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"Life Sciences International Postgraduate Educational Center would be developed as a regional education and research center serving to promote co-operation between scientists and to facilitate the exchange of information among researchers internationally".
Federico Mayor Ex-Director General of UNESCO |
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UNESCO/WHO/ONRG SEMINAR
Electromagnetic Fields: Mechanisms of Action and Health Effects
24-26 October 2008, Yerevan, Armenia
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Abstract
There is more and more use of electricity and RF communication frequencies in both civilian life and for military purposes. The clarification of cellular and molecular mechanisms of their biological effects is extremely important in order to rationally evaluate their harmful effects from the point of public health. However EMF also pose direct threats to human health through mechanisms that are poorly understood. These involve different physical and chemical factors, as well as multiple effects on biological systems including humans. Therefore, this problem is an appropriate and important subject for consideration under the Environmental protection and public health.
The primary goal of the proposed Seminar is to conduct a multidisciplinary discussion of the data obtained by different laboratories on the cellular and molecular mechanisms whereby EMF of various frequencies alter function of physical and biological systems, what are the public health implications of these actions.
Justification
At present modern technology brings a dramatic increase of the number of non-ionizing electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation sources [powerline and other extralow frequency (ELF) and radiofrequency (RF) fields with different frequencies and intensities]. These have become one of the most ubiquitous components of the spectrum of the human environment, and the possibility that they may have hazardous effects on human health is a major a public concern. Although it is well documented that EMFs have biological effects, the degree to which these exposures constitute a human health hazard is not clear yet. Moreover, the experimental data obtained in different laboratories on cellular and molecular mechanisms of weak intensity powerline and RF fields (an energy quantum is essentially less than the characteristic energy of chemical conversions) are not completely consistent and pose difficulties for theoretical interpretation (Binhi & Rubin, 2007). Because there is more and more use of electricity and RF communication frequencies in both civilian life and for military purposes, the clarification of cellular and molecular mechanisms of their biological effects is extremely important in order to rationally evaluate their harmful effects from the point of public health. Moreover, the possibility to using EMF-induced modulations of the biological effects of different physical and chemical factors, as well as the activity of different viruses and microbes which could have hazardous actions on biological systems including humans, makes EMF potentially a powerful instrument for environmental terror. This is particularly obvious in that application of electromagnetic pulses can cause massive disruption of communication systems. However, there are serious human health effects that result from exposure to ELF and RF fields, and these also have the potential to be used as a terrorism weapon. Therefore, this problem is an appropriate and important subject for consideration under the Environmental protection and public health.
Numerous hypotheses as to the cellular mechanisms of action of EMFs (ELF and RF fields) have been proposed, but none of them provided a satisfactory and reproducible explanation of the variety of experimental results. One important hypothesis explaining the biological effect of these factors is the so called “water hypothesis”, according to which the aqueous medium surrounding and inside of cells is hypothesized to be the target through which the biological effects of ELF and RF are realized (Klassen 1982; Ayrapetyan et al. 1994; Bistolfy 1991; Ayrapetyan 2006). However, because of great variability of the properties of water (Chaplin 2000), which makes the study of effects on water structure technically difficult, this hypothesis has not been adequately recognized or tested. New data obtained in different laboratories suggesting that water dissociation products serve as “second messengers” for modulation of intracellular metabolism in cells (Lang et al. 1998; Domrachev et al., 1998; Giorgo et al., 2007). However, in order to test the validity of this hypothesis it is necessary to conduct multidisciplinary discussions of the experimental data on the mechanisms whereby ELF and RF EMFs alter cellular function. Thus these discussions must involve interdisciplinary discussion including water biophysicists, toxicologists and public health professionals.
During the last two decades the working hypothesis for the research activity of UNESCO Chair in Life Sciences has been the study of the role of cell hydration as a universal and extra-sensitive target for biological effects of various environmental factors. We have shown that modulation of cell hydration is the mechanism whereby a number of extremely low concentrations (less than 10-10M) of biological active substances and weak physical signals (magnetic and electric fields, ultrasound, background radiation) exert their biological effects (Danielian et al. 1999a; Amyan & Ayrapetyan 2006; Ayrapetyan 2006; Hunanian & Ayrapetyan 2007). Most of these stimuli are unable to directly activate ionic channels and receptors in the membrane, but act to modulate cell volume (cell hydration) (Devyatkov 1973; Adey 1993; Kirschvink et al., 1989; Ayrapetyan & Carpenter 1991; Kaczmarek 2007). The data showing a close correlation between cell hydration and anabolic (proliferative) and catabolic (anti-proliferative) cellular metabolism provides support for the hypothesis that cell hydration is a universal messenger through which weak environmental factors cause biological effects. It is known that membrane proteins, having enzymatic, chemoreceptive and ionophoretic properties, can be either functionally active or in an inactive (reserved) state. Furthermore the number of functionally active molecules in the membrane is determined primarily by the membrane surface area (cell hydration) (Ayrapetyan 1980). On the basis of these data we have suggested that abnormal cell hydration is an important factor in the generation of pain (nociceptive) signals in nerve terminals and has an important role in other forms of cell pathology (including cancer, nervous and cardiovascular disorders) (Danielyan et al. 1999b).
