II. Interference and resonance between EM radiation and the fields of living cells
II. 1. At the level of biophysics : the disruptive effects of EMF on ionic exchanges
The particles that make up inert matter as well as those of living matter are identical, and have electromagnetically linked exchanges. The atomic structure is composed of the positive electrical charge of protons and of the negative electrical charge of electrons surrounding the nucleus.
The atoms that form the four fundamental elements that make up living systems (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen) are linked by their electrical and magnetic properties. Therefore man is a living matter and the atoms of which he is composed, from his cells to his organs, are essentially electromagnetic.
- Oscillations and ionic interferences of living cells
The living cells release various coherent electromagnetic emissions within a very large spectrum of frequencies. The ions that they themselves contain generate two known types of electromagnetic fields, ELF and microwaves:
- ELF ionic oscillation is that of the "cyclotronic resonance" of ions, which corresponds to the rotation of the ion around its axis. Its frequency varies slightly depending on the geomagnetic field.- The mean values of cyclotronic resonance of the main ions are:
Sodium = 30Hz; Potassium = 17 Hz; Potassium41 = 50 Hz; Calcium = 35 Hz; Magnesium = 55 Hz; Lithium = 100 Hz; etc.
The frequencies of these cyclotronic resonances characteristic of the ions present in the organism lies within the spectral frequency band of common electrical appliances, or of their first harmonics. For example the refreshment of a screen occurs between 60 and 100 Hz; the ELF emissions of a mobile telephone include the 30-40 Hz range, in which lies calcium frequency (35Hz) or 217 Hz which is the first harmonic of iron 51, etc.
Therefore, interference from electrical appliances with living organisms is obvious and is in the scope of basic Physics.
Furthermore, these assumptions have been largely proven experimentally for the calcium ion (Ca++): “…much research has been carried out, with results proving that: …- the membrane Ca is probably the target of the EMF – mechanisms affecting the modification of calcium flows in the brain cannot be explained by traditional theories of biochemistry… one has to note that the existence of this window effect calls into question – at least partly – the concept of the threshold of activity and therefore the safety level established from the SAR or the intensity of the field…” (MIRO L. Risks linked to radio-electro-magnetic rays – Editions techniques‑ Encycl. Med. Chir (Paris – France), professional Toxicology-Pathology, 16-521-D-10, 1994, p.6)
- Microwave ionic oscillation is that of the lateral oscillation of ions in the cavities of the proteins : the ions Ca++ and Mg++ for example oscillate between 1 and 2 GigaHertz, which are precisely the carrier-frequencies of mobile phones using the GSM and DCS systems.
***
From these non-thermal biophysical phenomena, it results an inadequacy between the present Safety standards and biophysical reality … as discussed in the following paragraphs:
Extracts from : « Theoretical and Experimental Evidences where Present Safety Standards Conflict with Reality » M.Fillion-Robin, V.N.Binhi ; Electromagnetic Environment . Health in Buildings Conference; Royal College of Physicians, Proceedings May 2002 London.
…..”Why do cardiac people have malaise, blackout, during a magnetic storm ? (Y. Gurfinkel) Why is there a correlation between the level of electromagnetic background and the incidence of cancer [Portier et al., 1998] ? Why do so many medical centers use electromagnetic exposures to treat a wide variety of disorders in humans?
Both experimental findings and theoretical developments indicate that EM fields — even when they are too weak to be able to provoke any degree of deleterious heating of the tissues — may result in a variety of different biological effects.”…
“Nevertheless the thermal effect of electromagnetic fields is the only effect that is currently considered in the development of electromagnetic safety standards (e.g. for cellular telephony).
Indeed, there are other influences, such as quantum molecular interference, that may cause non-thermal biological effects which illustrates a similar functioning of resonance.
The interference of quantum states of ions with groups of molecules explains many of the paradoxes concerning the non-thermal effects of EMF “…
“Binhi (1997) suggested that a nonlinear effect, involving the interference of quantum states of ions and molecules bound within some proteins – particularly calcium and calmodulin, is a general molecular target for the external EM fields.
The ion interference mechanism predicts several peaks of biological effects in many cases: modulated magnitude magnetic fields, magnetic vacuum, pulsed magnetic fields (Binhi 1998), weak AC electric fields, shift and splitting of MBE spectral peaks under the rotation of biological samples, combined action of different magnetic fields and magnetic noise, bioeffects of modulated micro-waves.”
