Thermal effects of 2.45 GHz microwaves on survival and viability of Chinese hamster V-79 cells

The possible existence of thermal effects specific to microwaves at 2.45 GHz and not found with classical heating in a waterbath was studied by measuring cell survival (colony-forming ability) and cell viability (the ability to exclude trypan blue) in Chinese hamster V79 cells. The microwaves were employed at high power densities (125 to 175 mW/cm2) corresponding to specific absorption rates ranging between 62 and 87 mW/g. When matching the rises in temperature, the effects of microwave-induced hyperthermia at 125 mW/cm2 on cell survival were comparable to those of classical heating. However, they were statistically significantly different when using power densities of 150 and 175 mW/cm2. The response obtained in terms of cell viability appeared to be comparable. The conclusions are also valid when taking into account a correction factor for energy losses during microwave treatment. The apparent specific effect of microwaves appears to be associated with exposures at high power densities involving short treatment times and rapid rises in temperature.     

Studies on possible genetic effects of microwaves in procaryotic and eucaryotic cells

Summary The biological effects of microwaves in the hyperfrequency range, 9.4 GHz, 17 GHz, and 70–75 GHz were investigated in bacteria and yeast. At power densities below 60 mW/cm² and SAR values not exceeding 28 mW/g no significant effects on survival of repair competent and deficient strains were observed inEscherichia coli andSaccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition, microwaves of 17 GHz did not induce mutations inE. coli B/r WP2trp ^– uvr ^– above the spontaneous level, and the induction of nuclear reversions, cytoplasmic petite mutations and mitotic recombination as well as the efficiency of sporulation was not affected in yeast.     

Thermal aspects of biological effects of microwaves in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The formation of zygotes between two haploid strains of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was determined under treatment with microwaves of 9.4 and 17 GHz at power levels up to 50 and 60 mW/cm2 and a specific absorption rate below 24 mW/g, or with conventional heating. Microwave treatments at 9.4 GHz or 17 GHz at a power density of 10 mW/cm2 produced an increase in zygote formation equivalent to that produced by conventional heating in an incubator, i.e. equivalent to a rise in temperature of 0.5 or 1 degrees C. At higher power densities zygote formation was slightly increased by microwaves at 17 GHz as compared to microwaves at 9.4 GHz probably due to the higher absorption of microwaves at 17 GHz by intracellular water molecules. Under these conditions, microwaves had no effect on cell survival or the induction of cytoplasmic 'petite' mutations.     

Longevity and food consumption of microwave-treated (2.45 GHz Cw) honeybees in the laboratory

Adult honeybees, confined singly or in small clusters, were exposed for 0.5, 6, and 24 hours to 2.45-GHz continuous wave microwave radiation at power densities of 3, 6, 12, 25, and 50 mW/cm². Following exposure, bees were held in the incubator for 21 days to determine the consumption of sucrose syrup and to observe mortality. No significant differences were found between microwave-treated and sham-treated or control bees.     

Effects of 2.45-GHz microwave radiation on embryonic quail hearts

Although exposure to nonionizing electromagnetic radiation has been reported to cause a variety of systemic alterations during embryonic development, there are few reports of the induction of specific physiologic or morphologic changes in the myocardium. This study was designed to examine the effects of microwave radiation on cardiogenesis in Japanese quail embryos exposed during the first eight days of development to 2.45-GHz continuous-wave microwaves at power densities of 5 or 20 mW/cm². The specific absorption rates were 4.0 and 16.2 mW/g, respectively. The ambient temperature for each exposure was set to maintain the embryonated eggs at 37.5 °C. This did not preclude thermal gradients in the irradiated embryos since microwaves may not be uniformly absorbed. The test exposure levels did not induce changes in either the morphology of the embryonic heart or the ultrastructure of the myocardial cells. Analysis of the enzymatic activities of lactate dehydrogenase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and creatine phosphokinase failed to reveal any statistically significant differences between the nonexposed controls and those groups exposed to either 5 or 20 mW/cm². The data indicate that 2.45-GHz microwave radiation at 5 or 20 mW/cm² has no effect on the measured variables of the Japanese quail myocardium exposed during the first eight days of development.     

