PMID: 

Environ Health Perspect. 2018 07 ;126(7):077007. Epub 2018 Jul 23. PMID: 30044230

Abstract Title: 

A Prospective Cohort Study of Adolescents' Memory Performance and Individual Brain Dose of Microwave Radiation from Wireless Communication.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: The potential impact of microwave radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by wireless communication devices on neurocognitive functions of adolescents is controversial. In a previous analysis, we found changes in figural memory scores associated with a higher cumulative RF-EMF brain dose in adolescents.OBJECTIVE: We aimed to follow-up our previous results using a new study population, dose estimation, and approach to controlling for confounding from media usage itself.METHODS: RF-EMF brain dose for each participant was modeled. Multivariable linear regression models were fitted on verbal and figural memory score changes over 1 y and on estimated cumulative brain dose and RF-EMF related and unrelated media usage (=669-676). Because of the hemispheric lateralization of memory, we conducted a laterality analysis for phone call ear preference. To control for the confounding of media use behaviors, a stratified analysis for different media usage groups was also conducted.RESULTS: We found decreased figural memory scores in association with an interquartile range (IQR) increase in estimated cumulative RF-EMF brain dose scores: -0.22 (95% CI: -0.47, 0.03; IQR: 953 mJ/kg per day) in the whole sample, -0.39 (95% CI: -0.67, -0.10; IQR: 953 mJ/kg per day) in right-side users (=532), and -0.26 (95% CI: -0.42, -0.10; IQR: 341 mJ/kg per day) when recorded network operator data were used for RF-EMF dose estimation (=274). Media usage unrelated to RF-EMF did not show significant associations or consistent patterns, with the exception of consistent (nonsignificant) positive associations between data traffic duration and verbal memory.CONCLUSIONS: Our findings for a cohort of Swiss adolescents require confirmation in other populations but suggest a potential adverse effect of RF-EMF brain dose on cognitive functions that involve brain regions mostly exposed during mobile phone use. https://ift.tt/34j9r3z.

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PMID: 

Mutat Res. 2002 Aug 26 ;519(1-2):1-13. PMID: 12160887

Abstract Title: 

Induction of DNA strand breaks by intermittent exposure to extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields in human diploid fibroblasts.

Abstract: 

Results of epidemiological research show low association of electromagnetic field (EMF) with increased risk of cancerous diseases and missing dose-effect relations. An important component in assessing potential cancer risk is knowledge concerning any genotoxic effects of extremely-low-frequency-EMF (ELF-EMF). Human diploid fibroblasts were exposed to continuous or intermittent ELF-EMF (50Hz, sinusoidal, 24h, 1000microT). For evaluation of genotoxic effects in form of DNA single- (SSB) and double-strand breaks (DSB), the alkaline and the neutral comet assay were used. In contrast to continuous ELF-EMF exposure, the application of intermittent fields reproducibly resulted in a significant increase of DNA strand break levels, mainly DSBs, as compared to non-exposed controls. The conditions of intermittence showed an impact on the induction of DNA strand breaks, producing the highest levels at 5min field-on/10min field-off. We also found individual differences in response to ELF-EMF as well as an evident exposure-response relationship between magnetic flux density and DNA migration in the comet assay. Our data strongly indicate a genotoxic potential of intermittent EMF. This points to the need of further studies in vivo and consideration about environmental threshold values for ELF exposure.

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PMID: 

Drug Chem Toxicol. 2014 Oct ;37(4):440-7. Epub 2014 Jan 30. PMID: 24479558

Abstract Title: 

Enhanced cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of gadolinium following ELF-EMF irradiation in human lymphocytes.

Abstract: 

There are many studies of Gd nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity, whereas research on cyto- and genotoxicity in normal human lymphocytes is scarce. It is important to investigate the effect of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on Gd toxicity, as patients are co-exposed to Gd and ELF-EMF generated by MRI scanners. We investigated the cytotoxicity and genotoixcity of Gd and the possible enhancing effect of ELF-EMF on Gd toxicity in cultured human lymphocytes by performing a micronuclei (MN) assay, trypan blue dye exclusion, single cell gel electrophoresis, and apoptosis analyses using flow cytometry. Isolated lymphocytes were exposed to 0.2-1.2 mM of Gd only or in combination with a 60-Hz ELF-EMF of 0.8-mT field strength. Exposing human lymphocytes to Gd resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent decrease in cell viability and an increase in MN frequency, single strand DNA breakage, apoptotic cell death, and ROS production. ELF-EMF(0.8 mT) exposure also increased cell death, MN frequency, olive tail moment, and apoptosis induced by Gd treatment alone. These results suggest that Gd induces DNA damage and apoptotic cell death in human lymphocytes and that ELF-EMF enhances the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of Gd.

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PMID: 

Toxicol Lett. 2005 Jun 17 ;157(2):119-28. PMID: 15836999

Abstract Title: 

Effects of co-exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields and benzene or benzene metabolites determined in vitro by the alkaline comet assay.

