Unknown authors · 1998
Researchers conducted a nationwide mortality study of 21,236 men employed in Danish utility companies between 1900 and 1993. Causes of death from 1974 through 1993 were analyzed by latency and estimated 50-Hz electromagnetic field exposure. Overall mortality was slightly lower than expected with a standardized mortality ratio of 0.96 (95% confidence interval 0.93-0.99). A twofold increase in ALS mortality was observed based on 14 deaths and increased with time since first employment, while a tenfold increase in electrical accident mortality was based on 10 deaths.
Unknown authors · 1998
There have been numerous recent reports of headaches occurring in association with the use of hand-held cellular telephones. In all three lines of research, the microwave energy used was approximately the same in frequencies, modulations, and incident energies as that emitted by present day cellular telephones.
Wagner, P, Roschke, J, Mann, K, Hiller, W, Frank, C · 1998
Researchers recorded all-night polysomnographies of 24 healthy male subjects with and without exposure to a circularly polarized 900 MHz pulsed electromagnetic field at 0.2 W/m². Suppression of REM sleep and a sleep-inducing effect under field exposure did not reach statistical significance, so previous results indicating alterations of these sleep parameters could not be replicated. Spectral power analysis also did not reveal any alterations of the EEG rhythms during EMF exposure.
Urban, P, Lukas, E, Roth, Z · 1998
Researchers performed a pilot study of acute exposure to a GSM mobile phone using visual evoked potentials as a marker of central nervous system dysfunction. No statistically significant influence on VEP latencies or amplitudes was observed.
Schrader et al. · 1998
Researchers conducted a follow-up study of semen quality in soldiers with different military assignments at Fort Hood, Texas. Thirty-three men were exposed to radar in Signal Corps operations, 57 men fired the 155-mm howitzer with potential lead exposure, and 103 men served as controls with neither exposure. Hormone levels and complete semen analyses were measured, and no statistical differences were observed in any semen quality measurement. Results for howitzer firing agreed with previous studies showing no semen quality deficits, but radar exposure results contradicted an earlier report of decreased sperm numbers. The authors concluded that more data are needed to evaluate the relationship between military radar and male reproductive health.
Schonborn F, Burkhardt M, Kuster N · 1998
In order to investigate the differences in absorption between adults and children due to their differing anatomies, simulations were performed using head phantoms based on MRI scans of an adult and two children aged 3 and 7 years. Ten different tissue types were distinguished and all simulations were performed using a commercial code based on the finite integration technique. The differences in absorption were investigated for the frequencies of 900 MHz and 1,800 MHz using 0.45 lambda dipoles instead of actual mobile phones. The results revealed no significant differences in the absorption of electromagnetic radiation in the near field of sources between adults and children.
Mann, K, Roschke, J, Connemann, B, Beta, H · 1998
The influence of pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic fields emitted by digital mobile radio telephones on heart rate during sleep in healthy humans was investigated. For most parameters, significant differences between different sleep stages were found. Under the given experimental conditions, autonomic control of heart rate was not affected by weak-pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic fields.
Jimenez A et al. · 1998
Partial loss of telemetry occurred in 14 patients, with 8 using analog phones and 6 using digital phones, and alterations were seen on surface ECG and intracavitary channels. In vitro testing showed normal defibrillator sensing during simulated arrhythmias and no oversensing, undersensing, reprogramming, pacing inhibition, or inappropriate therapies. The authors concluded that mobile phone use appears safe for defibrillator patients provided the phone is kept at least 15 cm from the device.
Dmoch A, Moszczynski P · 1998
de Seze R, Fabbro-Peray P, Miro L · 1998
Researchers measured adrenocorticotropin, thyrotropin, growth hormone, prolactin, luteinizing hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone in nine weekly blood samples taken from three weeks before exposure to two weeks after. Five of the six hormones showed no difference across samples, while thyrotropin decreased 21% on the seventh sample but returned to baseline afterward.
