More than ten years ago, the World Health Organization's (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published a monograph concluding there was limited evidence in experimental animals for carcinogenicity of Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF EMF).

The objective of this review was to systematically evaluate the effects of RF EMF exposure on cancer in experimental animals.

Eligibility criteria: Based on pre-established Populations, Exposures, Comparators, Outcomes, and Study Type (PECOS) criteria, studies in experimental animals of the following study types were included: chronic cancer bioassays, initiation-(co-)promotion studies, and studies with tumor-prone animals.

MEDLINE (PubMed), Science Citation Index Expanded and Emerging Sources Citation Index (Web of Science), and the EMF Portal. Data abstraction and synthesis: Data are publicly available online as interactive visuals with downloadable metadata. We adapted the risk-of-bias (RoB) tool developed by Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) to include considerations pertinent to the evaluation of RF EMF exposure and cancer bioassays. Study sensitivity was assessed with a tool adopted from the Report on Carcinogens (RoC). We synthesized studies using a narrative approach. Effect size was calculated as the 1% Bayesian Average benchmark dose (BMD) of a respective study when dose-response or a trend was identified (see BMDAnalysisSupplementaryMaterial) (Supplement 1). Evidence Assessment: Certainty of the evidence (CoE) was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Developing and Evaluations (GRADE) approach, as refined by OHAT. Evidence from chronic cancer bioassays was considered the most directly applicable to evaluation of carcinogenicity.

We included 52 studies with 20 chronic bioassays No studies were excluded based on risk of bias concerns. Studies were not considered suitable for meta-analysis due to heterogeneity in study design, species, strain, sex, exposure characteristics, and cancer outcome. No or minimal evidence of RF EMF exposure-related cancer outcomes was found in most systems or organs in any study (these included gastrointestinal/digestive, kidney, mammary gland, urinary, endocrine, musculoskeletal, reproductive, and auditory). For lymphoma (18 studies), with 6 chronic bioassays (1,120 mice, 1,780 rats) inconsistency between two chronic bioassays was not plausibly explainable, and the CoE for lymphoma was rated 'moderate'. For brain tumors (20 studies), including 5 chronic bioassays (1,902 mice, 6,011 rats), an increase in glial cell-derived neoplasms was reported in two chronic bioassays in male rats. The CoE for an increased risk in glioma was judged as high. The BMD analysis was statistically significant for only one study and the BMD was 4.25 (95% CI 2.70, 10.24). For neoplasms of the heart (4 chronic bioassays with 6 experiments), 3 studies were performed in rats (∼2,165 animals), and 1 in mice (∼720 animals). Based on 2 bioassays, statistically significant increases in malignant schwannomas was judged as high CoE for an increase in heart schwannomas in male rats. The BMDs from the two positive studies were 1.92 (95 %CI 0.71, 4.15) and 0.177 (95 %CI 0.125, 0.241), respectively. Twelve studies reported neoplasms in the adrenal gland (5 chronic bioassays). The CoE for an increased risk in pheochromocytoma was judged as moderate. None of these findings were dose-dependent when compared to the sham controls. Sixteen studies investigated tumors of the liver with 5 of these being chronic bioassays. The CoE was evaluated as moderate for hepatoblastomas. For neoplasms of the lung (3 chronic bioassays), 8 studies were conducted in rats (∼1,296 animals) and 23 studies in mice (∼2,800 animals). In one chronic bioassay, a statistically significant positive trend was reported for bronchoalveolar adenoma or carcinoma (combined), which was rated as moderate CoE for an increase in lung neoplasms with some evidence from 2 initiation-(co-)promotion studies.

Meta-analysis was considered inappropriate due to the heterogeneity in study methods. The GRADE/OHAT CoE framework has not been frequently applied to animal studies and experience to date suggests refinements are needed. We referred to standard methods in environmental health where CoE is framed in the context of strength of the evidence providing positive support for carcinogenicity. High CoE can be interpreted as the true effect is highly likely to be reflected in the apparent relationship. Moderate CoE indicates the true effect may be reflected in the apparent relationship. Cancer bioassays conducted in experimental animals are commonly used to identify potential human carcinogens. We note that the two tumor types with high CoE in animals in this systematic review are the same as those identified with limited evidence in humans by the IARC Working Group. However, even in cases where the animal evidence demonstrates high CoE, the extrapolation of risk from cancer bioassays to humans is particularly complex for RF EMF. Without a better understanding of the mechanism of the carcinogenicity of RF-EMF, the choice of exposure metric for risk extrapolation (whole body versus localized), intensity or cumulative exposure, whether or not a monotonic dose-response holds for carcinogenic effects, and whether SAR is the appropriate dose metric for adverse effects induced by RF-EMF, may be critical.

This review was partially funded by the WHO radioprotection programme. The protocol for this review was registered in Prospero reg. no. CRD42021265563 and published in Environment International 2022 (Mevissen et al. 2022).

In the last 30 y, observational as well as experimental studies have addressed possible health effects of exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) and investigated potential interaction mechanisms. The main goal of ICNIRP is to protect people and the environment from detrimental exposure to all forms of non-ionizing radiation (NIR), providing advice and guidance by developing and disseminating exposure guidelines based on the available scientific research on specific parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. During the development of International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection's (ICNIRP's) 2020 radiofrequency EMF guidelines some gaps in the available data were identified. To encourage further research into knowledge gaps in research that would, if addressed, assist ICNIRP in further developing guidelines and setting revised recommendations on limiting exposure, data gaps that were identified during the development of the 2020 radiofrequency EMF guidelines, in conjunction with subsequent consideration of the literature, are described in this Statement. Note that this process and resultant recommendations were not intended to duplicate more traditional research agendas, whose focus is on extending knowledge in this area more generally but was tightly focused on identifying the highest data gap priorities for guidelines development more specifically. The result of this distinction is that the present data gap recommendations do not include some gaps in the literature that in principle could be relevant to radiofrequency EMF health, but which were excluded because either the link between exposure and endpoint, or the link between endpoint and health, was not supported sufficiently by the literature. The evaluation of these research areas identified the following data gaps: (1) Issues concerning relations between radiofrequency EMF exposure and heat-induced pain; (2) Clarification of the relation between whole-body exposure and core temperature rise from 100 kHz to 300 GHz, as a function of exposure duration and combined EMF exposures; (3) Adverse effect thresholds and thermal dosimetry for a range of ocular structures; (4) Pain thresholds for contact currents under a range of exposure scenarios, including associated dosimetry; and (5) A range of additional dosimetry studies to both support future research, and also to improve the application of radiofrequency EMF exposure restrictions in future guidelines.