Individual responsiveness to induction of micronuclei in human lymphocytes after exposure in vitro to 1800-MHz microwave radiation

The widespread application of microwaves is of great concern in view of possible consequences for human health. Many in vitro studies have been carried out to detect possible effects on DNA and chromatin structure following exposure to microwave radiation. The aim of this study is to assess the capability of microwaves, at different power densities and exposure times, to induce genotoxic effects as evaluated by the in vitro micronucleus (MN) assay on peripheral blood lymphocytes from nine different healthy donors, and to investigate also the possible inter-individual response variability. Whole blood samples were exposed for 60, 120 and 180 min to continuous microwave radiation with a frequency of 1800 MHz and power densities of 5, 10 and 20 mW/cm(2). Reproducibility was tested by repeating the experiment 3 months later. Multivariate analysis showed that lymphocyte proliferation indices were significantly different among donors (p<0.004) and between experiments (p<0.01), whereas the applied power density and the exposure time did not have any effect on them. Both spontaneous and induced MN frequencies varied in a highly significant way among donors (p<0.009) and between experiments (p<0.002), and a statistically significant increase of MN, although rather low, was observed dependent on exposure time (p=0.0004) and applied power density (p=0.0166). A considerable decrease in spontaneous and induced MN frequencies was measured in the second experiment. The results show that microwaves are able to induce MN in short-time exposures to medium power density fields. Our data analysis highlights a wide inter-individual variability in the response, which was confirmed to be a characteristic reproducible trait by means of the second experiment.     

Comparative effects of pulsed and continuous-wave 2.8-GHz microwaves on temporally defined behavior

The effects of pulsed-(PW) and continuous-wave (CW) 2.8-GHz microwaves were compared on the performance of rodents maintained by a temporally defined schedule of positive reinforcement. The schedule involved food-pellet reinforcement of behavior according to a differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) contingency. The rats were independently exposed to PW and to CW fields at power densities ranging from 1 to 15 mW/cm². Alterations of normal performance were more pronounced after a 30-minute exposure to the PW field than to the CW field. The rate of emission of appropriately timed responses declined after exposure to PW at 10 and 15 mW/cm², whereas exposure at the same power levels to the CW field did not consistently affect the rate of responding. Change in performance associated with microwave exposure was not necessarily related to a general decline in responding: in some instances, increases in overall rates of responding were observed.     

Quantitative changes in potassium,sodium, and calcium in the submaxillary salivary gland and blood serum of rats exposed to 2880-MHz microwave radiation

Na⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺ concentrations in the blood serum and submaxillary salivary gland (SSG) were investigated in adult, male rats exposed to 2880-MHz microwaves modulated with 1.5-μs pulses at a pulse repetition rate of 1000 Hz or in a hyperthermal environment. Rats were exposed, one at a time, for 30 min to microwaves producing a specific absorption rate (SAR) of: 4.2, 6.3,6.8,8.4, 10.8, or 12.6 W/kg, or were sham exposed under similar environmental conditions. In a second series, one group of rats was exposed singly for 15, 30, or 60 min to microwaves producing an SAR of 9.5 W/kg and other rats were exposed for similar periods at 40 °C; and 10 rats were sham exposed. Flame photometric analysis indicated that the thresholds of microwave radiation required to induce a change in Na⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺ concentrations in the salivary glands are 6.8, 6.8, and 6.3 W/kg, respectively. The directions of Na⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺ ion shifts in exposed rats' salivary glands are similar, whether affected by microwaves or hyperthermia. Greater changes in Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations in SSG of rats exposed to microwaves for 15 and 30 min were found than in those exposed at 40 °C. On the other hand, exposure to hyperthermia at 40 °C or to microwaves for 1 h caused Na⁺ concentration to be increased by 68.7 and 59.5% and K⁺ concentration to be decreased by 29.6 and 21.7%, respectively.     

In vitro microwave effects on human neutrophil precursor cells (CFU-C)

Human marrow cells were irradiated with 2450-MHz CW microwaves in a fluid-filled waveguide irradiation system. Cell exposure was conducted by placing a marrow cell suspension in 20-μl glass microcapillary tubes that were positioned in the exposure chamber, and irradiated at power densities from 31 to 1,000 mW/cm² (with corresponding specific absorption rates of 62 to 2,000 mW/g) for 15 minutes. The temperature of the sample was maintained at a fixed point. Sham-irradiated (SI) and microwave-irradiated (MWI) cells were cultured in a methylcellulose culture system for neutrophil colony proliferation. There was no reduction in neutrophil colony number on days 6–7 or 12–14 in cells exposed at 31 or 62 mW/cm², but as the power density was increased to 1,000 mW/cm², there was a reduction in colony number of MWI cells compared with SI cells. The microwave interaction with the human neutrophil colony-forming cells was apparently not related to temperature rise, or to the state of cell cycle, and was irreversible.     

