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Many in vitro and in vivo experiments using contemporary methods supported safety and efficiency of "VITA" device protecting humans and living beings from electromagnetic fields. Therefore, bioenergetic safety device "VITA" is advisable for use.
To document drivers' exposure to potential distractions and the effects of these distractions on driving performance, inconspicuous video camera units were mounted in the vehicles of 70 volunteer subjects. The camera units automatically recorded a closeup view of the driver's face, a broader view of the interior of the vehicle, and the roadway immediately ahead of the vehicle whenever it was powered on. Three hours of randomly selected data per subject were coded based on a taxonomy of driver distractions (talking on cell phone, eating, tuning radio, etc.), contextual variables (whether vehicle stopped or moving, road type, traffic level, etc.) and observable measures of driver performance (eyes directed inside or outside vehicle, hands on or off steering wheel, and vehicle position in travel lane). Results were analyzed descriptively and using nonparametric bootstrap analysis techniques. The most common distractions in terms of overall event durations were eating and drinking (including preparations to eat or drink), distractions inside the vehicle (reaching or looking for an object, manipulating vehicle controls, etc.), and distractions outside the vehicle (often unidentified). Although many of the distractions were also associated with negative driving performance outcomes, further research is needed to clarify their impact on driving safety.
The large differences in RF safety standards are due to different philosophical approaches to public health standards development, different scientific approaches and interpretations of the scientific data, and different jurisdictions in various countries. In this paper, the origin of these differences is explored. The emphases are on the basic problems of why reported biological effects of RF fields are controversial, and how the general public can be misinformed. While there are differences in approaches and methods, science should converge and not diverge in finding the threshold level for exposure to EMF that is not adverse to human health. As the progress in technology continues and human beings are enjoying an increased quality of life, it is essential for scientists to ensure that safety is not compromised. More importantly, it is the responsibility and moral obligation of scientists and the media to bring "verified" information to the public. Scientists must conduct well-designed studies and to report the results in a clear and detailed manner, so other independent investigators can repeat the study or explore further. Mistakes must be minimized and stopped at the first level of scientific research.
Daikou Sundabashi Clinic provides continuous advanced medical treatment and visiting nursing services for patients with serious diseases till their death at home. The clinic has been involved in home care of 72 patients in total during the period from April 2002 to July 1 of 2003. Of the patients, 40 patients died to date and 71% (32 patients) of them died at home. 49 of the 72 patients (70%) had terminal cancer and mostly required advanced home care. The clinic provides services according to the following principles till the death of the patients: 1. All of our medical staff pool their information and stay in very close communication with one another. 2. The attending physician gives a complete explanation of the patient's condition to his/her family. 3. The staffs respond to emergency calls around the clock using 2 cell phones. Under this very meticulous and fast-response system, seriously ill patient can receive continuous and high-quality treatment at home and die at home even if the family is not adequately capable of providing care.
A majority of students in the classrooms of colleges and universities today, are a product of a generation of latch key kids in which daycare, babysitters, television, and computers serve as surrogate parents. With the proliferation of technology, the internet, beepers and cell phones have become social lifelines for this generation. They are technology savvy, independent and resourceful. Conditioned to expect immediate gratification, these youth have shorter attention spans and also a low threshold for boredom. It can be quite a challenge for educators to keep these young people engaged in the classroom. This paper presents an innovative teaching/learning strategy used in a nursing school in Florida that accommodates the unique characteristics of these learners.
Daikou Sunadabashi Clinic provides continuous advanced medical treatment and visiting nursing services for patients with serious diseases till their death at home. The clinic has been involved in home care of 72 patients in total during the period from April 2002 to July 1 of 2003. Of the patients, 40 patients died to date and 71% (32 patients) of them died at home. 49 of the 72 patients (70%) had terminal cancer and mostly required advanced home care. The clinic provides services according to the following principles till the death of the patients: (1) All of our medical staff pool their information and stay in very close communication with one another. (2) The attending physician gives a complete explanation of the patient's condition to his/her family. (3) The staffs respond to emergency calls around the clock using 2 cell phones. Under this very meticulous and fast-response system, seriously ill patient can receive continuous and high-quality treatment at home and die at home even if the family is not adequately capable of providing care.