“In accordance to the ion-interference mechanism, the threshold field for biological responses to the ELF electric field falls into the range of hyperweak electric fields [Binhi et al., 2000]. Ion interference mechanism applied to rotating biophysical structures, such as DNA-RNA fragments, provides a basis for understanding how weak EM fields affect biology [Binhi, 2000]. Of special interest is the existence of molecular gyroscopic degrees of freedom, because these degrees of freedom are not thermalised on biologically relevant time scales. Therefore, mechanisms that involve molecular gyroscopes can account for the biological effects of hyperweak EM fields [Binhi, 2002]. It is important to keep in mind that the possibility of the interference mechanism depends on the value of the local static magnetic field. Since this field varies in a complicated manner throughout the interior of modern buildings, the interference effect at the molecular level and consequently the biological endpoint, may not be reproducible in different places, even when all other EM fields are the same.
All living matter is built from the same molecular bricks — amino-acids and proteins. Despite their inherent differences they have very similar biophysical structures. Therefore, it is clear that the interference mechanism (a molecular physical theory) is equally applicable to biological systems having different levels of complexity. If an effect exists for one biological system at given EM fields, one may expect one for another biological system exposed to the same EM fields. The only condition for this is the presence in both systems the same molecular EM target.
Molecular mechanisms of biological sensitivity to EM fields are consistent with the fundamental quantum limit of sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation.”
(2)(3) See biblio. ref. ”2. Biophysics - Mode of action - 3. Ultra-weak fields”
II. 2. Biological parameters disturbed by EMF and possible consequences
for human
> Indicators of biological incompatibility with EMF
The results of numerous works in biology enable medical science to establish possible links between disrupted biological parameters that are observed under chronic exposure to EMF and certain pathologies.
The studies that have been cited in this document were completed in several universities in France and other countries, in co-operation with the laboratory Tecnolab, an international centre of research in electromagnetic Biophysics. They have been published, or publications are in progress, in peer-reviewed international scientific journals.
All the following parameters, which have each been studied by this research team, were retained for their relevance in terms of potential deleterious effects. The results of experiments themselves are developed in the following chapter.
Extract from: “Biological effects of EMF and their potential impact on health”
R.. Messagier , PhD in Medicine : Electromagnetic Fields and Living Systems, 2002.
a/ Calcium
Calcium ions are involved in the activity of numerous body enzymes. Subsequently, any change in the intracellular level of calcium is likely to induce changes in intracellular enzymes, notably those of kinase proteins involved in signal transduction. (Dayanithi G, -INSERM Montpellier)
For example, in rat pituitary cells exposed to electromagnetic radiation from a mobile phone, the reported simultaneous increase in the intracellular concentration of Ca++ and the increased secretion of ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) have modified the activity of enzymes involved in the synthetic cascade of this hormone.
When there is an accumulation of intracellular calcium, the latter is the result of a shift in ion charges, which are otherwise deficient in other parts of the body. It is possible to assume that these changes in intra and extracellular concentrations cause the body to make use of mechanisms designed to recover or return calcium to “normal” levels, inducing, as such, cellular stress with a risk of a loss in balance during long term exposure, or the striking of a new balance/equilibrium on another potentially pathological level of functioning.
Ionic movement of Ca++ is subsequently going to have an impact on the movement of other ions whose metabolism is interdependent, notably inverse shifts in Mg++ (Magnesium).
In terms of the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the neuromuscular system, it is known that Ca++ plays a very important role in neuromuscular excitability, notably in the autonomous nervous system. These abnormalities could result in disorders like spasmophilia with other kinds of malaise and functional secondary deregulation of organs or main functions such as the heart, circulation, digestion, respiration, pain sensitivity or sensitivity to other stimuli.
b/ Corticosterone – ACTH
Changes in hormone release can also be a primary consequence of these ionic abnormalities, with abnormal changes in ACTH, cortico and mineral-steroid hormones, calcitonin, PTH, and melatonin. (B.J. Youbicier-Simo, M. Bastide, -Montpellier University, 1997, 2001. Alonso G.-CNRS Montpellier; Dayanithi G, -INSERM Montpellier, 2001)
Changes in these hormones cause, in turn, systemic disorders:
- In the nervous and muscular systems , psychological instability, irritability, tendency towards depression, concentration and memory disorders, insomnia, muscular weakness, cramps, contractions.