This work explores the enhancement of EMI shielding efficiency of polyurethane (PU) foam by loading multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNTs)-decorated hollow glass microspheres (HGMs). MWCNT was coated onto the HGM surface by a simple solution casting technique. The coated HGM particles were loaded in PU foams, resulting in an even dispersion of MWCNT in the foam struts, thereby forming an interconnected conductive network in the polymer matrix. The synthesized polymeric foam composites were characterized for bulk density, cellular morphology, Fourier transform infrared spectra, compression strength, electrical conductivity, and EMI shielding efficiency. The highest electrical conductivity, i.e., 15.75 × 10-3 S/cm, was achieved at 13 wt % loading, which resulted in the EMI shielding efficiency of -25.03 dB. Finally, we proposed a mechanism exploring the enhancement of EMI shielding of PU foam composite showing that the incident EMI radiations are being absorbed into the material due to the presence of interconnected MWCNTs and successive reflection via hollow glass spheres. The synthesized foam can be used as an EMI shielding material in such applications where flexibility and lightweight are the primary requirements.

The widespread use of wireless communication technologies has increased human exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs). Considering the brain's close proximity to mobile phones and its entirely electrical transmission network, it emerges as the organ most profoundly impacted by the RF field. This study aims to investigate the potential effects of RF radiation on cell viability, apoptosis, and gene expressions in glioblastoma cells (U118-MG) at different exposure times (1, 24, and 48 h). To achieve this, we designed and implemented an in vitro RF exposure system operating at a frequency of 2.1 GHz, specifically for cell culture studies, with an average specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1.12 ± 0.18 W/kg determined through numerical dosimetry calculations. Results reveal a significant influence of a 48 h exposure to a 2.1 GHz RF field on U118-MG cell viability, gene expression, and the induction of caspase (CASP) dependent apoptosis. Notably, increased CASP3, CASP8, and CASP9 mRNA levels were observed after 24 and 48 h of RF treatment. However, only the 48 h RF exposure resulted in apoptotic cell death and a significant elevation in the BAX/BCL-2 ratio. This observed effect may be influenced by extended exposure durations surpassing the cell's doubling time. The increased BAX/BCL-2 ratio, which acts as a key switch for apoptosis, and the heterogeneous morphology of the astrocyte-derived U118-MG cell line may also play a role in this effect.

The way that living cells respond to non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF), including static/extremely-low frequency and radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, fits the pattern of 'cellular stress response' - a mechanism manifest at the cellular level intended to preserve the entire organism. It is a set pattern of cellular and molecular responses to environmental stressors, such as heat, ionizing radiation, oxidation, etc. It is triggered by cellular macromolecular damage (in proteins, lipids, and DNA) with the goal of repairing and returning cell functions to homeostasis. The pattern is independent of the type of stressor encountered. It involves cell cycle arrest, induction of specific molecular mechanisms for repair, damage removal, cell proliferation, and cell death if damage is too great. This response could be triggered by EMF-induced alternation in oxidative processes in cells. The concept that biological response to EMF is a 'cellular stress response' explains many observed effects of EMF, such as nonlinear dose- and time-dependency, increased and decreased risks of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, enhanced nerve regeneration, and bone healing. These responses could be either detrimental or beneficial to health, depending on the duration and intensity of the exposure, as well as specific aspects of the living organism being exposed. A corollary to electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome (EHS) could be an inappropriate response of the hippocampus/limbic system to EMF, involving glucocorticoids on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Human exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) is restricted to prevent thermal effects in the tissue. However, at very low intensity exposure "non-thermal" biological effects, like oxidative stress, DNA or chromosomal aberrations, etc. collectively termed genomic-instability can occur after few hours. Little is known about chronic (years long) exposure with non-thermal RF-EMF. We identified two neighboring housing estates in a rural region with residents exposed to either relatively low (control-group) or relatively high (exposed-group) RF-EMF emitted from nearby mobile phone base stations (MPBS). 24 healthy adults that lived in their homes at least for 5 years volunteered. The homes were surveyed for common types of EMF, blood samples were tested for oxidative status, transient DNA alterations, permanent chromosomal damage, and specific cancer related genetic markers, like MLL gene rearrangements. We documented possible confounders, like age, sex, nutrition, life-exposure to ionizing radiation (X-rays), occupational exposures, etc. The groups matched well, age, sex, lifestyle and occupational risk factors were similar. The years long exposure had no measurable effect on MLL gene rearrangements and c-Abl-gene transcription modification. Associated with higher exposure, we found higher levels of lipid oxidation and oxidative DNA-lesions, though not statistically significant. DNA double strand breaks, micronuclei, ring chromosomes, and acentric chromosomes were not significantly different between the groups. Chromosomal aberrations like dicentric chromosomes (p=0.007), chromatid gaps (p=0.019), chromosomal fragments (p<0.001) and the total of chromosomal aberrations (p<0.001) were significantly higher in the exposed group. No potential confounder interfered with these findings. Increased rates of chromosomal aberrations as linked to excess exposure with ionizing radiation may also occur with non-ionizing radiation exposure. Biological endpoints can be informative for designing exposure limitation strategies. Further research is warranted to investigate the dose-effect-relationship between both, exposure intensity and exposure time, to account for endpoint accumulations after years of exposure. As established for ionizing radiation, chromosomal aberrations could contribute to the definition of protection thresholds, as their rate reflects exposure intensity and exposure time.

Long-term evolution (LTE) radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) is widely used in communication technologies. Thus, the influence of RF-EMF on biological systems is a major public concern and its physiological effects remain controversial. In our previous study, we showed that continuous exposure of various human cell types to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 2 W/Kg for 72 h can induce cellular senescence. To understand the precise cellular effects of LTE RF-EMF, we elaborated the 1.7 GHz RF-EMF cell exposure system used in the previous study by replacing the RF signal generator and developing a software-based feedback system to improve the exposure power stability. This refinement of the 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF generator facilitated the automatic regulation of RF-EMF exposure, maintaining target power levels within a 3% range and a constant temperature even during the 72-h-exposure period. With the improved experimental setup, we examined the effect of continuous exposure to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF at up to SAR of 8 W/Kg in human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs), Huh7, HeLa, and rat B103 cells. Surprisingly, the proliferation of all cell types, which displayed different growth rates, did not change significantly compared with that of the unexposed controls. Also, neither DNA damage nor cell cycle perturbation was observed in the 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF-exposed cells. However, when the thermal control system was turned off and the subsequent temperature increase induced by the RF-EMF was not controlled during continuous exposure to SAR of 8 W/Kg LTE RF-EMF, cellular proliferation increased by 35.2% at the maximum. These observations strongly suggest that the cellular effects attributed to 1.7 GHz LTE RF-EMF exposure are primarily due to the induced thermal changes rather than the RF-EMF exposure itself.