Youths who have traumatic brain injury (TBI) or mental retardation and other developmental disabilities often experience cognitive challenges in using memory and organization for learning, managing daily routines, or conducting social interactions. This article presents the results of a survey of 53 youth-parent-teacher triads probing their views regarding the youth's relationship with technology. Since the sample is small, results should be viewed with caution, yet keeping in mind the study presents some of the only data available on the use of generic technologies with youths who have disabilities. Primary findings indicate: 1) youths use a variety of technologies and are more likely to be exposed to computers than cell phones or personal data assistants respectively; 2) youths with finger, reading, and copying skills use more technologies; 3) youths value many varied features of technology, but rated most highly good technical support, simple learning requirements, capacity to store information, and long battery life. The data also indicated that the most common memory and organization strategy the youths used was "someone does it for me".
AIMS: To describe the alcohol consumption patterns and related harms of some Pacific peoples (Samoan, Cook Islands Maori, Tongan, Niuean, Fijian, and Tokelauan) living in Aotearoa (New Zealand), and to draw comparisons with measures from the general New Zealand population. METHODS: The Pacific Drugs and Alcohol Consumption Survey (PDACS) was carried out with 1103 randomly selected Pacific peoples aged between 13 and 65 years old who were resident in households throughout New Zealand. The survey used computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) and computer assisted cell-phone interviewing (CACI). The interviews were carried out in 2002/03. We descriptively compare findings from the PDACS with those from the 2000 National Alcohol Survey (NAS). RESULTS: Fifty-seven percent of Pacific peoples were drinkers (males 61%, females 51%), compared with 85% of the general New Zealand population (males 88%, females 83%). The average annual consumption of absolute alcohol was 21 litres for Pacific drinkers (males 28 litres, females 14 litres) compared with 11 litres for general New Zealand population drinkers (males 16 litres, females 7 litres). The typical occasional quantity consumed by Pacific drinkers was eight drinks (males: nine drinks, females: five drinks) compared with four drinks for drinkers in the general New Zealand population (males: five drinks, females: around four drinks). Thirty-three percent of Pacific drinkers consumed enough to feel drunk at least weekly (males 41%, females 25%) compared with 9% of drinker in the general New Zealand population (males 13%, females 6%). Eighteen percent of Pacific males and 10% of Pacific females reported being physically assaulted by someone who had been drinking compared with 8% and 5% of national males and females respectively. Twenty-three percent of Pacific males and 16% of Pacific females got drunk when there was an important reason to stay sober, compared with 8% and 5% of general New Zealand males and females respectively. Nineteen percent of Pacific males and 21% of Pacific females reported being involved in a serious argument after they had been drinking compared with 12% and 8% of general New Zealand males and females respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of Pacific drinkers is less than the proportion of drinkers in the general New Zealand population. However, Pacific drinkers consume larger annual volumes and typical occasion amounts of absolute alcohol than drinkers in the general New Zealand population. Pacific peoples drinking patterns appear to be more harmful with greater proportions of Pacific peoples reporting violence and injury from other peoples' drinking, and greater proportions of Pacific drinkers reporting problems from violence and serious arguments as a result of their own drinking compared with the general New Zealand population and general New Zealand population drinkers.
