Weak Electromagnetic Fields Research Articles

Weak Electromagnetic Fields Accelerate Fusion of Myoblasts.

Weak electromagnetic fields (WEF) alter Ca2+ handling in skeletal muscle myotubes. Owing to the involvement of Ca2+ in muscle development, we investigated whether WEF affects fusion of myoblasts in culture. Rat primary myoblast cultures were exposed to WEF (1.75 µT, 16 Hz) for up to six days. Under control conditions, cell fusion and creatine kinase (CK) activity increased in parallel and peaked at 4–6 days. WEF enhanced the extent of fusion after one and two days (by ~40%) vs. control, but not thereafter. Exposure to WEF also enhanced CK activity after two days (almost four-fold), but not afterwards. Incorporation of 3H-thymidine into DNA was enhanced by one-day exposure to WEF (~40%), indicating increased cell replication. Using the potentiometric fluorescent dye di-8-ANEPPS, we found that exposure of cells to 150 mM KCl resulted in depolarization of the cell membrane. However, prior exposure of cells to WEF for one day followed by addition of KCl resulted in hyperpolarization of the cell membrane. Acute exposure of cells to WEF also resulted in hyperpolarization of the cell membrane. Twenty-four hour incubation of myoblasts with gambogic acid, an inhibitor of the inward rectifying K+ channel 2.1 (Kir2.1), did not affect cell fusion, WEF-mediated acceleration of fusion or hyperpolarization. These data demonstrate that WEF accelerates fusion of myoblasts, resulting in myotube formation. The WEF effect is associated with hyperpolarization but WEF does not appear to mediate its effects on fusion by activating Kir2.1 channels.

Deep convolutional neural network image processing method providing improved signal-to-noise ratios in electron holography

Abstract An image identification method was developed with the aid of a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) and applied to the analysis of inorganic particles using electron holography. Despite significant variation in the shapes of α-Fe2O3 particles that were observed by transmission electron microscopy, this CNN-based method could be used to identify isolated, spindle-shaped particles that were distinct from other particles that had undergone pairing and/or agglomeration. The averaging of images of these isolated particles provided a significant improvement in the phase analysis precision of the electron holography observations. This method is expected to be helpful in the analysis of weak electromagnetic fields generated by nanoparticles showing only small phase shifts.

Effects of weak low-frequency electromagnetic field on sleep structure during daytime sleep

To test the hypothesis that weak electromagnetic fields of low frequencies (0.5-26 Hz) could affect daytime sleep features and structure. Parameters of daytime sleep continuity were compared in the study with counterbalanced control/exposition (40 min exposure to electromagnetic field at 1 Hz/0.004 μT) scheme in 22 healthy volunteers. Nonlinear regression model was used to assess daytime sleep continuity. Exposure to a weak electromagnetic field of ultra-low frequency significantly improved the quality of sleep, assessed by the indicator of sleep continuity, namely, there were fewer transitions from the second and deeper stages of sleep to the first stage and to the state of wakefulness (p<0.0001). The results can be used to develop non-pharmacological methods of sleep correction, as well as to improve the quality of short-term sleep and its positive effect on well-being, cognitive function and working capacity.

Is a Quantum Biosensing Revolution Approaching? Perspectives in NV‐Assisted Current and Thermal Biosensing in Living Cells

AbstractUnderstanding the human brain is one of the most significant challenges of the 21st century. As theoretical studies continue to improve the description of the complex mechanisms that regulate biological processes, in parallel numerous experiments are conducted to enrich or verify these theoretical predictions also with the aim of extrapolating more accurate models. In the fields of magnetometry and thermometry, among the various sensors proposed for biological application, nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) centers are emerging as a promising solution due to their perfect biocompatibility and the possibility of being positioned in close proximity to the cell membrane, thus allowing a nanometric spatial resolution down to the nano‐scale. Still many issues must be overcome to obtain either a sensitivity capable of revealing the very weak electromagnetic fields generated by neurons (or other excitable cells) during their firing activity or a spatial resolution sufficient to measure intracellular thermal gradient due to biological processes. However, over the last few years, significant improvements have been achieved in this direction, thanks to the use of innovative techniques. In this review, the new results regarding the application of NV centers will be analyzed and the main challenges that must be afforded for leading to practical applications will be discussed.

