R-I-I-N-G: The latest on the health and environmental impacts of mobile phones
The health and environmental impacts of electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone handsets and base stations have been a topic of controversy for years now. Scientific studies produced conflicting results but conflicts of interests among researchers are common considering the financial and political clout of the telecom industry. A few of the latest developments are summarized here.
Impact on sleep
Short-term exposure to GSM wireless communications signals seems to have an immediate effect on sleeping patterns. Researchers in Sweden and the US observed that sleep disturbances frequently occurred in individuals who were exposed to 884 MHz frequency signals comparable to those emitted by mobile phone hand sets. Adverse effects on sleep quality as measure by EEG were observed. Sleep stages 3 and 4 were especially affected.
Data was based on self-reported symptoms in a study group of blinded 35 men and 36 women [1].
Impact on fetuses and neonates
Egyptian researchers observed that the use of mobile phones by pregnant women can increase heart rates and decrease cardiac outputs of the fetuses. The same was also observed in neonates [2].
Impact on birds
The population of the house sparrows Passer domesticus in Europe has been on the decline for years now and electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone base stations might be partly responsible for this. Researchers in Belgium [3] and Spain [4] observed that spatial variation of these birds is significantly correlated to the strength of EMR in a certain area.
A more comprehensive review of the problem was initiated by a group of experts in 2007 who wrote the BioInitiative Report: A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF) [5].
“The current guidelines for the US and European microwave exposure from mobile phones, for the brain are 1.6W/Kg and 2W/Kg, respectively.” Based on recent findings and the BioInitiative Report, “a new biologically based guideline is warranted.” [6].
References:
- Arnetz et al. 2007. The effects of 884 MHz GSM wireless communication signals on self-reported symptom and sleep (EEG)- An experimental provocation study. Progress in Electromagnetics Research Symposium
- Rezk et al. 2008. Fetal and neonatal responses following maternal exposure to mobile phones. Saudi Medical Journal 2008 Feb;29(2):218-23.
- Everaert & Bauwens, 2007. A possible effect of electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone base stations on the number of breeding house sparrows (Passer domesticus) Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine January 2007; 26(1): 63-72
- Balmori & Hallberg, 2007. The urban decline of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus): A possible link with electromagnetic radiation Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine April 2007; 26(2): 141-151
- BioInitiative Report:A Rationale for a Biologically-based Public Exposure Standard for Electromagnetic Fields (ELF and RF). www.bioinitiative.org
- Hardell & Sage, 2008. Biological effects from electromagnetic field exposure and public exposure standards. Biomed Pharmacother. 2008 Feb;62(2):104-109.
Move more, live longer: the latest on the benefits of an active lifestyle
Springtime is coming, the days are getting longer and warmer, and we are running out of excuses not to be up and moving again. Here is a short review of recent studies on the benefits of physical exercise.
Exercise and BP in children [1]
A recent UK study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, shows that physical activity in children lowers childhood blood pressure (BP). Furthermore, it’s not the intensity of the activity that counts but the total amount of physical activity while performing normal daily chores. It could be just as simple as walking to and from school. The important thing is that kids should be mobile and not spend long periods of time in front of the TV or the game boy console. High BP in children can result in adult hypertension.
Aerobics and cholesterol levels [2]
A meta-analysis study by Japanese researchers shows that doing aerobics regularly increases serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL). This increase in HDL levels lowered the risk of cardiovascular disorders by about 5.1% in men and by 7.6% in women. The rise in HDL depends on duration but not intensity or frequency of the exercise. This beneficial effect of aerobics is most pronounced in people with initially high total cholesterol levels and low body mass index (BMI).
Exercise and telomeres [3]
British researchers found a correlation between physical activity and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in healthy individuals. LTL is a biological measure of aging in humans.
Researchers at Twin Research Unit at St Thomas’ Hospital in London found that individuals who are inactive, smokers and with high BMI tend to have shorter telomeres than active, non-smoking individuals. The difference in biological age between couch potatoes and physically active people can be as high as 10 years.
Exercise and alcohol [4]
A Danish study followed up 11,914 adults for over 20 years. Their results show that leisure-time physical exercise combined with moderate alcohol intake actually lower risks of fatal ischemic heart disease (IHD). Nondrinking, sedentary individuals have the highest risk of IHD while physically active moderate drinkers have the lowest risk.
The study defined “moderate” drinking as 1 to 14 drinks of alcohol a week. One drink is equivalent to “one bottle of beer, one glass of wine, or one unit of spirit.”
Sources:
Leary SD et al., 2008. Physical activity and blood pressure in childhood: findings from a population-based study. Hypertension 51:92-98.- Kodama S et al., 2007. Effect of aerobic exercise training on serum levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Arch Intern Med 167:999-1008.
- Cherkas LF et al., 2008, The association between physical activity in leisure time and leukocyte telomere length. Arch Intern Med 168: 154-158.