Effects of millimeter-wave radiation on monolayer cell cultures. III. A search for frequency-specific athermal biological effects on protein synthesis

A method recently developed in this laboratory has been used to directly expose BHK-21/C13 cells to high levels of microwave radiation without significant microwave-induced heating (? 0.1 °C). Monolayer cultures were grown on microwave-transparent polystyrene coverslips, placed on the open end of a wave guide, and maintained at 37.2 °C during irradiation at frequencies in both the E- and U-bands (average power densities 292 and 177 mW/cm², respectively). Effects of microwave radiation were assessed at 0.1 GHz increments in the ranges of 38–48 GHz and 65–75 GHz. Protein synthesis was measured in quadruplicate cultures that were allowed to incorporate labeled methionine during the 15-minute period of microwave irradiation. Autoradiographs of each monolayer culture were scanned along the region corresponding to the longer axis of the wave guide aperture using a microdensitometer to quantify incorporation. Since microwave power incident on the cells was previously shown to vary along this axis according to a cosine² relationship from zero at each edge of the wave guide to twice the average power density at the center of the wave guide, this technique should reveal biological effects that might only be manifested in narrow amplitude domains or “power windows.” Observations of protein synthesis in monolayer cultures irradiated at 202 closely spaced frequencies in the E- and U-bands failed to reveal changes associated with microwave exposure. Thus no evidence was obtained in support of the existence of frequency-specific athermal biological effects of microwaves. In addition, no support was found for the existence of amplitude-specific “power windows”.     

Effect of 9.6-GHz pulsed microwaves on the orb web spinning ability of the cross spider (Araneus diadematus)

Eight cross spiders (Araneus diadematus) were exposed overnight (16 h) during web-building activity to pulsed 9.6-GHz microwaves at average power densities of 10, 1, and 0.1 mW/cm2 (estimated SARs 40, 4, and 0.4 mW/g). Under these conditions, 9.6-GHz pulsed microwaves did not affect the web-spinning ability of the cross spider.     

Effect of microwave irradiation (2.45 GHz, CW) on egg weight loss, egg hatchability, and hatchling growth of the Coturnix quail

Fertile eggs of the Coturnix quail were exposed twice a day for 30 min to 2.45-GHz continuous wave radiation at power densities of 25 or 50 mW cm-2 throughout the 17-day incubation period. Other eggs were exposed to 20 degrees C or 24 degrees C temperatures twice daily. Repeated exposures to 20 degrees C, 24 degrees C, or 25 mW cm-2 did not reduce hatchability. Irradiation at 50 mW cm-2 lowered hatchability, probably as a result of high egg temperatures. Hatchlings that had been irradiated by microwaves as embryos had normal growth rates and no obvious developmental abnormalities.     

Thermal action of 2.45 GHz microwaves on the cytoplasm of Chinese hamster cells

In order to demonstrate possible specific effects of microwaves at the cellular level V-79 Chinese hamster cells were exposed to 2.45-GHz radiation at power levels of 20–200 mW/cm² and at specific absorption rates of 10–100 mW/g. Intracellular cytoplasmic changes were observed by fluorescence polarization using a method based on the intracellular enzymatic hydrolysis of nonfluorescent fluorescein diacetate (FDA). At levels of absorbed energy below 90 J/g, modifications of microviscosity and mitochondrial state were absent, but a slight stimulation of enzymatic hydrolysis of FDA was observed which may be explained by microwave-induced alterations of cellular membranes possibly due to differences in heating pattern of microwaves compared to water-bath heating. At levels of absorbed energy above 90 J/g, the decrease of enzymatic hydrolysis of FDA, increase in degree of polarization, and increase of permeation of the fluorescent marker correlated well with the decrease in cell viability as measured by the exclusion of trypan blue. At equal absorbed energy, microwaves were found to exert effects comparable to classical heating except that permeation was slightly more affected by microwave than by classical heating. This suggests that membrane alteration produced by microwaves might differ from those induced by classical heating or that microwaves may have heated the membrane to higher temperatures than did classical heating.     