- In the immune system, a drop in the performance of defense mechanisms against bacteria, virus, parasites, allergies ( degranulation facilitation of histamine releasing cells), tendency towards maintenance or worsening of inflammatory or auto-immune diseases in genetically predisposed individuals.
c/ Melatonin
It has anti-radical, anti-tumor, and sleep inducing properties. At high doses, it also possesses anti-epileptic properties.
The reduction in melatonin observed in many studies (B.J. Youbicier-Simo, M. Bastide, MESR- MENRT-Montpellier University, 1997, 2001) could therefore cause a decrease in the recycling systems of free radicals with, as a consequence, the acceleration of oxidative stress, premature aging, and acceleration of an already developing tumor process.
Sleep disorders are also possible, causing in turn, a cascade of tiredness and fatigue that can lead to depression..
A significant reduction in melatonin could also lead to an increase in epileptic seizures in patients or predisposed individuals.
d/ Nitric Oxide
An increase in exhaled NO (E. Stepanov ; V. Binhi – Russian Academy of Sciences – 2001) leads to the assumption that there is a possible local increase in blood in the organ the most exposed to a mobile phone during a call: the brain.
NO, like calcium, is however a ubiquitous messenger. Its properties are vasodilating and pro-radical.
An increase in plasma or a local increase could be the cause of other more virulent free radicals causing cell damage, consuming peripheral melatonin, reinforcing the effects of a reduction in melatonin, (i.e. pro-tumoral), and an aging accelerator.
Locally, NO can be neurotoxic. It is possible that a decrease in neurogenesis in the hippocampus may also be related to it.
In terms of the external ear, vasodilatation can be a source of heat and redness and for the inner ear, of dizziness or loss of balance due to changes in blood flow in equilibration organs.
e/ Immune response
Immune depression in young chicks exposed to screens (B.J. Youbicier-Simo, M. Bastide, Montpellier University, 1997, 2001) should lead to work focused on the possibility of benign chronic or recurring infections like a “head cold”, or even more serious ones, as factors contributing to further compromising HIV carriers or other slow developing virus.
f/ Neurogenesis
The decrease in the neurogenesis of hippocampus cells (Youbicier JB; Alonso G; CNRS Montpellier –2001) could be at the root of memory disorders; since this structure is involved in short term memory and learning mechanisms. A renewal problem for these cells could cause abnormalities of these functions.
g/ Cell cores
The multiplication of micro-cores observed in immune cells (lymphocytes – macrophages) (Youbicier-Simo JB.; Fernandez A.; CNRS Montpellier; 2001) is a sign of dysfunction of the cells in question resulting in their death and destruction or in their anarchic development leading to a subsequent rise in cancer risk.
h/ Embryo mortality
The observance of a very significant rise in embryo mortality in chickens (B.J. Youbicier-Simo, M. Bastide, Montpellier University, MESR-MENRT 1997, 2001; Pr. Y Grigoriev 2001 – Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow; F. Battelier -INRA, Tours France) can result in consideration of the possibility of early spontaneous abortions, the increase of which has already been debated with screen work.
i/ Corneal damage
The corneal lesions reported by some (M.Miyata, Univ. Tokyo – 1999) can result in keratitis or kerao-conjunctivitis, especially if the repair mechanisms, which are mediated by exchanges of nervous information and ionic exchanges, are disturbed.
j/ Chronic stress symptoms
The symptoms reported in the clinical investigations of Prof. Clements-Croome tend toward the direction of the pathogenic hypothesis presented above. In fact, when in these investigations, the compensatory oscillation technology developed by Tecnolab was used to neutralize the biological effects of EMF, a 33% mean decrease was observed in the number of symptoms reported in VDU or mobile phone users (900 individuals), which was quantifiedthrough a scale designed to assess environmental stress.
A significant decrease is noted in :
- Ocular irritation,
- Inflammation of the respiratory tree and the ENT sphere,
- Fatigue,
- Mood, sleep disorders ,
- Memory disorders,
- Headaches,
- Articular pains …
All of these symptoms can be superimposed on the list of disorders that can occur pursuant to biological effects triggered by EMF exposure and listed above.
Inducing a biological effect in a living organism through exposure to a EMF means making this organism or some of its cells compensate for this effect, to reestablish its anterior balance through an adaptation effort, with energy consumption, which constitutes a constraint imposed on the cells of the organism, thus electromagnetic-caused stress. They are further consistent with the process of biological stress of electromagnetic source developed by the Tecnolab research team.
(4) See biblio. ref. ”4. Experimentations –EM exposures ”
