Hey Charlie,
Your comments remind me of a famous old sociological study done in the 60's
I think. They studied the talk of academics in those hallowed halls and
found that only 20% of the chatter actually related to work. I think talk is
a human's way of grooming, people talk to each other just to affirm a
connection, not actually say anything.
As to conflicting studies re mobile phones, it occurs to me that one
possible cause for variation in results may be stress levels. Mast cells, a
type of immune cell, can have a significant impact on the BBB integrity, and
will degranulate in response to CRH, stress hormone, thereby releasing
histamine and serotonin, both vasodilators. So the results may be quite
different in the body: Some abstracts from my archives
19/07/02 23:26
Very interesting because:
p38 involved in mitogenesis and il1 activity, iNOS also???.
hsp27 inhibits apoptosis.
Presto oxidative stress - cancer or dysfunction.
Now to look at endothelial hsp expression and mast cells ...
Differentiation 2002 May;70(2-3):120-9Related Articles,
(/entrez/utils/fref.fcgi?http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/rd.asp?title=Diffe
rentiation&vol=70&page=120&goto=abstract)
(/entrez/utils/fref.fcgi?http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/rd.asp?title=Diffe
rentiation&vol=70&page=120&goto=abstract)
Non-thermal activation of the hsp27/p38MAPK stress pathway by mobile phone
radiation in human endothelial cells: Molecular mechanism for cancer- and
blood-brain barrier-related effects.
Leszczynski D, Joenvaara S, Reivinen J, Kuokka R.
Bio-NIR Research Group, Radiobiology Laboratory, Department of Research and
Environmental Surveillance,STUK - Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority,
Laippatie 4, FIN-00880, Helsinki, Finland.
We have examined whether non-thermal exposures of cultures of the human
endothelial cell line EA.hy926 to 900 MHz GSM mobile phone microwave
radiation could activate stress response. Results obtained demonstrate that
1-hour non-thermal exposure of EA.hy926 cells changes the phosphorylation
status of numerous, yet largely unidentified, proteins. One of the affected
proteins was identified as heat shock protein-27 (hsp27). Mobile phone
exposure caused a transient increase in phosphorylation of hsp27, an effect
which was prevented by SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38
mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK). Also, mobile phone exposure
caused transient changes in the protein expression levels of hsp27 and
p38MAPK. All these changes were non-thermal effects because, as determined
using temperature probes, irradiation did not alter the temperature of cell
cultures, which remained throughout the irradiation period at 37 +/- 0.3
degrees C. Changes in the overall pattern of protein phosphorylation suggest
that mobile phone radiation activates a variety of cellular signal
transduction pathways, among them the hsp27/p38MAPK stress response pathway.
Based on the known functions of hsp27, we put forward the hypothesis that
mobile phone radiation-induced activation of hsp27 may (i) facilitate the
development of brain cancer by inhibiting the cytochrome c/caspase-3
apoptotic pathway and (ii) cause an increase in blood-brain barrier
permeability through stabilization of endothelial cell stress fibers. We
postulate that these events, when occurring repeatedly over a long period of
time, might become a health hazard because of the possible accumulation of
brain tissue damage. Furthermore, our hypothesis suggests that other brain
damaging factors may co-participate in mobile phone radiation-induced
effects.
PMID: 12076339 [PubMed - in process]
16/07/02 6:04
Brain Res 2001 Jan 5;888(1):117- Acute stress increases permeability of the
blood-brain-barrier through activation of brain mast cells.
Esposito P, Gheorghe D, Kandere K, Pang X, Connolly R, Jacobson S,
Theoharides TC.
Departments of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Tufts University
School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Disruption of the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) is important in the
pathophysiology of various inflammatory conditions of the central nervous
system (CNS), such as multiple sclerosis (MS), in which breakdown of the BBB
precedes any clinical or pathological findings. There is some evidence that
relapsing-remitting MS attacks may be correlated with certain types of acute
stressful episodes. Stress typically activates the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis through the release of
corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), leading to production of
glucocorticoids that down regulate immune responses. However, acute stress
also has pro-inflammatory effects that appear to be mediated through
activation of mast cells. Here we show that acute stress by immobilization
increased permeability of rat BBB to intravenous 99Technetium gluceptate
(99Tc). This effect was statistically significant in the diencephalon and
the cerebellum, while it was absent in the cerebral cortex where there are
not mast cells. Immobilization stress also induced activation of mast cells
in diencephalon, the site where most mast cells are found in the rat brain.
Both BBB permeability and mast cell activation were inhibited by the 'mast
cell stabilizer' disodium cromoglycate (cromolyn). These results expand the
pathophysiology of mast cells and implicate them in CNS disorders, that may
possibly be induced or exacerbated by stress.
PMID: 11146058 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Hey, here's a shocker:
J Cutan Pathol. 2001 Nov;28(10):513-9. Related Articles, Links
Cutaneous mast cells are altered in normal healthy volunteers sitting in
front of ordinary TVs/PCs--results from open-field provocation experiments.
Johansson O, Gangi S, Liang Y, Yoshimura K, Jing C, Liu PY.