Arabidopsis cryptochrome is responsive to Radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields

How living systems respond to weak electromagnetic fields represents one of the major unsolved challenges in sensory biology. Recent evidence has implicated cryptochrome, an evolutionarily conserved flavoprotein receptor, in magnetic field responses of organisms ranging from plants to migratory birds. However, whether cryptochromes fulfill the criteria to function as biological magnetosensors remains to be established. Currently, theoretical predictions on the underlying mechanism of chemical magnetoreception have been supported by experimental observations that exposure to radiofrequency (RF) in the MHz range disrupt bird orientation and mammalian cellular respiration. Here we show that, in keeping with certain quantum physical hypotheses, a weak 7 MHz radiofrequency magnetic field significantly reduces the biological responsivity to blue light of the cryptochrome receptor cry1 in Arabidopsis seedlings. Using an in vivo phosphorylation assay that specifically detects activated cryptochrome, we demonstrate that RF exposure reduces conformational changes associated with biological activity. RF exposure furthermore alters cryptochrome-dependent plant growth responses and gene expression to a degree consistent with theoretical predictions. To our knowledge this represents the first demonstration of a biological receptor responding to RF exposure, providing important new implications for magnetosensing as well as possible future applications in biotechnology and medicine.

Multi-subject MEG/EEG source imaging with sparse multi-task regression

Magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography (M/EEG) are non-invasive modalities that measure the weak electromagnetic fields generated by neural activity. Estimating the location and magnitude of the current sources that generated these electromagnetic fields is an inverse problem. Although it can be cast as a linear regression, this problem is severely ill-posed as the number of observations, which equals the number of sensors, is small. When considering a group study, a common approach consists in carrying out the regression tasks independently for each subject using techniques such as MNE or sLORETA. An alternative is to jointly localize sources for all subjects taken together, while enforcing some similarity between them. By pooling S subjects in a single joint regression, the number of observations is S times larger, potentially making the problem better posed and offering the ability to identify more sources with greater precision. Here we show how the coupling of the different regression problems can be done through a multi-task regularization that promotes focal source estimates. To take into account intersubject variabilities, we propose the Minimum Wasserstein Estimates (MWE). Thanks to a new joint regression method based on optimal transport (OT) metrics, MWE does not enforce perfect overlap of activation foci for all subjects but rather promotes spatial proximity on the cortical mantle. Besides, by estimating the noise level of each subject, MWE copes with the subject-specific signal-to-noise ratios with only one regularization parameter. On realistic simulations, MWE decreases the localization error by up to 4 ​mm per source compared to individual solutions. Experiments on the Cam-CAN dataset show improvements in spatial specificity in population imaging compared to individual models such as dSPM as well as a state-of-the-art Bayesian group level model. Our analysis of a multimodal dataset shows how multi-subject source localization reduces the gap between MEG and fMRI for brain mapping.

Investigating the Nonlinear Effects of Magnetization Reversal and Eddy Currents in the Rotors of Hysteretic Electromechanical Energy Converters

A way of constructing the static and dynamic magnetization curves of the volume of a magnetic material is described. The procedure allows the conditions of the existence and parameters of weak and strong electromagnetic fields in such materials can be described accurately. A rigorous solution of the nonlinear equation relating the change functions and the magnitude of the induction and intensity of the dynamic magnetization curves is found.