The fifth generation of radiofrequency communication, 5G, is currently being rolled out worldwide. Since September 2017, the EU 5G Appeal has been sent six times to the EU, requesting a moratorium on the rollout of 5G. This article reviews the 5G Appeal and the EU's subsequent replies, including the extensive cover letter sent to the EU in September 2021, requesting stricter guidelines for exposures to radiofrequency radiation (RFR). The Appeal notes the EU's internal conflict between its approach to a wireless technology-led future, and the need to protect the health and safety of its citizens. It critiques the reliance of the EU on the current guidelines given by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), that consider only heating and no other health relevant biological effects from RFR. To counteract the ICNIRP position, the 2021 cover letter briefly presented recent research from the EU's own expert groups, from a large collection of European and other international studies, and from previous reviews of the effects of RFR on humans and the environment. The 5G Appeal asserts that the majority of scientific evidence points to biological effects, many with the potential for harm, occurring below the ICNIRP public limits. Evidence to establish this position is drawn from studies showing changes to neurotransmitters and receptors, damage to cells, proteins, DNA, sperm, the immune system, and human health, including cancer. The 2021 Appeal goes on to warn that 5G signals are likely to additionally alter the behaviour of oxygen and water molecules at the quantum level, unfold proteins, damage skin, and cause harm to insects, birds, frogs, plants and animals. Altogether, this evidence establishes a high priority for the European Union towards (i) replacing the current flawed guidelines with protective thresholds, and (ii) placing a moratorium on 5G deployment so as to (iii) allow industry-independent scientists the time needed to propose new health-protective guidelines. This 2021 Appeal's relevance becomes even more pressing in the context of the EU plans to roll out the sixth generation of wireless technologies, 6G, further adding to the known risks of RFR technology for humans and the environment. This all leads to an important question: Do EU decision makers have the right to ignore EU´s own directives by prioritising economic gain over human and environmental health?

Even though the bioeffects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) have been extensively investigated during the past several decades, our understandings of the bioeffects of EMR and the mechanisms of the interactions between the biological systems and the EMRs are still far from satisfactory. In this article, we introduce and summarize the consensus, controversy, limitations, and unsolved issues. The published works have investigated the EMR effects on different biological systems including humans, animals, cells, and biochemical reactions. Alternative methodologies also include dielectric spectroscopy, detection of bioelectromagnetic emissions, and theoretical predictions. In many studies, the thermal effects of the EMR are not properly controlled or considered. The frequency of the EMR investigated is limited to the commonly used bands, particularly the frequencies of the power line and the wireless communications; far fewer studies were performed for other EMR frequencies. In addition, the bioeffects of the complex EM environment were rarely discussed. In summary, our understanding of the bioeffects of the EMR is quite restrictive and further investigations are needed to answer the unsolved questions.

The Ramazzini Institute (RI) has been conducting animal carcinogenicity studies for decades, many of which have been considered by authoritative bodies to determine potential carcinogenicity in humans. Unlike other laboratories, such as the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP), the RI does not provide a report or record of historical control data. Transparently documenting historical control data is critical in the interpretation of individual study results within the same laboratory. Historical control data allow an assessment of significant trends, either increasing or decreasing, resulting from changes in laboratory methods or genetic drift. In this investigation: (1) we compiled a dataset of the tumors reported in control groups of Sprague-Dawley rats and Swiss mice based on data included in published RI studies on specific substances, and (2) conducted case studies to compare data from this RI control dataset to the findings from multiple RI studies on sweeteners and corresponding breakdown products. We found considerable variability in the tumor incidence across multiple tumor types when comparing across control groups from RI studies. When compared to the tumor incidence in treated groups from multiple studies, the incidence of some tumors considered to be treatment-related fell within the variability of background incidence from the RI control dataset.

In an effort to clarify the nature of causal evidence regarding the potential impacts of RFR on biological systems, this paper relies on a well-established framework for considering causation expanded from that of Bradford Hill, that combines experimental and epidemiological evidence on carcinogenesis of RFR. The Precautionary Principle, while not perfect, has been the effective lodestone for establishing public policy to guard the safety of the general public from potentially harmful materials, practices or technologies. Yet, when considering the exposure of the public to anthropogenic electromagnetic fields, especially those arising from mobile communications and their infrastructure, it seems to be ignored. The current exposure standards recommended by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) consider only thermal effects (tissue heating) as potentially harmful. However, there is mounting evidence of non-thermal effects of exposure to electromagnetic radiation in biological systems and human populations. We review the latest literature on in vitro and in vivo studies, on clinical studies on electromagnetic hypersensitivity, as well as the epidemiological evidence for cancer due to the action of mobile based radiation exposure. We question whether the current regulatory atmosphere truly serves the public good when considered in terms of the Precautionary Principle and the principles for deducing causation established by Bradford Hill. We conclude that there is substantial scientific evidence that RFR causes cancer, endocrinological, neurological and other adverse health effects. In light of this evidence the primary mission of public bodies, such as the FCC to protect public health has not been fulfilled. Rather, we find that industry convenience is being prioritized and thereby subjecting the public to avoidable risks.

The cancer hazard associated with lifetime exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) was examined in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats at the Ramazzini Institute (RI), Italy. There were increased incidences of gliomas and cardiac schwannomas. The translational relevance of these rare rat tumors for human disease is poorly understood. We examined the genetic alterations in RFR-derived rat tumors through molecular characterization of important cancer genes relevant for human gliomagenesis. A targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel was designed for rats based on the top 23 orthologous human glioma-related genes. Single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and small insertion and deletions (indels) were characterized in the rat gliomas and cardiac schwannomas. Translational relevance of these genetic alterations in rat tumors to human disease was determined through comparison with the Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC) database. These data suggest that rat gliomas resulting from life-time exposure to RFR histologically resemble low grade human gliomas but surprisingly no mutations were detected in rat gliomas that had homology to the human IDH1 p.R132 or IDH2 p.R172 suggesting that rat gliomas are primarily wild-type for IDH hotspot mutations implicated in human gliomas. The rat gliomas appear to share some genetic alterations with IDH1 wildtype human gliomas and rat cardiac schwannomas also harbor mutations in some of the queried cancer genes. These data demonstrate that targeted NGS panels based on tumor specific orthologous human cancer driver genes are an important tool to examine the translational relevance of rodent tumors resulting from chronic/life-time rodent bioassays.

Electromagnetic (EM) signals are widely used in electronic instruments and biomedical systems and might have affected the human bodies surrounded by them. However, the interaction mechanism of EM signals with biological structures is poorly understood. We propose a micro-fabricated low-frequency EM stimulation lab-on-chip with three-dimensional interdigital electrodes for observation of cell lines with microscope. The field strength between the electrodes at various frequencies is estimated through simulation. An electric field strength of 4.45Vrms/m is reached in the culture medium with a 10Vpp, 10 kHz input signal. According to the simulation results, the high end of the applicable frequency range of the testbench is 3 MHz. A prototype is fabricated using full-wafer microfabrication techniques. The impedance of the prototype between 20 Hz and 30 MHz is characterized. Moreover, human cell line HEK293T is cultured in the testbench for 24 h and observed using microscope to check the biocompatibility of the electrodes. The prototype is thus applicable to long-term microscopic observation of cell lines for study of EM effect on biological structures. The 24-h cell culturing experiment with and without EM stimulation with the proposed prototype shows that the cell growth is obviously affected by a 10 kHz EM signal.

