Effect of 450 MHz Microwave Modulated with 217 Hz on Human EEG in Rest

Summary This study focuses on discrimination of changes, produced by low-level microwave exposure in intensity and time variability of the human EEG at rest. The power spectral density (PSD) method and nonlinear scaling analysis of the length distribution of low variability periods (LDLVP) were selected for analysis of the EEG signal. During the study, 19 healthy volunteers were exposed to a microwave (450 MHz) of 217 Hz frequency on-off modulation. The field power density at the scalp was 0.16 mW/cm². The experimental protocol consisted of ten cycles of repetitive microwave exposure. Signals from frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital EEG channels on EEG theta, alpha and beta rhythms were analysed. Exposure to microwave causes average increase of EEG activity. LDLVP analysis discriminated significant effect in time variability for 2 subjects (11%). PSD method detected significant changes in intensity for 4 subjects (21%). The effect of low-level microwave exposure is stronger on EEG beta rhythm in temporal and parietal regions of the human brain.     

Individual changes in human EEG caused by 450 MHz microwave modulated at 40 and 70 Hz

This study was aimed to investigate the changes in the human electroencephalographic (EEG) signal caused by modulated low-level microwaves. The 450 MHz microwave exposure modulated at 40 Hz and 70 Hz frequencies was applied to a group of 15 volunteers. The field power density at the scalp was 0.16 mW/cm². Ten cycles of the exposure (1 min on and 1 min off) at both modulation frequencies were applied. Analysis of the EEG signal was performed using three different methods: nonlinear method of scaling analysis for length distribution of low variability periods (LDLVP), relative changes in EEG energy (S-parameter) and beta ratio (H-parameter). The analysis revealed significant changes caused by microwave for the whole group (H-parameter method). The exposure caused increase of the EEG beta power (S-parameter method). Statistically significant changes in EEG were detected for four subjects (26.7%) at 40 Hz modulation frequency (LDLVP method).     

Effect of modulated at different low frequencies microwave radiation on human EEG

This study is aimed to clarify whether effect of low-level microwave radiation on human brain differs at different modulation frequencies. Resting EEG recordings were done on different groups of healthy volunteers. The 450 MHz microwave radiation modulated at 40 and 70 Hz (15 subjects) and 217 and 1,000 Hz (19 subjects) frequencies was applied. The results of our previous study at 7, 14 and 21 Hz modulation were included into analysis. Ten cycles of the exposure (1 min off and 1 min on) at each fixed modulation frequencies were applied. The field power density at the scalp was always 0.16 mW/cm². Our results showed that microwave exposure increased the EEG energy at EEG frequencies lower or close to the modulation frequency. No effect was detected at EEG frequencies higher than the modulation frequency. Statistically significant changes were caused by exposure in the EEG alpha and beta frequency bands; no significant effect was detected in the theta band. Our results suggest that telecommunication devices with complex spectrum of modulation frequencies like mobile phone can affect all human EEG frequency bands.     

Historical changes in the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Lake Peipsi sediments

The distribution of 11 individual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was analysed in a (210)Pb dated sediment core from the deepest area of Lake Peipsi and in four surface sediment samples taken from littoral areas. According to the concentrations in the core three groups of PAHs may be distinguished: (1) relatively stable concentrations of PAHs within the whole studied time interval; (2) very low concentrations in sediments accumulated before intensive anthropogenic impact (from 19th century up to the 1920s) following a slight increase and (3) an overall increase in PAH concentrations since the 1920s up to the present. Comprehensive analysis of PAHs in the core and monitoring data obtained in the 1980s together with the lithology of sediments show that an increase of anthropogenically induced PAHs correlates well with the history of fuel consumption in Estonia and speaks about atmospheric long-distance transport of PAHs. The continuous increase of PAH concentrations since the 1920s do not support the earlier hypothesis about the dominating impact of the oil shale fired power plants near the lake, because their emissions decreased significantly in the 1990s. The concentration of PAHs in the deep lake core sample correlates well with the content of organic matter, indicating absorption and co-precipitation with plankton in the sediment.     

Non-Thermal Effect of Microwave Radiation on Human Brain

Summary This study focuses on an origin of interaction mechanism of microwave radiation with nervous system—quasi-thermal field effect. The microwave field can cause fluctuations and vibration of the charged particles and membranes in tissues. The hypothesis is, that this phenomenon is similar to the effect caused by Brown motion initiated by temperature and results in the same effects without rise in temperature. The electric field of 1 V/cm can introduce disturbance of the thermal equilibrium inside a cell of 10 μm radius, which is equivalent to disturbance produced by temperature rise of 1 K. The hypothesis, that microwave heating should cause an effect independent of the microwave modulation frequency, while field effect depends on modulation frequency, was examined experimentally. The 450 MHz microwave radiation, modulated at 7, 14 and 21 Hz frequencies, power density at the skin 0.16 mW/cm², was applied. The experimental protocol consisted of two series of five cycles of the repetitive microwave exposure at fixed modulation frequencies. Relative changes in EEG theta, alpha and beta rhythms of the group of 13 healthy volunteers were analysed. Analysis of the experimental data shows that: (1) statistically significant changes in EEG rhythms depend on modulation frequency of the microwave field; (2) microwave stimulation causes an increase of the EEG energy level; (3) the effect is most intense at beta1 rhythm and higher modulation frequencies. These findings confirm the quasi-thermal origin of the effect, different from average heating.     