Influence of weak electromagnetic fields on charged particle ISCOs

Astrophysical black holes are often embedded into electromagnetic fields, that can usually be treated as test fields not influencing the spacetime geometry. Here we analyse the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) of charged particles moving around a Schwarzschild black hole in the presence of a radial electric test field and an asymptotically uniform magnetic test field. We discuss the structure of the in general four ISCO solutions for different magnitudes of the electric and the magnetic field's strength. In particular, we find that the nonexistence of stable circular orbits of particles with equal sign of charge as the black hole for sufficiently strong electric fields can be canceled by a sufficiently strong magnetic field. In this situation, we find that ISCOs made of static particles will emerge.

Exposure of Weak Time-Invariant Electromagnetic Fields to B16-BL6 Cell Cultures Alter Biophoton Emission Profile as a Function of Distance

Biophoton emission is produced by all living systems; this emission pattern has been shown to be altered by the presence of an electromagnetic field (EMF). Cultures of B16-BL6 cells were exposed to a weak EMF produced by a specially constructed EM generator, called the “Resonator”, for one hour. This EM generator incorporates multiple geometric ratios in its design, including the golden ratio (phi), pi, root 2, root 3, and root 5. It has been used previously to purify water of toxins. There was a significant decrease in mean photon counts from B16-BL6 cells exposed at a distance of 1 m compared to those exposed at 0 m. Alterations in the spectral power density variability were also observed in the 8 - 10 Hz range. The EM generator may have an impact on the viability of the exposed cell cultures, but only at specific distances.

One Single Question Is not Sufficient to Identify Individuals With Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity

Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance attributed to Electromagnetic Fields (IEI-EMF) is a self-reported condition where non-specific symptoms are attributed to weak non-ionizing electromagnetic fields. Despite its expanding prevalence, there is no generally accepted diagnostic procedure or definition to identify patients with this condition, thus studies usually apply only one question as inclusion criterion. The aim of our study was to demonstrate the heterogeneity of a self-reported IEI-EMF group and to identify further self-report questions that could be applied as inclusion criteria. Cross-sectional on-line survey study was carried out with 473 participants (76.3% women; age: 35.03 ± 13.24 yrs). Self-diagnosed IEI-EMF (as assessed with a yes-or-no question), frequency of EMF-related symptom and severity of the condition were assessed, as well as somatic symptom distress (Patient Health Questionnaire Somatic Symptom Severity Scale, PHQ-15). 72 (15.2%) individuals labelled themselves as IEI-EMF, however only 61% of them remained in the IEI-EMF group after the use of three inclusion criteria instead of one. 21% of the individuals labelling themselves as IEI-EMF reported neither symptoms nor any negative impact on their daily life. A minimum of two questions appear to be necessary as inclusion criteria for IEI-EMF in empirical research. Instead of the widely used yes-or-no question on accepting the IEI-EMF label, occurrence of symptoms attributed to EMF on a regular basis and at least a slight negative impact on daily life are required. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (IEI-EMF) is often assessed by one yes-or-no self-report question. This practice is inappropriate from a conceptual and methodological point of view. At least two questions, assessing frequency of symptoms and their impact, are needed. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (IEI-EMF) is often assessed by one yes-or-no self-report question. This practice is inappropriate from a conceptual and methodological point of view. At least two questions, assessing frequency of symptoms and their impact, are needed.

Synchronous behavior among different regions of the neural system induced by electromagnetic radiation

In this paper, to investigate the effects of electromagnetic radiation (ER) on synchronous dynamic behavior among different regions of the neural system, an indirect coupled network is constructed with several HR neuron sub-networks, in which N sub-networks are coupled with a central sub-network through a cell, respectively. The parameters of chemical synaptic coupling and ER variables were considered as regulatory parameters. It is found that, on the one hand, without the ER, appropriate chemical synaptic coupling could induce abundant discharge modes among indirect coupled network, such as chaos, chimera state and burst synchronous state. On the other hand, when the internal electromagnetic fields are considered, the weak electromagnetic fields from the charge movement in the cell membrane channel of neurons can effectively regulate the collective behavior among sub-networks: Positive feedback could enhance the synchronous behavior, while negative feedback may suppress it. Furthermore, the effect of ER from the outside of the system was also discussed. It is found that the intensity and frequency of external ER could effectively regulate the dynamic behavior of the neural network. Our results may have some theoretical significance for further understanding the intrinsic mechanisms of neurological diseases such as epilepsy and schizophrenia.