We report a case of a 40-year-old Italian man presenting with an intramuscular schwannoma in his left thigh, which coincided with the area where he habitually stored his smartphone (front left trouser pocket). An ultrasound examination revealed a well-defined, encapsulated, hypoechoic lesion (41 × 15 × 28 mm) within the muscle, showing multiple small foci of vascularity on color Doppler. Elastographic analysis indicated a deformability score of 2, with some areas of stiffness. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the presence of a spindle-shaped mass in the tensor fasciae latae muscle, with varying enhancement after contrast administration. Notably, the location of the intramuscular mass closely corresponded to the placement of the phone's SIM card. While we cannot establish a definitive causal relationship between the patient's smartphone storage habit and the development of the intramuscular schwannoma, we speculate that the habitual storage location may have potentially acted as a risk or predisposing factor. This case underscores the need for further research on the potential health risks associated with smartphone storage habits, considering their widespread prevalence in today's society.

The MOBI-Kids case-control study on wireless phone use and brain tumor risk in childhood and adolescence included the age group 10-24 years diagnosed between 2010 and 2015. Overall no increased risk was found although for brain tumors in the temporal region an increased risk was found in the age groups 10-14 and 20-24 years. Most odds ratios (ORs) in MOBI-Kids were <1.0, some statistically significant, suggestive of a preventive effect from RF radiation; however, this is in contrast to current knowledge about radiofrequency (RF) carcinogenesis. The MOBI-Kids results are not biologically plausible and indicate that the study was flawed due to methodological problems. For example, not all brain tumor cases were included since central localization was excluded. Instead, all brain tumor cases should have been included regardless of histopathology and anatomical localization. Only surgical controls with appendicitis were used instead of population-based controls from the same geographical area as for the cases. In fact, increased incidence of appendicitis has been postulated to be associated with RF radiation which makes selection of control group in MOBI-Kids questionable. Start of wireless phone use up to 10 years before diagnosis was in some analyses included in the unexposed group. Thus, any important results demonstrating late carcinogenesis, a promoter effect, have been omitted from analysis and may underestimate true risks. Linear trend was in some analyses statistically significant in the calculation of RF-specific energy and extremely low frequency (ELF)-induced current in the center of gravity of the tumor. Additional case-case analysis should have been performed. The data from this study should be reanalyzed using unconditional regression analysis adjusted for potential confounding factors to increase statistical power. Then all responding cases and controls could be included in the analyses. In sum, we believe the results as reported in this paper seem uninterpretable and should be dismissed.

In March 2020, ICNIRP (the International Commission for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) published a set of guidelines for limiting exposure to electromagnetic fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz). ICNIRP claims this publication's view on EMF and health, a view usually termed "the thermal-only paradigm", is consistent with current scientific understanding. We investigated the literature referenced in ICNIRP 2020 to assess if the variation in authors and research groups behind it meets the fundamental requirement of constituting a broad scientific base and thus a view consistent with current scientific understanding, a requirement that such an important set of guidelines is expected to satisfy. To assess if this requirement has been met, we investigated the span of authors and research groups of the referenced literature of the ICNIRP 2020 Guidelines and annexes. Our analysis shows that ICNIRP 2020 itself, and in practice all its referenced supporting literature stem from a network of co-authors with just 17 researchers at its core, most of them affiliated with ICNIRP and/or the IEEE, and some of them being ICNIRP 2020 authors themselves. Moreover, literature reviews presented by ICNIRP 2020 as being from independent committees, are in fact products of this same informal network of collaborating authors, all committees having ICNIRP 2020 authors as members. This shows that the ICNIRP 2020 Guidelines fail to meet fundamental scientific quality requirements and are therefore not suited as the basis on which to set RF EMF exposure limits for the protection of human health. With its thermal-only view, ICNIRP contrasts with the majority of research findings, and would therefore need a particularly solid scientific foundation. Our analysis demonstrates the contrary to be the case. Hence, the ICNIRP 2020 Guidelines cannot offer a basis for good governance.

The heart is one of the major organs affected by microwave radiation, and these effects have been extensively studied. Previous studies have shown that microwave-radiation-induced heart injury might be related to the abnormal expression and distribution of Cx43. In order to make the research model closer to humans, we used iPSC-CMs as the cell injury model to investigate the biological effect and mechanism of iPSC-CM injury after microwave radiation. To model the damage, iPSC-CMs were separated into four groups and exposed to single or composite S-band (2.856 GHz) and X-band (9.375 GHz) microwave radiation sources with an average power density of 30 mW/cm2. After that, FCM was used to detect cell activity, and ELISA was used to detect the contents of myocardial enzymes and injury markers in the culture medium, and it was discovered that cell activity decreased and the contents increased after radiation. TEM and SEM showed that the ultrastructure of the cell membrane, mitochondria, and ID was damaged. Mitochondrial function was aberrant, and glycolytic capacity decreased after exposure. The electrical conduction function of iPSC-CM was abnormal; the conduction velocity was decreased, and the pulsation amplitude was reduced. Wb, qRT-PCR, and IF detections showed that the expression of Cx43 was decreased and the distribution of Cx43 at the gap junction was disordered. Single or composite exposure to S- and X-band microwave radiation caused damage to the structure and function of iPSC-CMs, primarily affecting the cell membrane, mitochondria, and ID. The composite exposure group was more severely harmed than the single exposure group. These abnormalities in structure and function were related to the decreased expression and disordered distribution of Cx43.

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is omnipresent on earth and may interact with the biological systems in diverse manners. But the scope and nature of such interactions remain poorly understood. In this study, we have measured the permittivity of cells and lipid membranes over the EMR frequency range of 20 Hz to 4.35 × 1010 Hz. To identify EMR frequencies that display physically intuitive permittivity features, we have developed a model-free method that relies on a potassium chloride reference solution of direct-current (DC) conductivity equal to that of the target sample. The dielectric constant, which reflects the capacity to store energy, displays a characteristic peak at 105-106 Hz. The dielectric loss factor, which represents EMR absorption, is markedly enhanced at 107-109 Hz. The fine characteristic features are influenced by the size and composition of these membraned structures. Mechanical disruption results in abrogation of these characteristic features. Enhanced energy storage at 105-106 Hz and energy absorption at 107-109 Hz may affect certain membrane activity relevant to cellular function.

The rapid growth of wireless electronic devices has raised concerns about the harmful effects of leaked electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on human health. Even though numerous studies have been carried out to explore the biological effects of EMR, no clear conclusions have been drawn about the effect of radio frequency (RF) EMR on oligodendrocytes. To this end, we exposed oligodendroglia and three other types of brain cells to 2.4 GHz EMR for 6 or 48 h at an average input power of 1 W in either a continuous wave (CW-RF) or a pulse-modulated wave (PW-RF, 50 Hz pulse frequency, 1/3 duty cycle) pattern. RNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, and Western blot were used to examine the expression of C/EBPβ and its related genes. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was used to examine the levels of expression of C/EBPβ-interacting proteins. Our results showed that PW-RF EMR significantly increased the mRNA level of C/EBPβ in oligodendroglia but not in other types of cells. In addition, the expression of three isoforms and several interacting proteins and targeted genes of C/EBPβ were markedly changed after 6-h PW-RF but not CW-RF. Our results indicated that RF EMR regulated the expression and functions of C/EBPβ in a waveform- and cell-type-dependent manner.