Charge Transfer from Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite to Organic Transport Materials: Efficiencies,Transfer Rates,and Interfacial Recombination

Perovskite‐based photovoltaics have been rapidly developed, with record power conversion efficiencies now exceeding 22%. In order to rationally design efficient and stable perovskite solar cells, it is important to understand not only charge trapping and recombination events, but also processes occurring at the perovskite/transport material (TM) interface, such as charge transfer and interfacial recombination. In this work, time‐resolved microwave conductivity measurements are performed to investigate these interfacial processes for methylammonium lead iodide and various state‐of‐the‐art organic TMs. A global kinetic model is developed, which accurately describes both the dynamics of excess charges in the perovskite layer and transfer to charge‐specific TMs. The authors conclude that for state‐of‐the‐art materials, such as Spiro‐OMeTAD and PCBM, the charge extraction efficiency is not significantly affected by intra‐band gap traps for trap densities under 10¹⁵ cm^–3. Finally, the transfer rates to C60, PCBM, EDOT‐OMeTPA, and Spiro‐OMeTAD are sufficient to outcompete second order recombination under excitation densities representative for illumination by AM1.5.     

Microwave radiation (2450 MHz) alters the endotoxin-induced hypothermic response of rats

The parenteral administration of bacterial endotoxin to rats causes a hypothermia that is maximal after approximately 90 minutes. When endotoxin-injected rats were held in a controlled environment at 22°C and 50% relative humidity and exposed for 90 minutes to microwaves (2450 MHz, CW) at 1 mW/cm², significant increases were observed in body temperature compared with endotoxintreated, sham-irradiated rats. The magnitude of the response was related to power density (10 mW/cm² > 5 mW/cm² > 1 mW/cm²). Saline-injected rats exposed for 90 minutes at 5 mW/cm² (specific absorption rate approximately 1.0 mW/g) showed no significant increase in body temperature compared with saline-injected, sham-irradiated rats. The hypothermia induced by endotoxin in rats was also found to be affected by ambient temperature alone. Increases in ambient temperature above 22°C in the absence of microwaves caused a concomitant increase in body temperature. This study reveals that subtle microwave heating is detectable in endotoxin-treated rats that have an impaired thermoregulatory capability. These results indicate that the interpretation of microwave-induced biological effects observed in animals at comparable rates and levels of energy absorption should include a consideration of the thermogenic potential of microwaves.     

The relationship between the abundances of bumblebees and honeybees in a native habitat

Abstract. 1. The western honeybee, Apis mellifera, has been introduced to many parts of the world and is sometimes purported to be detrimental to native bees because it reduces their food base. It is seldom viewed in this light in Europe; however, when beekeepers maintain very high bee densities, the species could also be displacing insects in its native European range by reducing the resource base. 2. In England, populations of bumblebees (Bombus Latr. Hym.) have been decreasing both in terms of diversity and abundance, mainly because of a loss of habitat resulting from agricultural intensification. The impact of competition from other flower feeders is largely unknown. 3. Nineteen dry lowland heaths in southern England were sampled once for honeybees and bumblebees. Honeybee abundance varied from 4 to 81 bees per 100 m² (mean = 30.89, median = 23), whereas bumblebees varied from 2 to 17 individuals per 100 m² (mean = 8.26, median = 7), belonging to between one and five species. There was a negative association between honeybee and bumblebee abundance but there was no apparent relationship between honeybee abundance and bumblebee diversity. 4. The Bray–Curtis coefficient was used to compare the similarity in honeybee and bumblebee floral host breadth at these 19 sites. The coefficient was negatively associated with honeybee abundance: thus where honeybees were most abundant, bumblebees were fewer and/or foraged on different flower species. 5. Foraging host breadth was also examined at four heathlands over a field season (April to September). No association between honeybee abundance and foraging host breadth was found for short‐tongued bees, although there was some evidence for a change in floral host breadth for long‐tongued bees. 6. It is concluded that the impact of honeybees on bumblebees is complex. Although competition between the two species cannot be ruled out, it is perhaps equally likely that bumblebees decline in response to other factors, and that honeybees move independently of this decline.     

Macroinvertebrate community succession in Wolf Point Creek, Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

• 1 Macroinvertebrate community development in Wolf Point Creek in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska formed by ice recession was investigated from 1991 to 1994 as part of a long‐term study of colonization now exceeding 20 years. Chironomidae, the first taxon to colonize the stream, still dominated the community comprising 75–95% by number, but species succession was apparent.
• 2 Species richness in August increased from five species in 1978 to 11 in 1991 and 16 in 1994.
• 3 Diamesa species, abundant in 1978 at densities exceeding 2 750 m^‐2, were not collected in 1994, while Pagastia partica dominated the community with densities exceeding 10 000 m^‐2.
• 4 Sixteen taxa, never previously collected, colonized the stream between 1991 and 1994 including representatives of Coleoptera, Muscidae, Trichoptera, and the first noninsect taxon, Oligochaeta. Colonization by new taxa was associated with an increase in summer water temperature and the development of riparian vegetation.
• 5 Inter‐specific competition is suggested as a possible factor in species succession and is incorporated into a taxa richness model of community development in postglacial streams incorporating stable and unstable channels.