A Novel Passive Quasi-Zero Stiffness Isolator for Ultra-Precision Measurement Systems

In the paper, a novel passive vibration isolator is proposed for an ultra-precision sensing system, utilizing a quasi-zero stiffness (QZS) mechanism. The QZS mechanism implements the high static low dynamic stiffness, which effectively reduces the dynamic force transmission while minimizing the static deflection under the natural frequency of conventional passive isolator. Furthermore, it does not need any electric components; the mechanism is suitable for the ultra-precision sensing systems measuring extremely weak electromagnetic fields. However, nonlinear stiffness and hysteresis caused from the negative stiffness elements degrade the system performance. A vertical spring with a pre-tension and eight horizontal plate springs with nonlinear buckling characteristics constitute the proposed system to solve these problems. The mathematical model compares the negative stiffness design with previous QZS research. The buckled plate spring with ball joint design reduces stiffness variation. Transmissibility of the proposed system for low frequency range is investigated experimentally.

Complex method of instrumental microbiоtesting ecological safety of various products, waste and territories

A microbiotesting technique is described, which involves recording changes in pH, redox potential, electrical conductivity, optical density, light scattering and luminescence intensities, as well as other parameters of samples with viable test microorganisms, incubated in a liquid nutrient medium in the presence and in the absence of tested factors. The results of the analysis using this system of pro- and antibiotic activity of various oil products, as well as weak electromagnetic fields of the megahertz range are presented. It is shown that the proposed method, in comparison with standard methods, allows to obtain more detailed and objective information, and also requires less time and labor.

Anomalous optical saturation of low-energy Dirac states in graphene and its implication for nonlinear optics

We reveal that optical saturation of the low-energy states takes place in graphene for arbitrarily weak electromagnetic fields. This effect originates from the diverging field-induced interband coupling at the Dirac point. Using semiconductor Bloch equations to model the electronic dynamics of graphene, we argue that the charge carriers undergo ultrafast Rabi oscillations leading to the anomalous saturation effect. The theory is complemented by a many-body study of the carrier relaxations dynamics in graphene. It will be demonstrated that the carrier relaxation dynamics is slow around the Dirac point, which in turn leads to a more pronounced saturation. The implications of this effect for the nonlinear optics of graphene are then discussed. Our analysis shows that the conventional perturbative treatment of the nonlinear optics, i.e. expanding the polarization field in a Taylor series of the electric field, is problematic for graphene, in particular at small Fermi levels and large field amplitudes.

Observation and stabilization of photonic Fock states in a hot radio-frequency resonator.

Detecting weak radio-frequency electromagnetic fields plays a crucial role in a wide range of fields, from radio astronomy to nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. In quantum optics, the ultimate limit of a weak field is a single photon. Detecting and manipulating single photons at megahertz frequencies presents a challenge because, even at cryogenic temperatures, thermal fluctuations are appreciable. Using a gigahertz superconducting qubit, we observed the quantization of a megahertz radio-frequency resonator, cooled it to the ground state, and stabilized Fock states. Releasing the resonator from our control, we observed its rethermalization with nanosecond resolution. Extending circuit quantum electrodynamics to the megahertz regime, we have enabled the exploration of thermodynamics at the quantum scale and allowed interfacing quantum circuits with megahertz systems such as spin systems or macroscopic mechanical oscillators.

An Integrated Method of Instrumental Microbiotesting of Environmental Safety of Various Products, Wastes, and Territories.

The described microbiotesting technique provides the recording of pH changes, redox potential, electrical conductivity, optical density, light scattering and luminescence intensities, and other parameters of samples with viable test microorganisms incubated in a liquid nutrient medium in the presence and absence of the tested factors. The results of using this system for the analysis of pro- and antibiotic activity of various oil products, as well as weak electromagnetic fields of the megahertz range, are presented. It has been shown that the proposed technique, compared to the standard methods, yields more detailed and objective information and is less time- and labor-consuming.