Haemolymphoreticular neoplasias (HLRNs) from the Ramazzini Institute (RI) carcinogenicity studies on Aspartame (APM) in rats and mice were heterogeneously grouped over the years and different statistical methods were applied.

We report all the detailed HLRN diagnoses of all the RI rats and mice studies on APM and the related statistics.

Histological subtypes and lineage (myeloid or lymphoid) are reported in males (MM) and females (FF) in line with the International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria for Lesions (INHAND) for rodents and the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues. Statistical analyses included Fisher's Exact test and Cochran-Armitage trend test.

Results from the post-natal bioassay on Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (BT6008) showed statistically significant increases in lymphomas (all types) (MM, FF), leukemias (all types) (FF), immunoblastic lymphomas (MM, FF), total lymphoid tumours (MM, FF), monocytic leukemia (FF), myeloid leukemia (FF), histiocytic sarcoma (FF), and total myeloid tumours (FF). Results from the prenatal experiment on SD rats (BT6009), showed statistically significant increases in lymphomas (all types) (FF), leukemias (all types) (FF), total lymphoid tumours (FF), myeloid leukemia (FF), and total myeloid tumours (FF). Finally, results from the prenatal bioassay on Swiss mice (BT6010) showed statistically significant increases in leukemias (all types) (MM, FF), lymphoblastic leukemia (MM, FF), monocytic leukemia (MM) and total myeloid tumours (MM).

Our analyses, performed in line with international recommended guidelines for statistics and pathology, confirm and reinforce our previous findings of statistically significant increases of HLRNs in rodents exposed to APM.

In the 1990s, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) restricted its risk assessment for human exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) in seven ways: (1) Inappropriate focus on heat, ignoring sub-thermal effects. (2) Reliance on exposure experiments performed over very short times. (3) Overlooking time/amplitude characteristics of RFR signals. (4) Ignoring carcinogenicity, hypersensitivity, and other health conditions connected with RFR. (5) Measuring cellphone Specific Absorption Rates (SAR) at arbitrary distances from the head. (6) Averaging SAR doses at volumetric/mass scales irrelevant to health. (7) Using unrealistic simulations for cell phone SAR estimations. Low-cost software and hardware modifications are proposed here for cellular phone RFR exposure mitigation: (1) inhibiting RFR emissions in contact with the body, (2) use of antenna patterns reducing the Percent of Power absorbed in the Head (PPHead) and body and increasing the Percent of Power Radiated for communications (PPR), and (3) automated protocol-based reductions of the number of RFR emissions, their duration, or integrated dose. These inexpensive measures do not fundamentally alter cell phone functions or communications quality. A health threat is scientifically documented at many levels and acknowledged by industries. Yet mitigation of RFR exposures to users does not appear as a priority with most cell phone manufacturers.

The currently promulgated RF exposure guidelines and standards cover the entire range of RF radiation and apply predominantly to restrict RF-induced short-term heating and in guarding against raising tissue temperatures, including the 5G frequencies. There are substantial abnormalities in these putative health safety protection guidelines and standards. Some of the safety limits are irrelevant, debatable, and absent of scientific justification from the standpoint of safety and public health protection. Also, the cellular mobile 5G technology is hailed as a speedier and more secure wireless communication technology than its predecessor systems. The key supporting architecture uses millimeter-wave (mm-wave) and antenna array technology to achieve better directivity, lower latency, and elevated data transmission rates. For radiation protection, it is not obvious whether the health effects of 5G mm-wave radiations would be analogous or not to radiations from previous generations (which was classified as possibly carcinogenic in humans by IARC). The interaction of mm-waves with the structure and function of pertinent cellular elements and cutaneous neuroreceptors in the skin are of special concern. The current scientific database is inadequate at mm wavelengths to render a trustworthy appraisal or to reach a judgment with confidence.

Children today are conceived and live in a sea of wireless radiation that did not exist when their parents were born. The launch of the digital age continues to transform the capacity to respond to emergencies and extend global communications. At the same time that this increasingly ubiquitous technology continues to alter the nature of commerce, medicine, transport and modern life overall, its varied and changing forms have not been evaluated for their biological or environmental impacts. Standards for evaluating radiation from numerous wireless devices were first set in 1996 to avoid heating tissue and remain unchanged since then in the U.S. and many other nations. A wide range of evidence indicates that there are numerous non-thermal effects from wireless radiation on reproduction, development, and chronic illness. Many widely used devices such as phones and tablets function as two-way microwave radios, sending and receiving various frequencies of information-carrying microwave radiation on multiple simultaneously operating antennas. Expert groups advising governments on this matter do not agree on the best approaches to be taken. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limited screen time for children under the age of two, but more than half of all toddlers regularly have contact with screens, often without parental engagement. Young children of parents who frequently use devices as a form of childcare can experience delays in speech acquisition and bonding, while older children report feelings of disappointment due to 'technoference'-parental distraction due to technology. Children who begin using devices early in life can become socially, psychologically and physically addicted to the technology and experience withdrawal upon cessation. We review relevant experimental, epidemiological and clinical evidence on biological and other impacts of currently used wireless technology, including advice to include key questions at pediatric wellness checkups from infancy to young adulthood. We conclude that consistent with advice in pediatric radiology, an approach that recommends that microwave radiation exposures be As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) seems sensible and prudent, and that an independently-funded training, research and monitoring program should be carried out on the long term physical and psychological impacts of rapidly changing technological milieu, including ways to mitigate impacts through modifications in hardware and software. Current knowledge of electrohypersensitivity indicates the importance of reducing wireless exposures especially in schools and health care settings.

The increasing exposure of the human population to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields has increased concern about its possible health effects. The aim of this systematic review is to provide an update of the state of the research on this topic, through a quantitative analysis, to assess the increased risk of tumor incidence in laboratory animals (rodents) without limitations of species, strain, sex or genotype. The review was conducted according to the PRISMA guideline and individual studies were assessed by referring to the OHAT Risk of Bias Rating Tool for Human and Animal Studies. A total of 27 studies were considered eligible for the evaluation of tumor incidence; a meta-analysis was carried out on 23 studies to assess the possible increased risk of both malignant and benign tumors onset at the systemic level or in different organs/tissues. A significant association between exposure to RF and the increased/decreased risk of cancer does not result from the meta-analysis in most of considered tissues. A significant increased/decreased risk can be numerically observed only in heart, CNS/brain, and intestine for malignant tumors. Nevertheless, the assessment of the body of evidence attributes low or inadequate evidence for an association between RF exposure and the onset of neoplasm in all tissues.