Abstract: 

In the present study, we investigated in vitro the possible genotoxic and/or co-genotoxic activity of 50 Hz (power frequency) magnetic fields (MF) by using the alkaline single-cell microgel-electrophoresis (comet) assay. Sets of experiments were performed to evaluate the possible interaction between 50 Hz MF and the known leukemogen benzene. Three benzene hydroxylated metabolites were also evaluated: 1,2-benzenediol (1,2-BD, catechol), 1,4-benzenediol (1,4-BD, hydroquinone), and 1,2,4-benzenetriol (1,2,4-BT). MF (1 mT) were generated by a system consisting of a pair of parallel coils in a Helmholtz configuration. To evaluate the genotoxic potential of 50 Hz MF, Jurkat cell cultures were exposed to 1 mT MF or sham-exposed for 1h. To evaluate the co-genotoxic activity of MF, the xenobiotics (benzene, catechol, hydroquinone, and 1,2,4-benzenetriol) were added to Jurkat cells subcultures at the beginning of the exposure time. In cell cultures co-exposed to 1 mT (50 Hz) MF, benzene and catechol did not show any genotoxic activity. However, co-exposure of cell cultures to 1 mT MF and hydroquinone led to the appearance of a clear genotoxic effect. Moreover, co-exposure of cell cultures to 1 mT MF and 1,2,4-benzenetriol led to a marked increase in the genotoxicity of the ultimate metabolite of benzene. The possibility that 50 Hz (power frequency) MF might interfere with the genotoxic activity of xenobiotics has important implications, since human populations are likely to be exposed to a variety of genotoxic agents concomitantly with exposure to this type of physical agent.

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PMID: 

Mutat Res. 2019 Oct ;846:403079. Epub 2019 Jul 29. PMID: 31585627

Abstract Title: 

DNA damage from long-term occupational exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields among power plant workers.

Abstract: 

Extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) are not known as definite occupational carcinogens, but some studies have reported the genotoxic effects of these fields on cell lines. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of long-term occupational exposure to these fields on DNA damage. In this cross-sectional study, blood samples were taken from 102 thermal power plant workers as the exposure group and 136 subjects as the unexposed group. DNA damage was evaluated using alkaline comet assay and flow cytometry. Exposure to ELF-EMFs was measured based on spot measurements and the IEEE Std C95.3.1 standard. The indices of comet assay, tail DNA percent, tail factor (%), and damage index were significantly higher in the exposed group compared to the unexposed group. Increased exposure to magnetic fields enhanced comet assay indices, except tail length; while exposure to electric fields had no significant effect on such indices. The percentage of cells at early apoptosis and late apoptosis phases caused by exposure to magnetic fields, respectively, decreased and increased significantly. Long-term occupational exposure to ELF-EMFs can probably cause genotoxic effects.

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PMID: 

Nutrition. 2019 Sep 13 ;70:110584. Epub 2019 Sep 13. PMID: 31759318

Abstract Title: 

Mediterranean diet adherence and congestive heart failure: Relationship with clinical severity and ischemic pathogenesis.

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVES: To our knowledge, no study has addressed the relationship between adherence to a Mediterranean diet style and severity of heart failure. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet assessed using the calculation of Mediterranean diet score and congestive heart failure (CHF), its severity, and pathogenesis.METHODS: We analyzed charts and collected data of all consecutive patients with a diagnosis of CHF at admission to our Internal Medicine Ward from 2008 to 2014.RESULTS: We analyzed 209 patients with CHF and 200 controls. Patients with CHF showed a significantly lower mean MeDi score than controls. At receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, we found a good sensitivity and specificity of mean MeDi score to predict CHF. We also observed a significant positive correlation between MeDi score and ischemic pathogenesis of CHF, a positive relationship between New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and ischemic heart disease, and a significant negative relationship between NYHA class and MeDi score.CONCLUSION: The beneficial effects of adherence to the Mediterranean diet suggest a possible answer to the question of the biochemical bases of our data, which should be seen as the direct consequence of the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-remodeling effects linked to the diet.

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PMID: 

DNA Repair (Amst). 2004 Oct 5 ;3(10):1385-7. PMID: 15336633

Abstract Title: 

Are environmental electromagnetic fields genotoxic?

Abstract: 

Long-term exposure to extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMFs) greater than 0.4 microT has been linked, by epidemiological studies, to a small elevated risk of childhood leukaemia. Laboratory-based experiments have been claimed to show that ELF EMFs induce a variety of biological responses, although these claims are controversial. Recent experiments by Ivancsits et al. [Mutat. Res. 519 (2002) 1; Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 76 (2003) 431; Mech. Age. Dev. 124 (2003) 847; H.W. Rüdiger, S. Ivancsits, E. Diem, O. Jahn, Genotoxic effects of ELF-EMF on human cells in vitro, Bioelectromagnetics Society 25th Annual Meeting, Maui, USA, 2003] suggest that ELF EMFs are genotoxic, on the basis of observations that intermittent exposures induce single-strand breaks (SSB) and double-strand DNA breaks (DSB) in the DNA of cultured human fibroblasts. The implications of these findings are discussed.