Shckorbatov YG et al. · 1998
Researchers studied changes in electrokinetic properties and heterochromatin granules in human buccal epithelium cell nuclei under electromagnetic fields in vitro. Cells were irradiated using a semiconductor generator at 42.2 GHz (7.1 mm wavelength) with a Yav-1 apparatus. Irradiation decreased nuclear electric charge and increased chromatin condensation, with effects varying by dose and donor.
Michelozzi P, Ancona C, Fusco D, Forastiere F, Perucci CA · 1998
Researchers conducted a small area study to investigate a leukemia cluster near a high-power radio transmitter in a peripheral area of Rome. Leukemia mortality within 3.5 km (5,863 inhabitants) was higher than expected (SMR=2.5, 95% confident interval 1.07-4.83). The excess was due to a significant higher mortality among men (7 cases observed, SMR=3.5). Stone's test adjusted for socio-economic confounding showed a significant decline in risk with distance from the transmitter only among men (p=0.005), while the p-value for both sexes was 0.07.
Kwee S, Raskmark P · 1998
Researchers exposed transformed human epithelial amnion cells to 960 MHz microwave fields at three power levels and three exposure times using a TEM cell. Cell growth was reduced in exposed cells compared to control and sham-exposed cells. The proliferation response varied with SAR level and exposure duration, showing a linear correlation between power level and growth change. At lower power levels, a longer exposure time was needed to reach the maximum effect, and repeated exposures did not alter the outcome.
Irnich W, Tobisch R · 1998
Researchers investigated the influence of mobile telephones on life-saving and life-support systems in hospitals to establish rules for their use. They tested phones from C-, D-, and E-networks and a DECT cordless phone against 224 medical devices of 23 types using nine transmission conditions for a total of 2016 tests. The authors found that hazardous situations are very rare because they require four simultaneous coincidences and the fail-safe feature of medical devices. They recommended making life-support systems mobile phone-proof, keeping mobile phones at least one metre from medical devices, and keeping emergency telephones at least 1.5 metres away.
Hocking, B · 1998
Researchers conducted a survey to characterize symptoms associated with mobile phone usage. Forty respondents from diverse occupations described unpleasant sensations such as a burning feeling or a dull ache mainly occurring in the temporal, occipital or auricular areas. The symptoms often began minutes after beginning a call and usually ceased within an hour after the call, though they could last until evening. Seventy-five per cent of cases were associated with digital mobile phones. Most of the respondents obtained relief by altering their patterns of telephone usage or type of phone.
Hardell L, Nasman A, Ohlson CG, Fredrikson M. · 1998
The case-control study enrolled 148 cases (91% response) and 314 controls (87% response), including 101 seminoma and 47 embryonal testicular cancer cases. Occupational plastics work yielded an odds ratio of 2.9 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.3-6.5. Farming (OR 3.1, CI 1.03-9.1) and contact with farm animals (OR 3.3, CI 1.00-10.9) increased risk for embryonal cancer but not for seminoma. Exposure to insect repellents, mostly containing DEET, gave an odds ratio of 1.7 (CI 1.03-2.8) for all testicular cancer with a dose-response effect. Video display unit work gave an odds ratio of 1.5 (CI 0.98-2.3), and for 480 working days (median) the odds ratio increased to 1.8 (CI 1.1-3.2).
Freude, G, Ullsperger, P, Eggert ,S, Ruppe, I · 1998
Researchers studied the influence of electromagnetic fields emitted by cellular phones on preparatory slow brain potentials in healthy male subjects using two experimental tasks. Both tasks were performed with and without EMF exposure in counterbalanced order. Subjects' performance did not differ between exposure conditions, but EMF exposure significantly decreased slow brain potentials at central and temporo-parieto-occipital regions during the visual monitoring task and did not affect the Bereitschaftspotential in the finger movement task.
Eulitz, C, Ullsperger, P, Freude, G, Elbert ,T · 1998
The study aimed to investigate how mobile phones modulate response patterns of human brain activity. The researchers found that pulsed high-frequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phones alter induced but not evoked brain activity in higher frequency bands during processing of task-relevant target stimuli, with no effect for irrelevant standard stimuli. The authors suggest that PEMF exposure may provide a means to systematically alter pattern fluctuations in neural mass activity.