Tumours are nowadays the second world‑leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. During the last decades of cancer research, lifestyle and random/genetic factors have been blamed for cancer mortality, with obesity, sedentary habits, alcoholism, and smoking contributing as supposed major causes. However, there is an emerging consensus that environmental pollution should be considered one of the main triggers. Unfortunately, all this preliminary scientific evidence has not always been followed by governments and institutions, which still fail to pursue research on cancer's environmental connections. In this unprecedented national-scale detailed study, we analyzed the links between cancer mortality, socio-economic factors, and sources of environmental pollution in Italy, both at wider regional and finer provincial scales, with an artificial intelligence approach. Overall, we found that cancer mortality does not have a random or spatial distribution and exceeds the national average mainly when environmental pollution is also higher, despite healthier lifestyle habits. Our machine learning analysis of 35 environmental sources of pollution showed that air quality ranks first for importance concerning the average cancer mortality rate, followed by sites to be reclaimed, urban areas, and motor vehicle density. Moreover, other environmental sources of pollution proved to be relevant for the mortality of some specific cancer types. Given these alarming results, we call for a rearrangement of the priority of cancer research and care that sees the reduction and prevention of environmental contamination as a priority action to put in place in the tough struggle against cancer.

The use of high-power microwave (HPM) in our daily live is becoming more and more widespread, but the safety has also caused our concern. And ferroptosis is a newly discovered modality that can regulate cell death in recent years. The aim of our study was to demonstrate whether ferroptosis is an important cause of myocardial injury caused by HPM. And whether myocardial injury caused by HPM can be alleviated by inhibiting ferroptosis.

We verified the extent of myocardial damage by different doses of HPM through in vivo and in vitro assays, respectively. In addition, GPX4 was knocked down and overexpressed in cardiac myocytes to verify the altered sensitivity of cardiac myocytes to HPM. Finally, the therapeutic effect of Fer-1 and tanshinoneIIA on myocardial injury caused by HPM was verified in in vivo and in vitro assays.

We found that cardiac tissue and cardiomyocyte injury in mice gradually increased with increasing HPM dose, while ferroptosis markers were consistent with the injury trend. Gpx4 had an important role in ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes caused by HPM. Finally, tanshinoneIIA and Fer-1 could attenuate the damage of cardiac tissues and cardiomyocytes caused by HPM.

In conclusion, our study found that ferroptosis, a novel mode of cell death, is present in myocardial injury caused by HPM. Moreover, tanshinone, a drug already in clinical use, can significantly reduce myocardial injury caused by HPM, which is promising to provide new therapeutic ideas for myocardial injury caused by HPM.

In 2018, we reported a case series of 47 patients diagnosed with cancer following several years of exposure to high-intensity whole-body radiofrequency radiation (RFR) using the parameter of percentage frequency (PF). Consistent high and statistically significant PFs of hematolymphoid (HL) cancers were found in this group and in four previous reports on RFR-exposed groups in Belgium, Poland and Israel together with increased all-cancers rates. In this paper we report a new series of 46 young cancer patients who were exposed during military service to such radiation.

The new group of patients comprises Israeli soldiers previously exposed to occupational RFR. The patients were self-selected to enroll in the research in cooperation with an NGO assisting patients with administrative counseling and legal and social services. The new group of patients was studied with respect to distribution (proportion) of cancer types using the method of PF. When possible, cancer risk ratios (RR) were estimated too. The results are compared to those of other occupational groups in three countries.

Median age at diagnosis was 23 years; duration of exposure was between 1 and 3 years and the latencies were short, median 4.6 years. The PF of HL cancers was 41.3%, 95% CI (27%-57%), versus 22.7% expected in non-exposed subjects matched for age and gender profiles, p = 0.003; 19 out of the 46 patients had HL cancers. The PF of Hodgkin lymphoma cancers was 21.7%, 95%CI (11%-36%), versus 11.6% expected, p = 0.033. For a subgroup of 6 patients, the number of soldiers in the units was known, and we were able estimate approximately the overall cancer risk ratio (RR) after 8 years as being 8.0 with 95% CI (2.9, 17), p < 0.002, with only 0.75 cases expected from the Cancer Registry data. In this subgroup, there were 3 HL cancer cases and 3 non-HL cases. Sarcoma PF was higher than expected, 7 out of the 46 patients were diagnosed with sarcoma, PF = 15.2%, 95%CI (6.3%-28.9%), p = 0.04 versus the expected PF of 7%.

The HL PF was high and consistent with previous reports. Epidemiological studies on excess risk for HL and other cancers, brain tumors in cellphone users, and experimental studies on RFR and carcinogenicity strongly point to a cause-effect relationship. It is mandatory to reduce the RFR exposure of all personnel to that of the typical community levels, including the peak level of radar pulses. Radiation protection, safety instructions, cancer risk warnings and quantitative data on individual exposure together with regular medical monitoring must be instituted for all personnel exposed to such risks. The findings from our study add to the growing body of evidence underscoring the gross inadequacy of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) thermal standards. Based on our findings and on the previous accumulated research, we endorse the recommendations to reclassify RFR exposure as a human carcinogen, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) group 1.

Drawing on a 12-month virtual ethnography on the main online spaces of three refused knowledge communities (RKCs) in Italy, this study aims at contributing to the debate on emerging forms of science-related populism from a two-fold perspective. First, we identify and describe the main features and the role played by an understudied figure who we label the 'catalyst of dissent' - a public influencer who does not belong to the scientific community and contributes to the spread of science-related populist narratives within a grassroots ecosystem of resistance to institutional science. Second, our research highlights how RKCs - communities proposing visions of science and medicine denied acceptance or even consideration by institutional science - can appropriate some key resources produced by the catalysts. The analysis focuses on the interplay between the catalysts and three main RKCs during the pandemic crisis in Italy: The No-5G, the Free-Vax, and the 5 Biological Laws communities.

A mobile phone is now a commonly used device for digital media and communication among all age groups. Young adolescents use it for longer durations, which exposes them to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR). This exposure can lead to neuropsychiatric changes. The underlying cellular mechanism behind these changes requires detailed investigation. In the present study, we investigated the effect of RF-EMR emitted from mobile phones on young adolescent rat brains. Wistar rats (5 weeks, male) were exposed to RF-EMR signal (2115 MHz) at a head average specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1.51 W/kg continuously for 8 h. Higher level of lipid peroxidation, carbon-centered lipid radicals, and single-strand DNA damage was observed in the brain of rat exposed to RF-EMR. The number of BrdU-positive cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) decreased in RF-EMR-exposed rats, indicating reduced neurogenesis. RF-EMR exposure also induced degenerative changes and neuronal loss in DG neurons but had no effect on the CA3 and CA1 neurons of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. The activity of Pro-caspase3 did not increase upon exposure in any of the brain regions, pointing out that degeneration observed in the DG region is not dependent on caspase activation. Results indicate that short-term acute exposure to RF-EMR induced the generation of carbon-centered lipid radicals and nuclear DNA damage, both of which likely played a role in the impaired neurogenesis and neuronal degeneration seen in the young brain's hippocampus region. The understanding of RF-EMR-induced alteration in the brain at the cellular level will help develop appropriate interventions for reducing its adverse impact.