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PMID: 

Electromagn Biol Med. 2009 ;28(2):201-14. PMID: 19811402

Abstract Title: 

Electromagnetic fields and the induction of DNA strand breaks.

Abstract: 

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified the extremely low-frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) as"possible carcinogenic"based on the reported effects. The purpose of this work is to review and compare the recent findings related to the induction of DNA strand breaks (DNA-SB) by magnetic field (MF) exposure. We found 29 studies (genotoxic and epigenetic) about the induction of DNA-SB by MF. 50% showed effect of MF and 50% showed no DNA-SB. Nevertheless, considering only genotoxic or only epigenetic studies, 37.5% and 69.2% found induction of DNA-SB by MF, respectively. In relation to these data it seems that MF could act as a co-inductor of DNA damage rather than as a genotoxic agent per se. Nevertheless, the published results, in some cases conflicting with negative findings, do not facilitate to obtain a common consensus about MF effects and biophysical interaction mechanisms.

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PMID: 

Ann Ig. 2004 Jan-Apr;16(1-2):321-40. PMID: 15554538

Abstract Title: 

[Evaluation of genotoxic and/or co-genotoxic effects in cells exposed in vitro to extremely-low frequency electromagnetic fields].

Abstract: 

During the last two decades, concerns have arisen regarding a possible association between extremely-low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) exposure and cancer incidence (e.g. childhood acute leukaemia, cancer of the nervous system, and lymphomas). In 1979, Wertheimer and Leeper firstly reported an excess of cancer mortality among children living in homes located near power lines and presumably exposed to elevated magnetic fields. Subsequently, a large number of epidemiological studies investigated the possible association between residential or occupational exposure to ELF-EMF and cancer. Several in vivo and in vitro models have been investigated with the effort to determine a link, if any, between such fields and mutagenesis and to determine the possible mechanism of cancer risk. However, a causal relationship between exposure to ELF-EMF and cancer has been suggested but has not been unequivocally demonstrated. In 1998, following an analysis of the results retrieved in the literature, the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences proposed to apply a"possible human carcinogen"category (Group 2B) to ELF-EMF. More recently, in 2002, the same classification for ELF-MF was proposed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. In this in vitro approach, to test the genotoxic and/or co-genotoxic potency of ELF-MF, we used the alkaline single-cell microgel-electrophoresis (comet) assay and the cytokinesis block micronucleus test. Co-exposure assays were performed in the presence of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide (4NQO), benzene, 1,4-benzenediol (1,4-BD), or 1,2,4-benzenetriol (1,2,4-BT). An ELF-MF (50 Hz, 5 mT) was obtained by a system composed of capsulated induction coils. ELF-MF alone was unable to cause direct primary DNA damage. Whereas, an increased extent of DNA damage was observed in cells co-exposed to ELF-MF and MNNG, 1,4-BD, or 1,2,4-BT. An opposite trend was observed in cells treated with 4NQO and co-exposed to ELF-MF. Moreover, the frequency of micronucleated cells in ELF-MF-exposed cells was higher than in control cultures. Our findings suggest that the tested ELF-MF (50 Hz, 5 mT) possess genotoxic (micronucleus test) and co-genotoxic (comet assay) capabilities. The possibility that ELF-MF might interfere with the genotoxic activity of xenobiotics has important implications, since human populations are likely to be exposed to a variety of genotoxic agents concomitantly with exposure to this type of physical agent.

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PMID: 

Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Nov 8 ;8(11). Epub 2019 Nov 8. PMID: 31717349

Abstract Title: 

Polyphenols and IUGR Pregnancies: Effects of Maternal Hydroxytyrosol Supplementation on Postnatal Growth, Metabolism and Body Composition of the Offspring.

Abstract: 

Maternal supplementation with the polyphenol hydroxytyrosol in a swine model of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) improves the fetal oxidative status, decreases the appearance of low birth-weight neonates and favors growth during early postnatal stages (lactation). The current study aimed to determine whether hydroxytyrosol supplementation can also improve developmental patterns, metabolic traits, and body composition of the offspring during later postnatal stages (from weaning to adulthood). A total of 21 piglets born from control untreated sows and 20 piglets born from sows treated with hydroxytyrosol during the last two-thirds of pregnancy were selected on the basis of similar body weights at weaning, for avoiding any interfering effects occurred during lactation. The pigs in the treated group had higher average daily weight gain (ADWG) and, therefore, reached higher body weight and corpulence, greater muscle development and higher adiposity than their control counterparts. The following were not found: significant effects on metabolism and body composition except changes in the muscular fatty acid composition of the treated pigs coming from the largest litters; those more affected by IUGR processes. These findings suggest that maternal supplementation with hydroxytyrosol may improve juvenile development of offspring in at-risk pregnancies and pave the way for more specific studies aiming to elucidate effects on adiposity, metabolism, and meat organoleptic characteristics.

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