The Impact of Lake-level Fluctuations on the Sediment Composition

Lithological and granulometric investigations of the surface and short core sediments in L. Martiska (northeastern Estonia) showed that variations in the grain-size parameters and LOI content were influenced by the changes in deposition conditions during the regression and transgression phases monitored in the lake since the 1960s. During the regression and transgression phases displacement of the erosion-transport-accumulation zones in the lake took place depending on the bottom topography. The water level fluctuations are especially clearly reflected in grain-size variations in cores from peripherial area.     

Low-Level Microwave Radiation Effect on Nerve Pulse Conduction Velocity

Summary This study is aimed to investigate dependence of nerve pulse conduction velocity on low-level microwave exposure. The changes in fiber membrane permeability or myelin sheath, caused by microwave, should affect nerve pulse conduction velocity. Experimental investigation was carried out for nerve pulse conduction velocity with and without applied microwave field and different orientations of its polarization to the nerve fiber. Microwave radiation of 450 MHz was applied polarized perpendicular or parallel to the nerve fiber. The measured field power density at the skin was 0.87 mW/cm². Special program was developed for calculation of the nerve pulse conduction velocity in LabView environment. The right nervus medianus motor nerve fibers of 35 young subjects were under the study. The experimental protocol included ten measurements in every cycle of five different exposure conditions. No changes in average values of the conduction velocities discovered in different exposure conditions. Theoretical calculations based on Hodgkin-Huxley model confirm only a weak possible effect. The results showed that low-level microwave radiation did not cause statistically significant change in nerve pulse conduction velocity in human motor nerve fiber.     

Modulated microwave effects on individuals with depressive disorder

This study was aimed to evaluate differences in the effect of microwave exposure on patients with depressive disorder and healthy subjects. Our experiments were carried out on a group of depressive patients (women, 18 subjects) and comparison group of healthy volunteers (women, 18 subjects) exposed during 30 min to 450 MHz microwave radiation modulated at 1,000 Hz frequency. The field power density at the scalp was 0.9 mW/cm². As a subjective criteria of microwave effect, the Brief Affect Scale (BAS) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before and after each exposure procedure were used. The analysis of EEG was performed and ratio of the EEG beta and theta power was selected as a measure for evaluation of the microwave effect. The BAS and VAS revealed rather improvement in subjective mood score after exposure for majority of depressive subjects (11) and no changes for others (7). The EEG analysis detected differences between calculated parameters for exposed and sham recordings in depression as well as healthy group. Statistically significant changes were introduced by microwave for five patients with depressive disorder and for one healthy subject. The rate of subjects affected by microwave in depression group (28%) was five times higher compared to that rate in healthy group (5.6%).     

Landscape pattern and census area as determinants of the diversity of farmland avifauna in Estonia

Landscape structure affects farmland bird species richness and diversity at different scales. We develop a predictive, metric-based model for farmland bird species richness in different bird guilds and study how the research area size influences the relationship between bird diversity and landscape metrics. Thirty research locations (randomly selected, each containing four counting points) were located in three counties of Estonia. In early summer 2002 and 2004, two bird counts per point were carried out in each research location. Three landscape metrics (patch density, edge density and Shannon’s diversity index) were calculated at three spatial scales: 100- and 200-m buffer zones around the count points and in a 1 km² at 1 m × 1 m grain size. Using generalized additive mixed models with repeated measures, we found in most cases that the proportion of variance explained between the bird variables and landscape metrics increased with an increased study area thus demonstrating the effect of scale. Thus, a larger research area is recommended for landscape metrics. At large scales, however, all used landscape metrics were equally good predictors for bird species richness.     

Effect of modulated microwave radiation on human EEG asymmetry

This study is aimed to investigation of the effect of modulated 450 MHz microwave radiation on the EEG inter-hemispheric asymmetry. Ten cycles of the microwave exposure (1 min off and 1 min on) at fixed modulation frequency were applied on two groups of healthy volunteers. The first group of 13 subjects was exposed to microwave radiation modulated at 14 Hz and the second group of 15 subjects at 40 Hz frequency. The peak specific absorption rate (SAR) average over 1 g was 0.303 W/kg. Differences in SAR between hemispheres were up to 20 dB. Rod antenna was located from the left side of the head. Differences of relative changes in EEG energy between symmetric channels FP1–FP2, T3–T4, P3–P4 and O1–O2 in exposed and sham conditions were analysed. The results showed increase in EEG energy from the left side caused by microwave exposure. Statistical analysis done for the whole group of subjects didn’t reveal significant differences in inter-hemispheres asymmetry between exposed and sham conditions. However, statistical analysis performed for individual subjects detected significant differences in asymmetry caused by exposure for 15–35% of individuals.