Duan L, Shan Y, Yu X · 1998
Researchers studied the effects of high-frequency radiation exposure on neurobehavioral function in workers. Four neurobehavioral functions were tested using the WHO-recommended Neurobehavioral Core Tests Battery. Exposed workers had significantly lower scores on various indicators compared to controls, and these scores correlated with neurasthenia detection to some extent.
Braune, S, Wrocklage, C, Raczek, J, Gailus, T, Lucking, CH · 1998
The study enrolled seven healthy men and three women volunteers aged 26 to 36 years in a single-blind placebo-controlled design. Participants were exposed to a GSM 900 MHz signal at 2 Watt with a 217 Hz frame repetition rate for 35 min per session. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded continuously with a Finapres device, while capillary perfusion was measured with an infrared plethysmograph on the right hand.
Bergdahl J, Tillberg A, Stenman E. · 1998
Twenty-eight consecutive patients with symptoms allegedly caused by electricity or visual display units were odontologically investigated using a specially designed registration form. The most common oral and general symptoms reported were burning mouth, craniomandibular dysfunction symptoms, skin complaints, and fatigue. Urinary mercury analysis showed a mean concentration of 8.5 nmol Hg/L urine, with no patient exceeding 50 nmol Hg/L. Urinary mercury concentration correlated positively with the number of amalgam fillings and with craniomandibular disorders. No or low secretion of the minor mucous glands was found in 43% of the patients.
Walters TJ et al. · 1998
Researchers measured hypothalamic, cortical, tympanic, and rectal temperatures in rats exposed to 2.06 GHz microwave radiation at two power densities. The high-power density was 1700 mW/cm² with specific absorption rates of 1224 W/kg in hypothalamus and 493 W/kg in cortex, while the low-power density was 170 mW/cm² with SARs of 122.4 W/kg and 49.3 W/kg. During high-power exposure, the hypothalamic temperature rose significantly faster than cortical or rectal temperatures, whereas low-power exposure produced more uniform heating. For comparison, warm-water immersion produced uniform heating, while warm ambient exposure and exercise maintained the pre-existing temperature gradient between hypothalamus and cortex.
Szmigielski et al. · 1998
The study enrolled 61 workers exposed to radiofrequency EMF (0.738-1.503 Mhz) and 42 unexposed controls, all following identical 12-24-12-48 hour shift schedules. Exposed workers were divided into low-intensity (20-180 V/m, 38 subjects) and high-intensity (200-550 V/m, 23 subjects) groups. Exposed workers had significantly reduced rhythm amplitudes (P < 0.01) and an earlier acrophase at 1100-1200 h (P < 0.05) for blood pressure and heart rate, with more pronounced effects in the high-intensity group. Diurnal rhythm parameters were derived from 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure recordings using cosinor analysis. The authors conclude that occupational RF EMF exposure can alter diurnal cardiovascular rhythms, but clinical relevance needs further investigation.
Mickley GA, Cobb BL · 1998
Tolerant rats showed significantly lower hyperthermia on Day 2 and explored the novel object similarly to sham-exposed rats, whereas non-tolerant rats did not show a preference for the new object. Naltrexone (10 mg/kg) administered just before exposure blocked the hyperthermia-induced discrimination deficit in non-tolerant rats, making their exploration pattern resemble that of tolerant and sham-exposed animals.
Adair ER, Kelleher SA, Mack GW, Morocco TS, · 1998
Thermoregulatory responses of heat production and heat loss were measured in seven adult volunteers (four women and three men, aged 21–57 years) during 45-minute dorsal exposures of the whole body to 450 MHz continuous wave RF fields. Two power densities were tested at each of three ambient temperatures (24, 28, and 31 °C), plus control conditions with no RF. No changes in metabolic heat production occurred, and deep body temperature was regulated to within 0.1 °C of the normal level through vigorous increases in sweating rate on the back and chest.