     

Absence of corneal endothelium injury in non‐human primates treated with and without ophthalmologic drugs and exposed to 2.8 GHz pulsed microwaves

Microwave‐induced corneal endothelial damage was reported to have a low threshold (2.6 W/kg), and vasoactive ophthalmologic medications lowered the threshold by a factor of 10–0.26 W/kg. In an attempt to confirm these observations, four adult male Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) under propofol anesthesia were exposed to pulsed microwaves in the far field of a 2.8 GHz signal (1.43 ± 0.06 µs pulse width, 34 Hz pulse repetition frequency, 13.0 mW/cm² spatial and temporal average, and 464 W/cm² spatial and temporal peak (291 W/cm² square wave equivalent) power densities). Corneal‐specific absorption rate was 5.07 W/kg (0.39 W/kg/mW/cm²). The exposure resulted in a 1.0–1.2 °C increase in eyelid temperature. In Experiment I, exposures were 4 h/day, 3 days/week for 3 weeks (nine exposures and 36 h total). In Experiment II, these subjects were pretreated with 0.5% Timolol maleate and 0.005% Xalatan® followed by 3 or 7 4‐h pulsed microwave exposures. Under ketamine–xylazine anesthesia, a non‐contact specular microscope was used to obtain corneal endothelium images, corneal endothelial cell density, and pachymetry at the center and four peripheral areas of the cornea. Ophthalmologic measurements were done before and 7, 30, 90, and 180 days after exposures. Pulsed microwave exposure did not cause alterations in corneal endothelial cell density and corneal thickness with or without ophthalmologic drugs. Therefore, previously reported changes in the cornea exposed to pulsed microwaves were not confirmed at exposure levels that are more than an order of magnitude higher. Bioelectromagnetics 31:324–333, 2010. Published 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Effects of Microwave Exposure at Various Power Densities on Mitochondrial Marker Enzymes in Mouse Brains

Four groups of C₅₇BL mice were irradiated with 3 GHz pulse (PW) microwaves for 3 hours at incident power densities of 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 5 mW/cm² respectively. The amount of mitochondria1 marker enzymes succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) in the hypothalamus and hippocampus were determined by microspectrophotometry. SDH and MA0 in the irradiated groups (except 0.1 mW/cm²) were significantly lower compared to the control group (p < 0.01). The lowest level occurred in the 5 mW/cm² group. The threshold level was 0.5 mW/cm². To compare the effects of PW with continuous wave (CW) exposure, two experimental groups were exosed to 2.45 GHz, using CW; the enzymes were decreased only in the 5 mW/cm² group. The results show that PW radiation is more effective then CW radiation in decreasing SDH and MA0 levels.     

密度和种植方式对夏玉米酶活性和产量的影响

在豫北灌区的生产条件下,以郑单958和浚单20为试验材料,研究了不同密度和种植方式对夏玉米碳氮关键酶的影响。结果表明:生育后期夏玉米叶片硝酸还原酶(NR)、谷氨酰胺合成酶(GS)和籽粒蔗糖磷酸合成酶(SPS)、蔗糖合成酶(SS)活性均呈先升高后降低的变化趋势,叶片NR和GS活性峰值出现在吐丝期,籽粒SPS和SS活性峰值出现在灌浆后15d。基因型、密度和种植方式对夏玉米生育后期叶片NR、GS和籽粒SPS、SS活性均有显著影响,而3因素间总体上没有显著的互作效应。郑单958生育后期叶片NR、GS和籽粒SPS、SS活性均显著高于浚单20,分别提高5.02%、7.40%、6.25%和4.43%。在6.75—9.00万株hm2的范围内,随着密度的增大,夏玉米生育后期叶片NR、GS和籽粒SPS、SS活性显著降低。与60cm等行距种植方式相比,80cm-40cm宽窄行种植方式下夏玉米生育后期叶片NR、GS和籽粒SPS、SS活性均显著提高,分别提高6.23%、9.25%、6.87%和2.84%。在采用宽窄行种植、密度为8.25万株hm2时,产量最高。