The Experimental Dermatology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska
Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
BACKGROUND: Considerable controversy has surrounded the question of possible
biological responses to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) generated from visual
display terminals (VDTs), such as personal computers (PCs) and ordinary
television sets (TVs). The cellular and molecular mechanisms for such
potential harmful health hazards have not yet been understood, although
clues from the literature include mast cells and histamine. The aim of this
study was therefore to investigate possible biological mast cell responses
to TV/PC screens. METHODS: Using the indirect immunofluorescence technique,
we studied the presence of histamine-containing mast cells in the dermis of
healthy volunteers. Cutaneous biopsies taken before and after exposure to
ordinary TV/PC screens for 2 or 4 h were investigated in 13 healthy
subjects. RESULTS: Our present in vivo study indicates that normal cutaneous
mast cells could be altered by exposure from ordinary TV/PC screens. To our
great surprise, we found the number of mast cells in the papillary and
reticular dermis to increase, to varying degrees, in 5 out the 13 subjects
after such an exposure. A migration of mast cells towards the uppermost
dermis appeared as the most important event. Thus, the normally upper "empty
zone" of the dermis disappeared, and instead, a higher density of mast cells
were found in this zone. These cells also seemed to have a tendency to
increase in number towards the epidermal-dermal junctional zone and some of
them lost their granular content and the cytoplasm shrunk (=degranulation).
These findings could only be seen in the exposed skin. Two of the 13 cases
instead showed a decrease in mast cell number, but the shift in mast cells
towards the upper dermis was still visible. Twenty-four h after the
provocation, the cellular number and location were normalized in all
subjects. CONCLUSIONS: By definition, normal healthy volunteers are assumed
not to react to a TV/PC screen provocation. To our great surprise, this
proved not to be true. The present results might lay a foundation to
understand the underlying cause of so-called "screen dermatitis" with
special reference to mast cells. However, blind or double-blind experiments
using patients ought to be further investigated in order to find out the
exact cause for the observed changes. Such causes include the effects of
surrounding airborne chemicals, stress factors, etc.
PMID: 11737520 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
http://members.dodo.com.au/~maisch/emfacts/forum/issue1/mag_12.html
MAST CELLS:
"A mast cell line, RBL-2H3, was exposed for 20 minutes, 3 times per day for
7 days at power densities of 4.5 and 9.6 mW/cm2. From day 4 onwards, it was
observed that the rate of DNA synthesis and cell replication increased, that
actin distribution and cell morpology became altered, and the amount of
b-hexosaminidase (a marker of granule secretion) released in response to a
calcium ionophore was significantly enhanced, in comparison to unexposed
cultures.
There were no effects seen on levels of cytoskel-etal protein synthesis or
of b-actin mRNA. However, using the technique of differential display,
changes in the level of several mRNA bands were observed, indicating an
effect on the process of gene transcription. Morphological changes persisted
following subculture for at least 14 days in the absence of further
exposure."
...
This is worrying evidence that low level (non-thermal) exposure, similar to
that from a hand held analogue phone of 835 MHz is having an effect on human
cells. Dr. French has not yet conducted experiments with digital phones but
thinks that similar or stronger impacts may apply, since the radiation is
stronger and the pulsed modulated fields are likely to have more biological
effect.
Obviously this study raises far more questions than it answers, hopefully
these questions will be answered with the help of Australian government
research funding.
----
Not doing any grow light research, still hunting around on differential
light frequencies in relation to circadian cycles in humans though.
Unfortunately this Aussie is too stupid to make any real progress either.
Hey, the ozone hole is now the largest ever recorded, how's that for a grow
light??? I suggest you start breeding with a change EM spectrum from the sun
in mind ... . Should keep George and his oil buddies happy though, they'll
probably use the ozone hole to justify the construction of a massive shield
to cover the hole and Halliburton will no doubt win the contract for that
too ... . .
Regards,
John.
--
johnYYYcoe at tpg.com.au
remove YYY in reply
"Charlie Wilkes" <charlie_wilkes at easynews.com> wrote in message
news:mrlamvo4hknv0t6hjk5adsasehgg4a7n1c at 4ax.com...
> On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 13:10:33 +1000, "John H." <john at faraway.com.au>
> wrote:
>> >The research is conflicting. The test will soon be available in the real
> >world. If mobile phones are such a threat then given their extensive use
we
> >should start seeing early onset senility occurring in droves quite soon.
I
> >think that with the old analogue phones, which requires circa x10
> >transmission power, there was a potential problem but the digitals appear
> >safer. Whatever, I hate the bloody things, have never owned one, and
failed
> >to see why most people are so bloody anxious to be kept in touch with the
> >human race. Thus sayeth the hermit ... . You may recall that initially
the
> >worry was cancers. Well that bugbear has fallen by the wayside, now
there's
> >a panic about the blood brain barrier. Whatever, the research must be
done,
> >in the interim my general take is that anyone who uses a mobile phone
that
> >much to induce any possible damage deserves what they get.
>> I couldn't agree more, John. But, why stop with cell phones? The
> problem isn't the low-level technology, it's the concept of commodity
> phone time. Phones are necessary, but calls should be brief and
> purposeful. Phones should be designed so a yellow light comes on
> after 5 minutes. At 7 minutes, a red light comes on and the handset
> begins to emit x-rays. Not at a high rate of energy, mind you... just
> enough to be worrisome over the long term. That innovation, I think,
> would improve human society immensely. But, the phone companies would
> be agin it because it would cut their revenues. They have powerful
> lobbiests who can block progress for a long time.
>> My main interest is peripheral to this subject. I cited as an
> example, as an area of inquiry in which dubious claims are being
> tested and considered rather than summarily dismissed.
>> How is your grow-light research coming, BTW?
>> Charlie