The technology available in today's auto-darkening welding helmets was the stuff of science fiction to welders 30 years ago. A single lens capable of darkening automatically to a variable, preset shade level the instant an arc is struck would have sounded about as realistic as a "Star Trek"-style "transporter" or a cell phone that can take pictures. "It would have been complete and total science fiction," said Kevin Coughlin, president of Hoodlum Welding Gear, Minneapolis. "The technology really didn't exist, so it would be like me telling you your car will be flying in 20 years--you'd look at me and laugh. Even 25 years ago, if someone had told me [the lens] would go from clear to dark when you spark, I'd have said, 'Yeah, right, sure it does.' "
This study of prelicensure nursing programs had a fourfold purpose: 1) describe what community-based settings are being used by faculties in associate degree (AD) and baccalaureate degree (BSN) programs to provide community-based nursing care experiences; 2) explore whether or not the settings used in AD and BSN programs differ; 3) describe how faculties in AD and BSN programs provide for supervision of students in community-based settings; and 4) synthesize from the data what might be best practices for faculty-student supervision in community-based settings. A web-based survey was sent to 827 accredited AD and BSN programs with usable email addresses; 324 programs (39 percent) completed and returned the surveys. Findings indicated that students were placed in a variety of settings, including public health departments, schools (K-12), prisons, and home care. Community-based activities were in the following categories: immunizations, surveillance, data collection, health teaching, case management, treatments, and procedures. Depending on the activity, students performed nursing functions independently 4 percent to 39 percent of the time. Depending on the activity, preceptors were sole supervisors 27 percent to 40 percent of the time. Telephones, cell phones, and pagers were the primary means of faculty-student contact. AD and BSN students in the same settings performed the same activities. The only significant differences were that BSN students were placed in K-12 schools for community-based experiences more often than AD students, and they engaged in case management more often than AD students. Based on these findings, a model for community-based education is proposed.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of gene expression in rat neurons induced by 1.8 GHz radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF) and to screen for the RF EMF-responsive genes. METHODS: Newly-born SD rats in 24 hours were sacrificed to obtain cortex and hippocampus neurons. The cells were divided randomly into two groups: the experiment group (the irradiation group) and the control group (the false irradiation group). In the irradiation group, after twelve days' culture, neurons were exposed to 1.8 GHz RF EMF modulated by 217 Hz at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 2 W/kg for 24 hours (5 minutes on/10 minutes off) while in the false control group, the neurons were put in the same waveguide as in the irradiation group, but were not exposed to any irradiation. The total RNA was isolated and purified immediately after exposure. The affymetrix rat neurobiology U34 assay was used for detecting the changes in gene expression profile according to the manufacturer's instruction. RF EMF-responsive candidate gene was confirmed by using ribonuclease protection assay (RPA). RESULTS: Among 1200 candidate genes, the expression levels of 34 genes were up or down regulated. Microtubule associated protein 2 (Map2) gene was selected as the candidate and subjected to further analysis. RPA data clearly revealed that Map2 was statistically significantly up-regulated after neurons were exposed to the RF EMF (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The modulation of gene expression and function of Map2 as a neuron specific cytoskeleton protein is crucial to maintain the normal framework and function of neurons. The finding that 1.8 GHz RF EMF exposure increases the expression of Map2 might indicate some unknown effects of RF EMF on neurons.
