EMF Research Studies

Combined exposure of peripubertal male rats to the endocrine-disrupting compound atrazine and power- frequency electromagnetic fields causes degranulation of cutaneous mast cells: a new toxic environmental hazard?

Unknown authors · 2010

Brain DNA damage and 70-kDa heat shock protein expression in CD1 mice exposed to extremely low frequency magnetic fields

Unknown authors · 2010

Involvement of mitochondrial activity in mediating ELF-EMF stimulatory effect on human sperm motility

Unknown authors · 2010

Human sperm were exposed to a 50 Hz, 5 mT ELF-EMF with a square waveform. Exposure increased mitochondrial membrane potential and levels of ATP, ADP, and NAD+ and improved sperm kinematic parameters. Inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation with CICCP blocked the ELF-EMF effect on energy parameters and motility in glucose medium. When pyruvate and lactate replaced glucose, ELF-EMF increased energy status and motility, indicating mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation mediates the effect.

Extremely Low-Frequency Magnetic Field Decreased Calcium, Zinc and Magnesium Levels in Costa of Rat

Unknown authors · 2010

Rats were exposed to 100 and 500 μT ELF-MF for 2 h/day during 10 months. Calcium levels decreased in the ELF-500 exposure group compared to the sham group. Magnesium levels decreased in the ELF-500 exposure group compared to both the sham and ELF-100 exposure groups. Zinc levels were lower in the ELF-500 exposure group than in the sham and ELF-100 exposure groups. No significant differences were found in phosphorus, copper, or iron levels between groups.

Effects of 50-Hz magnetic field exposure on hormone secretion and apoptosis-related gene expression in human first trimester villous trophoblasts in vitro

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers isolated trophoblasts from first trimester human chorionic villi and exposed them to a 50-Hz magnetic field for different durations. Exposure at 0.2 mT for 72 hours did not affect hCG and progesterone secretion. Exposure at 0.4 mT for 48 hours showed no significant change in hormone secretion. Exposure at 0.4 mT for 72 hours significantly inhibited hCG and progesterone secretion. Apoptosis-related gene expression (bcl-2, bax, caspase-3, p53, fas) did not differ after 72 hours at 0.4 mT.

Repetitive exposure to a 60-Hz time-varying magnetic field induces DNA double-strand breaks and apoptosis in human cells

Unknown authors · 2010

A single 30-minute exposure to a 60-Hz time-varying magnetic field of 6 mT showed no effect on human normal and cancer cells. The repetitive exposure also activated p38 and induced apoptosis in both cancer and normal cells.

Testicular development evaluation in rats exposed to 60 Hz and 1 mT electromagnetic field

Unknown authors · 2010

Effects of extremely low-frequency magnetic field on growth and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells

Unknown authors · 2010

Bioelectromagnetic field effects on cancer cells and mice tumors

Unknown authors · 2010

Effects of low frequency electromagnetic fields on the chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers exposed human mesenchymal stem cells at passages 5 and 6 to homogeneous sinusoidal extremely low-frequency magnetic fields at 5 mT during chondrogenic differentiation. After 3 weeks, collagen type II expression increased significantly at passage 6 under EMF exposure. Aggrecan and SOX9 expression did not change significantly after EMF exposure. Collagen type X expression decreased under electromagnetic stimulation. Glycosaminoglycan content relative to DNA was higher in EMF-treated pellets at passage 5.

Effect of Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) on Phospholipase Activity in the Cultured Cells

Unknown authors · 2010

The study used RAW 264.7 cells and RBL 2H3 cells. The cells were exposed to 60 Hz EMF at 0.1 or 1 mT for 4 or 16 hours. Basal and melittin-induced arachidonic acid release, cPLA2, sPLA2, PLC, and PLD activities were unchanged by EMF exposure. The authors concluded that the exposure conditions, which were 2.4 fold higher than the occupational limit, did not induce phospholipase-associated signaling pathways.

In vitro and in vivo genotoxicity of radiofrequency fields

Unknown authors · 2010

The review examined data on alleged RFR-induced genetic effects from in vitro and in vivo investigations as well as from human cytogenetic biomonitoring surveys. The authors also considered combined exposures of RFR with chemical or physical agents. No entirely consistent picture emerged from the reviewed studies. Many positive studies may be due to thermal exposures, though a few suggest biological effects at low exposure levels. Overall, the evidence for low-level genotoxic effects is very weak.

Idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to electromagnetic fields (formerly 'electromagnetic hypersensitivity'): An updated systematic review of provocation studies

Unknown authors · 2010

The review updated an earlier systematic review by adding 15 new experiments to the original 31 blind provocation studies. In total, 46 blind or double-blind provocation studies involving 1175 IEI-EMF volunteers tested whether electromagnetic field exposure triggers symptoms. No robust evidence supported that electromagnetic fields trigger symptoms, but the studies supported the role of the nocebo effect in triggering acute symptoms.

Can exposure to a terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA)-like signal cause symptoms? A randomised double-blind provocation study

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers exposed 60 sensitive and 60 non-sensitive users to three 50-minute conditions: a signal with a 16 Hz component, a continuous wave signal at 385.25 MHz, and a sham condition, in a randomised double-blind design. Exposure to the continuous wave signal increased headache in all participants, fatigue in non-sensitive participants, and difficulty concentrating in sensitive participants, while reducing itching in sensitive participants. These effects were not seen with the 16 Hz pulsing signal except for concentration difficulties.