The primary goal of the proposed Seminar is to conduct a multidisciplinary discussion of the data obtained by different laboratories on the mechanisms whereby EMF of various frequencies alter function of biological systems, what are the public health implications of these actions, and to discuss the principles of worldwide EMF dosimetry. We will specifically focus on the physicochemical properties of extra- and intracellular water and the possibility to use the cell hydration as a marker for estimation of the hazardous effects of EMF on biological organisms.
The discussions coming from this Seminar have the potential to influence the present policy of the WHO, ICNRP and other international organizations whose mission it is to establish safety levels for human exposure to ELF and RF forms of EMFs.
Previously organized international meetings: UNESCO-US CRDF Seminar on “Cell hydration in norm and pathology” (Yerevan, 2002) and Seminars on “Physics, Chemistry and Biology of Water” (Vermont, 2006, 2007) significantly enriched our knowledge on biological role of water properties, but the aspect of cell hydration as a mechanism and a marker for detection of hazardous effects of EMFs was not a subject of special focus in these discussions.
During the Seminar the following sessions will be organized: a) Effects of electromagnetic fields of various frequencies on water properties; b) Effects of electromagnetic fields on rate of chemical reactions in aqueous medium; c) Cell hydration as a messenger for generation of different diseases; d) Membrane sensors and cell hydration; e) Electromagnetic fields and human health; f) Biological Effect of High Intensity Ultrashort Electrical Pulses.
The Seminar will conclude with a special Round Table: “Electromagnetic fields, cell hydration, human health and EMF dosimetry”.
The proceedings of the Seminar will be published as a volume of the NATO Science Series, and will reflect the current understanding of the mechanisms of action of electromagnetic fields on biological systems, with a focus on cell hydration, human health and EMF dosimetry. This volume will be a valuable resource for PhD students and researchers working in the areas of Public Health and Environmental Protection.
References
Adey WR. 1993. Biological effects of electromagnetic fields. J. Cell Biochem. 51: 410-416.
Amyan A.M., Ayrapetyan S. N., 2006, The effect of EMF-pretreated distilled water on barley seed hydration and germination potential. In: Bioelectromagnetics: Current Concepts, S. Ayrapetyan and M. Markov, eds., NATO Science Series, Springer Press, The Netherlands, pp: 65-86
Ayrapetyan SN. 1980. On The Physiological Significant of Pump Induced Cell Volume Changes. Adv. Physiol.Sci., 23:67-82.
Ayrapetyan S.N., Carpenter D.O. 1991. Synaptic transmitters for membrane functional activity. Evol. Biochem and Physiol., 26(4): 513-528.
Ayrapetyan, S.N., Grigorian, C.V., Avanesian, A.S. On a mechanism of action of magnetic field on the electrical conductivity of water solutions and some properties of Helix neurons. Bioelectromagnetics 1994, 15, 133-142.
Ayrapetyan S. N., 2006, Cell aqua medium as a preliminary target for the effect of electromagnetic fields. In: BIOELECTROMAGNETICS: Current Concepts, S. Ayrapetyan and M. Markov, eds., NATO Science Series, Springer Press, The Netherlands, pp: 31-64
Binhi V., Rubin A. 2007. Magnetobiology: The kT Paradox and Possible Solutions. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 26(1): 45-62
Bistolfy F. 1991. In: Biostructures and Radiation Order Disorder. Edizioni Minerva Medica S.p.A. Torino.
Danielian AA, Ayrapetyan SN. 1999a. Changes of Hydration of Rats’ Tissues after in Vivo Exposure to 0.2 Tesla Steady Magnetic Field. Bioelectromagnetics, 20(2): 123-128.
Danielyan AA, Mirakyan MM, Grigoryan GY, Ayrapetian SN. 1999b. The Static Magnetic Field on Ouabain H3 Binding by Cancer Tissue. Physiological Chemistry and Physics and Medical NMR, 31(2): 139-144.
Devyatkov N D. 1973. Effect of a SHF (mm-band) radiation on biological objects. Usp. Fiz. Nauk, 110: 453-454.
Domrachev GA, Rodigin YuL, Selivanovsky DA. 1992. Role of sound and liquid water as dynamically unstable polymeric system in mechano-chemically activated processes of oxygen production on Earth. J Phys Chem., 66: 851–855.
Giorgo M., Trinei M., Migliaccio E., Pelicci P. 2007. Hydrogen peroxide: a metabolic by-product or a common mediator of ageing signals? Nature Reviews: Molecular Cell Biology, 8: 722-728.
Hunanyan A.Sh., Ayrapetyan S.N. 2007. The dose-dependent effect of hydrogen peroxide on neuromembrane chemosensitivity. Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, 26(3): 225-233.
Kaczemarek L.K. 2007. Non-conducting functions of voltage-gated ion channels. Nature Reviews: Neuroscience. 7(10): 761-771.
Kirschvink J., Jones D., MacFadden B. 1989. A new in Biomagnetism. 2 Volume book, Premium Press, New York.
Klassen VI. 1982; in: Magnetized Water Systems. “Chemistry” Press, 296 p (in Russian), English translation: European Biology and Bioelectromagnetics, 2006, 1(2): 201-220.
Lang F., Bush G. L., Ritter M., Volkl H, Waldegger S., Gulbins E., Haussinger D. 1998 Functional Significance of Cell Volume Regulatory Mechanisms. Physiol Rev, 78(1): 247 - 306.
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