OBJECTIVES: A physician manned ambulance has provided advanced resuscitation service in the Reykjavík area for over 20 years. Out of hospital resuscitation since 1982 has been done with average response time of 4.6-4.9 minutes, the survival rate to hospital admission has been 31-40% and survival to hospital discharge 16-17%. In the years preceding this study, several changes were done in the service; the service area was enlarged, dispatch was centralized to one emergency number, the training of EMT s and physicians was improved and a two-tier rendezvous system was adopted. Cell phone coverage reached over 90% of the population. The study was done in 1999-2002 with the objective to: 1. measure the results of attempted prehospital resuscitations for cardiac diseases in the area, 2. to monitor the effect of bystander response, 3. to estimate the effect of changes in the service prior to the study period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A ambulance staffed with EMTs and one with a physician were dispatched to all possible cases of cardiac arrest. Resuscitation was attempted using the AHA guidelines for resuscitation. Prospective data was collected following the Utstein template recorded by the physician on call. RESULTS: A total of 319 resuscitative attempts were made during the years 1999-2002, excluding hanging, SIDS, drowning, suicide, trauma, internal bleeding and other diseases, a total of 232 arrests were considered of cardiac origin giving an incidence of 33/100,000/year. The average response time was 6,1 min. Of 232 cardiac resuscitation attempts 140 patients (60%) were in VF/VT, 53 (23%) in asystole and 39 (17%) in other rhythms. Ninety-six (41%) of all patients survived being admitted to hospital ward and 44 (19%) survived to discharge with 39 being alive at 12 months. Of patients in VF/VT, 79 (56%) survived to hospital admission and 39 (28%) to hospital discharge. Resuscitation was more successful in cases of witnessed arrest and if CPR was attempted by bystanders. CONCLUSION: Despite various changes in the EMS system, the results of resuscitative attempts are similar to previous studies in the area but an increased proportion of survivors is left with neurological damage. In 54% of the cases COR was performed by bystanders. Response time needs to be shortened and CPR training increased.
There has been considerable interest in the biological effects of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation, given the explosive growth of cellular telephone use, with the possible induction of malignancy being a significant concern. Thus the determination of whether nonthermal effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation contribute to the process leading to malignancy is an important task. One proposed pathway to malignancy involves the induction of the stress response by exposures to cell phone frequency microwaves. The first step in the induction of the stress response is the activation of the DNA-binding activity of the specific transcription factor involved in this response, the heat-shock factor (HSF). The DNA-binding activity of HSF in hamster, mouse and human cells was determined after acute and continuous exposures to frequency domain multiple access (FDMA)- or code domain multiple access (CDMA)-modulated microwaves at low (0.6 W/kg) or high (approximately 5 W/kg) SARs at frequencies used for mobile communication. The DNA-binding activity of HSF was monitored using a gel shift assay; the calibration of this assay indicated that an increase of approximately 10% in the activation of the DNA-binding activity of HSF after a 1 degrees C increase in temperature could be detected. We failed to detect any increase in the DNA-binding ability of HSF in cultured mammalian cells as a consequence of any exposure tested, within the sensitivity of our assay. Our results do not support the notion that the stress response is activated as a consequence of exposure to microwaves of frequencies associated with mobile communication devices.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the DNA damage of human lens epithelial cells (LECs) caused by acute exposure to low-power 217 Hz modulated 1.8 GHz microwave radiation and DNA repair. METHODS: Cultured LECs were exposed to 217 Hz modulated 1.8 GHz microwave radiation at SAR (specific absorption rate) of 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 W/kg for 2 hours in an sXc-1800 incubator and irradiate system. The DNA single strand breaks were detected with comet assay in sham-irradiated cells and irradiated cells incubated for varying periods: 0, 30, 60, 120 and 240 min after irradiation. Images of comets were digitized and analyzed using an Imagine-pro plus software, and the indexes used in this study were tail length (TL) and tail moment (TM). RESULTS: The difference in DNA-breaks between the exposure and sham exposure groups induced by 1 and 2 W/kg irradiation was not significant at every detect time (P > 0.05). As for the dosage of 3 and 4 W/kg there was difference in both group immediately after irradiation (P < 0.01). At the time of 30 min after irradiation the difference went on at both group (P < 0.01). However, the difference disappeared after one hour's incubation in 3 W/kg group (P > 0.05), and existed in 4 W/kg group. CONCLUSION: No or repairable DNA damage was observed after 2 hour irradiation of 1.8 GHz microwave on LECs when SAR < or = 3 W/kg. The DNA damages caused by 4 W/kg irradiation were irreversible.