Power-frequency magnetic fields and childhood brain tumors: a case-control study in Japan

Unknown authors · 2010

A positive association was found between high-level exposure above 0.4 microT and the risk of brain tumors. This association could not be explained solely by confounding factors or selection bias.

Intercomparison of induced fields in Japanese male model for ELF magnetic field exposures: effect of different computational methods and codes

Unknown authors · 2010

The computational conditions and numeric human phantom including tissue conductivity were set identically to focus on the uncertainty in computed fields. Differences in the maximal and 99th percentile in situ electric field were less than 30% and 10% respectively, except for the results of one group. Differences in the current density averaged over 1 cm² of central nerve tissue were 10% or less, except for the results of one group.

Parental occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and childhood cancer: a German case- control study

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers conducted a population-based case-control study in Germany to investigate whether preconceptional parental occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields increased childhood cancer risk. Parental occupational history was recorded using questionnaires and telephone interviews, and preconceptional magnetic field exposure was estimated via a job-exposure matrix. The analysis included 2,382 controls and 2,049 cases, comprising 846 acute leukemia, 159 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 444 central nervous system tumors, and 600 other solid tumors. Frequency-matched conditional logistic regression models showed no increased cancer risks for paternal exposure above 0.2 microT, no risk increase above 1 microT, and maternal exposure was also not associated with increased risks.

Exposure to magnetic fields and the risk of poor sperm quality

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers conducted a population-based case-control study among healthy sperm donors to study magnetic field exposure and poor sperm quality. All participants wore a meter to capture daily magnetic field exposure. Men whose 90th percentile magnetic field level was 1.6 mG or higher had a two-fold increased risk of abnormal sperm motility and morphology compared to those with lower exposure. Increasing duration of exposure above 1.6 mG further increased the risk. Age-adjusted Spearman Rank Order Correlations showed an inverse correlation between magnetic field exposure and all semen parameters.

DNA fragmentation in human fibroblasts under extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure

Unknown authors · 2010

Extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields exposure and female breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis based on 24,338 cases and 60,628 controls

Unknown authors · 2010

The meta-analysis included 15 studies published from 2000 to 2009 with 24,338 cases and 60,628 controls. The overall analysis showed no significant association with an odds ratio of 0.988 and a 95% confidence interval of 0.898 to 1.088. Subgroup analyses by exposure modes, menopausal status, and estrogen receptor status also found no significant association.

Risk of hematological malignancies associated with magnetic fields exposure from power lines: a case-control study in two municipalities of northern Italy

Unknown authors · 2010

They identified 64 cases of newly-diagnosed hematological malignancies in children under 14 from 1986 to 2007 and sampled four matched controls per case. The relative risk of leukemia for residence in areas with exposure ≥0.1 microTesla was 3.2 (6.7 after adjusting for socioeconomic status), but the estimate was statistically unstable with a 95% confidence interval of 0.4 to 23.4. The relative risk for acute lymphoblastic leukemia was 5.3 (95% CI 0.7-43.5), while no increased risk was found for other hematological malignancies.

Signal transduction of the melatonin receptor MT1 is disrupted in breast cancer cells by electromagnetic fields

Unknown authors · 2010

Effects of extremely low-frequency magnetic field exposure on cognitive functions: results of a meta-analysis

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of nine studies that met minimum design criteria, all using 50 Hz magnetic field exposure. Small but significant effect sizes were found in two cognitive dimensions: exposed subjects performed better on the hard level of visual duration discrimination but worse on the intermediate level. A significant improvement in correct responses was also observed in the flexibility dimension under exposure. However, the authors caution that the small number of studies per dimension makes the estimates unstable and the findings must be treated with extreme caution. Overall, the meta-analysis provides little evidence that ELF-MFs have any effects on cognitive functions.

Living near overhead high voltage transmission power lines as a risk factor for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a case-control study

Unknown authors · 2010

Researchers conducted a case-control study with 300 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 300 matched controls. Cases lived significantly closer to power lines than controls (P<0.001). Living within 600 meters of the nearest power line was associated with an odds ratio of 2.61 (95% CI: 1.73 to 3.94) compared to living farther away. Odds ratios were 9.93 for 123 kV lines, 10.78 for 230 kV lines, and 2.98 for 400 kV lines. Odds of leukemia decreased by a factor of 0.61 for every 600 meters of distance from the nearest power line.

Effects of long-term 50 Hz magnetic field exposure on the micro nucleated polychromatic erythrocyte and blood lymphocyte frequency and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions in lymphocytes of mice

Unknown authors · 2010

One hundred and twenty Swiss albino mice were equally divided into 6 groups. The study groups were exposed to 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 microT 50 Hz-EMFs for 40 days. ELF-EMF exposure caused a nonlinear decline of nucleus area, a sharp drop in AgNOR area at 1 microT that then rose to an insignificantly higher level than controls, and no change in mean AgNOR numbers per nucleus. Relative AgNOR area was highest in the 1 microT group and similar in the 5 microT group, while the remaining groups had significantly lower values similar to controls. The field exposure at any intensity did not significantly affect the frequency of either MPBLs or MPCEs, but the number of MN per PBL in the 4 and 5 microT-exposure groups were significantly higher than those of the lower intensity exposure groups.