- Pedersen JØ et al.., 2008. The combined influence of leisure-time physical activity and weekly alcohol intake on fatal ischaemic heart disease and all-cause mortality. European Heart Journal January 2008 29(2):204-212
The year that was: major events in 2007
Nature`s Daniel Cressey listed several events as among the most newsworthy in 2007. Some of these events are discussed below.
Biotechnology
November was a good month for biotechnology. American and Japanese researchers derived pleuripotent stem cells from human skin. American researchers also finally succeeded cloning primate embryos in the same month. Both events are major breakthroughs in stem cell research.
This year, two big names in genomics - James Watson and Craig Venter – had their full genome sequenced. In the meantime, American start ups are offering personalized genetic information service (see October post).
Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace. In the meantime, the Northwest Passage that connects Atlantic and Pacific Oceans was practical ice-free and passable – a record low in the arctic ice cover. If the IPCC reports and this ice shrinkage do not convince people of the reality of global change, nothing ever will.
Pharmaceutical scandals
China’s former head of food and drug regulatory agency was executed in July after having been convicted of corruption. In the USA, the Avandia scandal rages on. The USA FDA required an additional black box warning for the diabetes medication Avandia (rosiglitazone) labelling last year but Avandia`s troubles didn’t stop there. The latest involved a US senate inquiry and a leak by an NEJM reviewer.
Safety issues
The July earthquake in Japan caused a leak in a major nuclear reactor, reawakening concerns over nuclear energy safety in general.
Two incidences of major biosecurity lapses were reported this year. In the UK, a leaky pipe caused an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. In a bioweapons research lab at the Texas A&M University, researchers were exposed to biohazards.
Space technology
Japan and China launched moon probes in 2007 though there were doubts whether China’s claims of success were authentic. China also tested a space weapon by shooting at one of its defunct satellites, scattering potentially dangerous debris in space.
Wired magazine considered the following as the top 10 scientific breakthrough of 2007:
10. Transistors Get Way Smaller
9. Scientists Clone Rhesus Monkey to Produce Stem Cells
8. Planet Discovered That Could Harbor Life
7. Engineers Create Transparent Material as Strong as Steel
6. Soft Tissue from T. Rex Leg Bone Analyzed
5. Laboratory Mice Cured of Rett Syndrome
4. Enzymes Convert Any Blood Type to O
3. Mummified Dinosaur Excavated and Scanned
2. Chimpanzees Make Spears for Hunting
1. Researchers Turn Skin Cells to Stem Cells
References:
Cressey D. News 2007. Nature 450, 1134-1135 (2007)
Rowe A. Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs of 2007. Wired 27 Dec 2007.
“Something is rotten in the state of…
…science” if I may borrow from and rephrase Shakespeare.
The highest ethical standards – we expect no less from men and women of science. Yet, recent events brought to light just how short they can fall from these expectations.
“Neither a borrower nor a lender be: For loan oft loses both itself and friend.”
Case # 1: Duplication and plagiarism.
Borrowing from the works of others and our own without proper citation is, in the scientific community, unethical behaviour of the highest magnitude. Using the software eTBLAST, bioinformatics searched through 62,213 Medline entries and found 0.04% cases of potential plagiarism and 1.35% cases of potential duplication [1, 2]. These citations are recorded on Déjà vu, a database of potentially duplicated and plagiarized scientific articles.
One of its first victims comes from no less than that icon of higher learning – Harvard itself. Two review papers, published about 1 year apart by different authors in 2 different journals have 55% similarity [3].
The countdown is running for other papers listed in the Déjà vu database as scrutiny continues. The journals are suddenly waking up to the fact that unethical behaviour in science is more rampant than previously thought. But isn’t it ironic that anti-plagiarism software - the very tool that academia is using to prevent plagiarism by students – is the one that would cast serious doubt on scientific credibility?
“To tell, or not to tell, — that is the question.”
Case #2: Breach of confidentiality.
A referee for the New England Journal of Medicine committed a major breach of confidentiality by leaking an unfavourable manuscript to a drug company [4]. I’m referring to the Avandia (rosiglitazone) issue (see 25 Nov 2007post) and how a referee faxed a copy of the manuscript [5] to the drug’s manufacturer GSK before it was officially published. The confidentiality of the peer review process is sacrosanct and breaching this confidentiality is a major scientific misconduct.
This reflects current concerns about conflicts of interest among authors, editors, and referees (who are most of the time, all one and the same) due to financial support from pharmaceutical companies. Another reason to call for non-industry-sponsored clinical research.
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” And getting caught.
References:
[1] Errami M et al. (2008). Déjà vu—A study of duplicate citations in Medline. Bioinformatics 24(2):243–249.
[2] Errami M & Garner H (2008). A tale of two citations. Nature 451:397-399.
[3] http://www.boston.com/news/health/blog/2008/01/a_harvard_rheum.html
[4] Vastag B (2008). Reviewer leaked Avandia study to drug firm. Nature 451:509.
[5] Nissen SE & Wolski KN (2007). NEJM 356:2457–2471.