The objective of this work was to perform a complete review of the existing scientific literature to update the knowledge on the effects of base station antennas on humans. Studies performed in real urban conditions, with mobile phone base stations situated close to apartments, were selected. Overall results of this review show three types of effects by base station antennas on the health of people: radiofrequency sickness (RS), cancer (C) and changes in biochemical parameters (CBP). Considering all the studies reviewed globally (n = 38), 73.6% (28/38) showed effects: 73.9% (17/23) for radiofrequency sickness, 76.9% (10/13) for cancer and 75.0% (6/8) for changes in biochemical parameters. Furthermore, studies that did not meet the strict conditions to be included in this review provided important supplementary evidence. The existence of similar effects from studies by different sources (but with RF of similar characteristics), such as radar, radio and television antennas, wireless smart meters and laboratory studies, reinforce the conclusions of this review. Of special importance are the studies performed on animals or trees near base station antennas that cannot be aware of their proximity and to which psychosomatic effects can never be attributed.

The past two decades have seen exponential growth in demand for wireless access that has been projected to continue for years to come. Meeting the demand would necessarily bring about greater human exposure to microwave and radiofrequency (RF) radiation. Our knowledge regarding its health effects has increased. Nevertheless, they have become a focal point of current interest and concern. The cellphone and allied wireless communication technologies have demonstrated their direct benefit to people in modern society. However, as for their impact on the radiation health and safety of humans who are unnecessarily subjected to various levels of RF exposure over prolonged durations or even over their lifetime, the jury is still out. Furthermore, there are consistent indications from epidemiological studies and animal investigations that RF exposure is probably carcinogenic to humans. The principle of ALARA-as low as reasonably achievable-ought to be adopted as a strategy for RF health and safety protection.

In the late-1990s, the FCC and ICNIRP adopted radiofrequency radiation (RFR) exposure limits to protect the public and workers from adverse effects of RFR. These limits were based on results from behavioral studies conducted in the 1980s involving 40-60-minute exposures in 5 monkeys and 8 rats, and then applying arbitrary safety factors to an apparent threshold specific absorption rate (SAR) of 4 W/kg. The limits were also based on two major assumptions: any biological effects were due to excessive tissue heating and no effects would occur below the putative threshold SAR, as well as twelve assumptions that were not specified by either the FCC or ICNIRP. In this paper, we show how the past 25 years of extensive research on RFR demonstrates that the assumptions underlying the FCC's and ICNIRP's exposure limits are invalid and continue to present a public health harm. Adverse effects observed at exposures below the assumed threshold SAR include non-thermal induction of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage, cardiomyopathy, carcinogenicity, sperm damage, and neurological effects, including electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Also, multiple human studies have found statistically significant associations between RFR exposure and increased brain and thyroid cancer risk. Yet, in 2020, and in light of the body of evidence reviewed in this article, the FCC and ICNIRP reaffirmed the same limits that were established in the 1990s. Consequently, these exposure limits, which are based on false suppositions, do not adequately protect workers, children, hypersensitive individuals, and the general population from short-term or long-term RFR exposures. Thus, urgently needed are health protective exposure limits for humans and the environment. These limits must be based on scientific evidence rather than on erroneous assumptions, especially given the increasing worldwide exposures of people and the environment to RFR, including novel forms of radiation from 5G telecommunications for which there are no adequate health effects studies.

Several smart city ideas are introduced to manage various problems caused by overpopulation, but the futuristic smart city is a concept based on dense and artificial-intelligence-centric cities. Thus, massive device connectivity with huge data traffic is expected in the future where communication networks are expected to provide ubiquity, high quality of service, and on-demand content for a large number of interconnected devices. The sixth-generation (6G) network is considered the problem-solving network of futuristic cities, with huge bandwidth and low latency. The expected 6G of the radio access network is based on terahertz (THz) waves with the capability of carrying up to one terabit per second (Tbps). THz waves have the capability of carrying a large amount of data but these waves have several drawbacks, such as short-range and atmospheric attenuation. Hence, these problems can introduce complications and hamper the performance of the 6G network. This study envisions futuristic smart cities using 6G and proposes a conceptual terrestrial network (TN) architecture for 6G. The nested Bee Hive is a scalable multilayer architecture designed to meet the needs of futuristic smart cities. Moreover, we designed the multilayer network infrastructure while considering the expectations from a network of futuristic smart cities and the complications of THz waves. Extensive simulations are performed using different pathfinding algorithms in the 3D multilayer domain to evaluate the performance of the proposed architecture and set the dynamics of futuristic communication of 6G.

For more than 20 years, the potential health risks of radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF EMF) exposure from mobile communication devices on children and adolescents have been examined because they are considered sensitive population groups; however, it remains unclear whether such exposure poses any particular risk to them.

The aim of this review was to systematically analyze and evaluate the physiological and health-related effects of RF EMF exposures from wireless communication devices (mobile phones, cordless phones, Bluetooth, etc.) on children and adolescents.

This review was prepared according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Methodological limitations in individual studies were assessed using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) Risk-of-Bias Rating Tool for Human and Animal Studies.

A total of 42 epidemiological and 11 experimental studies were eligible for this review. Most of the studies displayed several methodological weaknesses that limited the internal validity of the results. Due to a lack of consistency regarding the outcomes as well as the lack of scientific rigor in most reviewed studies, the body of evidence for the effects of RF EMF of mobile communication devices on subjective symptoms, cognition, and behavior in children and adolescents was low to inadequate. Evidence from the studies investigating early childhood development, brain activity, cancer, and physiological parameters was considered inadequate for drawing conclusions about possible effects.

Overall, the body of evidence allows no final conclusion on the question whether exposure to RF EMF from mobile communication devices poses a particular risk to children and adolescents. There has been rapid development in technologies generating RF EMF, which are extensively used by children and adolescents. Therefore, we strongly recommend high-quality systematic research on children and adolescents, since they are generally considered as sensitive age groups.

In urban environment there is a constant increase of public exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phone base stations. With the placement of mobile phone base station antennas radiofrequency hotspots emerge. This study investigates an area at Skeppsbron street in Stockholm, Sweden with an aggregation of base station antennas placed at low level close to pedestrians' heads. Detailed spatial distribution measurements were performed with 1) a radiofrequency broadband analyzer and 2) a portable exposimeter. The results display a greatly uneven distribution of the radiofrequency field with hotspots. The highest spatial average across all quadrat cells was 12.1 V m⁻¹ (388 mW m⁻²), whereas the maximum recorded reading from the entire area was 31.6 V m⁻¹ (2648 mW m⁻²). Exposimeter measurements show that the majority of exposure is due to mobile phone downlink bands. Most dominant are 2600 and 2100 MHz bands used by 4G and 3G mobile phone services, respectively. The average radiofrequency radiation values from the earlier studies show that the level of ambient RF radiation exposure in Stockholm is increasing. This study concluded that mobile phone base station antennas at Skeppsbron, Stockholm are examples of poor radiofrequency infrastructure design which brings upon highly elevated exposure levels to popular seaside promenade and a busy traffic street.

