagy could increase the percentage of apoptotic cells. The findings suggested that autophagy flux could be enhanced by 1800 MHz GSM exposure, mediated by ROS generation.
Narayanan SN et al. · 2014
Researchers exposed adolescent rats to cell phone radiation (900 MHz) for one hour daily over four weeks and found significant brain damage. The radiation caused oxidative stress (cellular damage from harmful molecules) in all brain regions tested, with different areas showing varying degrees of harm. The rats also displayed altered behavior, suggesting the brain damage had functional consequences.
Boga A et al. · 2014
Researchers investigated the effects of GSM-like radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation and nicotine sulfate exposure on the embryonic development of Xenopus laevis (African clawed frogs). With the exception of the 1800 MHz exposure, radiofrequency radiation alone was not associated with dramatic developmental anomalies. The combined effects of radiofrequency radiation and nicotine sulfate on the embryos were more severe than the effect of either exposure alone.
Jirillo E et al. · 2014
Researchers exposed 108 samples of human leukocytes from healthy donors to electromagnetic radiation at different intensities using a reverberation chamber. Exposure times ranged from 5 minutes to 24 hours, and sham-exposed blood samples from the same donors served as controls. In 68% of the 108 cases, an increase in leukocyte cell area was found along with morphological changes, while in 14% a decrease in cell area was observed. In 18% of cases, no effects dependent on the radiation were detected.
Mugunthan N, Anbalagan J, Meenachi S, Samy AS. · 2014
Mice were exposed to 2G ultra-high frequency radiation for 48 minutes per day over 30 to 180 days, with sham controls. In the exposed group, kidney weight and volume were significantly reduced in the first month, while kidney weight alone was significantly increased in the fifth month. Microscopic examination revealed dilated glomerular capillaries, increased urinary space, wider tubular lumens with reduced cell size, brush border interruption, vacuolated cytoplasm, pyknotic nuclei, and marked basal striations in distal tubules. The researchers concluded that chronic exposure to 2G cell phone radiation could cause microscopic changes in the glomerulus, proximal and distal convoluted tubules.