Cells phenotypically adapt to alterations in their intra- and extracellular environment via organised alterations to gene and protein expression. Many chemical and physical stimuli are known to drive such responses, including the induction of oxidative stress and heat shock. Increasing use of mobile telephones in our society, has brought focus on the potential for radio frequency (microwave) electromagnetic radiation to elicit biological stress responses, in association with potentially detrimental effects of this to human health. Here we review evidence suggesting altered gene and protein expression in response to such emissions, with particular focus on heat shock proteins. Non-thermal induction of heat shock proteins has been claimed by a number of investigations in in vitro cellular systems, and appears pleiotropic for many other regulatory events. However, many of these studies are flawed by inconsistencies in exposure models, cell types used and the independent reproducibility of the findings. Further, the paucity of evidence from in vivo experimentation is largely contradictory. Therefore, the validity of these effects in human health risk assessment remain unsubstantiated. Where possible, suggestions for further experimental clarification have been provided.
The exposure to non-thermal microwave electromagnetic field (MW-EMF) at 1.95 MHz, a frequency used in mobile communication, affects the refolding kinetics of eukaryotic proteins (Mancinelli et al., 2004). On these basis we have evaluated the in vivo effect of MW-EMF in human epidermoid cancer KB cells. We have found that MW-EMF induces time-dependent apoptosis (45% after 3 h) that is paralleled by an about 2.5-fold decrease of the expression of ras and Raf-1 and of the activity of ras and Erk-1/2. Although also the expression of Akt was reduced its activity was unchanged likely as a consequence of the increased expression of its upstream activator PI3K. In the same experimental conditions an about 2.5-fold increase of the ubiquitination of ras and Raf-1 was also found and the addition for 12 h of proteasome inhibitor lactacystin at 10 microM caused an accumulation of the ubiquitinated isoforms of ras and Raf-1 and counteracted the effects of MW-EMF on ras and Raf-1 expression suggesting an increased proteasome-dependent degradation induced by MW-EMF. The exposure of KB cells to MW-EMF induced a differential activation of stress-dependent pathway with an increase of JNK-1 activity and HSP70 and 27 expression and with a reduction of p38 kinase activity and HSP90 expression. The overexpression of HSP90 induced by transfection of KB cells with a plasmid encoding for the factor completely antagonized the apoptosis and the inactivation of the ras --> Erk-dependent survival signal induced by MW-EMF. Conversely, the inhibition of Erk activity induced by 12 h exposure to 10 mM Mek-1 inhibitor U0126 antagonized the effects induced by HSP90 transfection on apoptosis caused by MW-EMF. In conclusion, these results demonstrate for the first time that MW-EMF induces apoptosis through the inactivation of the ras --> Erk survival signaling due to enhanced degradation of ras and Raf-1 determined by decreased expression of HSP90 and the consequent increase of proteasome dependent degradation.
In recent years, possible health hazards due to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) emitted by mobile phones have been investigated. Because several publications have suggested that RFR is stressful, we explored the potential biological effects of Global System for Mobile phone communication at 900 MHz (GSM-900) exposure on cultures of isolated human skin cells and human reconstructed epidermis (hRE) using human keratinocytes. As cell stress markers, we studied Hsc70, Hsp27 and Hsp70 heat shock protein (HSP) expression and epidermis thickness, as well as cell proliferation and apoptosis. Cells were exposed to GSM-900 under optimal culture conditions, for 48 h, using a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 2 W x kg(-1). This SAR level represents the recommended limit for local exposure to a mobile phone. The various biological parameters were analysed immediately after exposure. Apoptosis was not induced in isolated cells and there was no alteration in hRE thickness or proliferation. No change in HSP expression was observed in isolated keratinocytes. By contrast, a slight but significant increase in Hsp70 expression was observed in hREs after 3 and 5 weeks of culture. Moreover, fibroblasts showed a significant decrease in Hsc70, depending on the culture conditions. These results suggest that adaptive cell behaviour in response to RFR exposure, depending on the cell type and culture conditions, is unlikely to have deleterious effects at the skin level.