The ongoing debate of whether use of cellular telephones increases the risk of developing a brain tumor was recently fueled by the launch of the fifth generation of wireless technologies. Here, we update follow-up of a large-scale prospective study on the association between cellular telephone use and brain tumors.

During 1996-2001, 1.3 million women born in 1935-1950 were recruited into the study. Questions on cellular telephone use were first asked in median year 2001 and again in median year 2011. All study participants were followed via record linkage to National Health Services databases on deaths and cancer registrations (including nonmalignant brain tumors).

During 14 years follow-up of 776 156 women who completed the 2001 questionnaire, a total of 3268 incident brain tumors were registered. Adjusted relative risks for ever vs never cellular telephone use were 0.97 (95% confidence interval = 0.90 to 1.04) for all brain tumors, 0.89 (95% confidence interval = 0.80 to 0.99) for glioma, and not statistically significantly different to 1.0 for meningioma, pituitary tumors, and acoustic neuroma. Compared with never-users, no statistically significant associations were found, overall or by tumor subtype, for daily cellular telephone use or for having used cellular telephones for at least 10 years. Taking use in 2011 as baseline, there were no statistically significant associations with talking for at least 20 minutes per week or with at least 10 years use. For gliomas occurring in the temporal and parietal lobes, the parts of the brain most likely to be exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from cellular telephones, relative risks were slightly below 1.0.

Our findings support the accumulating evidence that cellular telephone use under usual conditions does not increase brain tumor incidence.

The advent of wireless technologies has revolutionized the way we communicate. The steady upsurge in the use of mobile phone all over the world in the last two decades, while triggered economic growth, has caused substantial damage to the environment, both directly and indirectly. The electromagnetic radiation generated from mobile phones, radio-based stations, and phone towers, high-voltage power lines have been reported which leads to the variety of health scares such as the risk of cancer in human beings and adverse effects in animals, birds, etc. Though the usage of such radiation emitting from mobile phones has risen steeply, there is a lack of proper knowledge about the associated risks. The review provides the latest research evidence based both on in vitro studies, in vivo studies, and possible gaps in our knowledge. Moreover, the present review also summarizes available literature in this subject, reports and studies which will help to form guidelines for its exposure limits to the public.Abbreviations: Continuous Wave: CW; Code Division Multiple Access: CDMA; Global System for Mobile Communications: GSM; Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell: PBMC; Radiofrequency: RF; Radiofrequency radiation: RFR; Universal Mobile Telecommunications System: UMTS; Wideband Code Division Multiple Access: WCDMA; Specific Absorption Rate: SAR; National Toxicology Program: NTP; amplitude-modulated or amplitude-modulation: AM; Electromagnetic frequencies: EMF; confidence interval: CI; Gigahertz: GHz; odds ratio: OR; incidence ratio: IR; reactive oxygen species: ROS; specific absorption rate: SAR; International Agency of Research on Cancer: IARC; single-strand breaks: SSB; double-strand breaks: DSB (7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene): DMBA; Hour: h; international commission on non-ionizing radiation protection: ICNIRP; extremely low frequency: ELFl; microtesla: mT; Gigahertz: GHz; hertz: Hz; decibel: dB; kilometer: Km; Watt per square meter: W/m²; Hour: h; positron emission tomography: PET.

Worldwide, the number of mobile phone users has increased from 5.57 billion in 2011 to 6.8 billion in 2019. However, short- and long-term impact of the electromagnetic radiation emitting from mobile phones on tissue homeostasis with particular to brain proteome composition needs further investigation. In this study, we attempted a global proteome profiling study of rat hippocampus exposed to mobile phone radiation for 20 weeks (for 3 h/day for 5 days/week) to identify deregulated proteins and western blot analysis for validation. As a result, we identified 358 hippocampus proteins, of which 16 showed deregulation (log₂ (exposed/sham) ≥ ±1.0, p-value <.05). Majority of these deregulated proteins grouped into three clusters sharing similar molecular pathways. A set of four proteins (Succinate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase: Aldh5a1, Na⁺ K⁺ transporting ATPase: Atp1b2, plasma membrane calcium transporting ATPase: PMCA and protein S100B) presenting each functional pathway were selected for validation. Western blot analysis of these proteins, in an independent sample set, corroborated the mass spectrometry findings. Aldh5a1 involve in cellular energy metabolism, both Atp1b2 and PMCA responsible for membrane transport and protein S100B have a neuroprotective role. In conclusion, we present a deregulated hippocampus proteome upon mobile phone radiation exposure, which might influence the healthy functioning of the brain.

With rapid development of 5G communication technologies, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding for electronic devices has become an urgent demand in recent years, where the development of corresponding EMI shielding materials against detrimental electromagnetic radiation plays an essential role. Meanwhile, the EMI shielding materials with high flexibility and functional integrity are highly demanded for emerging shielding applications. Hitherto, a variety of flexible EMI shielding materials with lightweight and multifunctionalities have been developed. In this review, we not only introduce the recent development of flexible EMI shielding materials, but also elaborate the EMI shielding mechanisms and the index for "green EMI shielding" performance. In addition, the construction strategies for sophisticated multifunctionalities of flexible shielding materials are summarized. Finally, we propose several possible research directions for flexible EMI shielding materials in near future, which could be inspirational to the fast-growing next-generation flexible electronic devices with reliable and multipurpose protections as offered by EMI shielding materials.

In recent decades, the possibility that use of mobile communicating devices, particularly wireless (mobile and cordless) phones, may increase brain tumour risk, has been a concern, particularly given the considerable increase in their use by young people. MOBI-Kids, a 14-country (Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain) case-control study, was conducted to evaluate whether wireless phone use (and particularly resulting exposure to radiofrequency (RF) and extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields (EMF)) increases risk of brain tumours in young people. Between 2010 and 2015, the study recruited 899 people with brain tumours aged 10 to 24 years old and 1,910 controls (operated for appendicitis) matched to the cases on date of diagnosis, study region and age. Participation rates were 72% for cases and 54% for controls. The mean ages of cases and controls were 16.5 and 16.6 years, respectively; 57% were males. The vast majority of study participants were wireless phones users, even in the youngest age group, and the study included substantial numbers of long-term (over 10 years) users: 22% overall, 51% in the 20-24-year-olds. Most tumours were of the neuroepithelial type (NBT; n = 671), mainly glioma. The odds ratios (OR) of NBT appeared to decrease with increasing time since start of use of wireless phones, cumulative number of calls and cumulative call time, particularly in the 15-19 years old age group. A decreasing trend in ORs was also observed with increasing estimated cumulative RF specific energy and ELF induced current density at the location of the tumour. Further analyses suggest that the large number of ORs below 1 in this study is unlikely to represent an unknown causal preventive effect of mobile phone exposure: they can be at least partially explained by differential recall by proxies and prodromal symptoms affecting phone use before diagnosis of the cases. We cannot rule out, however, residual confounding from sources we did not measure. Overall, our study provides no evidence of a causal association between wireless phone use and brain tumours in young people. However, the sources of bias summarised above prevent us from ruling out a small increased risk.