Deep into the Water: Exploring the Hydro-Electromagnetic and Quantum-Electrodynamic Properties of Interfacial Water in Living Systems

Normal water structures are maintained largely by interactions with bi-omacromolecular surfaces and weak electromagnetic fields, which enable extended networks for electron and proton conductivity. All standard chemistry is totally reliant on electrostatics and avoids all mention of elec-trodynamics and the consequent radiation field, which is supporting the notion of water as a primary mediator of biological effects induced via electromagnetic means into living systems. Quantum Electrodynamic (QED) field theory have produced a vision of water in a liquid state as a medium, which for a peculiarity of its molecular electronic spectrum reveals itself as an essential tool for long-range communications, being able to change its supra-molecular organization in function of the interaction with the environment. This paper draws attention to the fact that interfacial water (nanoscale confined water) has been shown, independently by Emilio Del Giudice et al. and by Gerald Pollack et al., to contain respectively Coherence Domains (CDs) and Exclusion Zones (EZs), which may be regarded as long-range ensembles of CDs, dynamic aqueous structures, which uses the special properties of water, such as its electron/proton dynamics and organized response to electromagnetic fields, to receive electromagnetically encoded signals endowed with coherence (negentropy) at a low frequency, and sum the resultant excitations, so as to foster the redistribution of that coherence at frequencies which may affect biological systems. The phase transition of water from the ordinary coherence of its liquid state (bulk water) to the semi-crystalline or glassy and super-coherent state of interfacial water and its role in living organisms is discussed. The link between interfacial and intracellular water of the living and 1) the thermodynamic correlation between electron and proton transfer responsible for the redox potential of chemical species, 2) the Grotthuss mechanism and the H eightfold path, 3) superconductivity and superfluidity (dissipationless quantum states), 4) the proton motive force and protons role in biological liquid-flow systems, and 5) two possible explanations to as many non-ordinary phenomena, one related to the mind-body severely stressful condition due to a Near Death State (NDS) or to a Near Death Like State (NDLS), namely the Electromagnetic Hyper Sensitivity (EHS) or Electromagnetic After-Effect (EAE), the other related to the harmful consequences avoided during the so-called fire walking (ceremony), are discussed.

Gradient resummation for nonlinear chiral transport: an insight from holography

Nonlinear transport phenomena induced by chiral anomaly are explored within a 4D field theory defined holographically as U(1)_Vtimes U(1)_A Maxwell–Chern–Simons theory in Schwarzschild-AdS_5. In presence of weak constant background electromagnetic fields, the constitutive relations for vector and axial currents, resummed to all orders in the gradients of charge densities, are encoded in nine momenta-dependent transport coefficient functions (TCFs). These TCFs are first calculated analytically up to third order in gradient expansion, and then evaluated numerically beyond the hydrodynamic limit. Fourier transformed, the TCFs become memory functions. The memory function of the chiral magnetic effect (CME) is found to differ dramatically from the instantaneous response form of the original CME. Beyond hydrodynamic limit and when external magnetic field is larger than some critical value, the chiral magnetic wave (CMW) is discovered to possess a discrete spectrum of non-dissipative modes.

Low-intensity electromagnetic fields induce human cryptochrome to modulate intracellular reactive oxygen species.

Exposure to man-made electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which increasingly pollute our environment, have consequences for human health about which there is continuing ignorance and debate. Whereas there is considerable ongoing concern about their harmful effects, magnetic fields are at the same time being applied as therapeutic tools in regenerative medicine, oncology, orthopedics, and neurology. This paradox cannot be resolved until the cellular mechanisms underlying such effects are identified. Here, we show by biochemical and imaging experiments that exposure of mammalian cells to weak pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) stimulates rapid accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), a potentially toxic metabolite with multiple roles in stress response and cellular ageing. Following exposure to PEMF, cell growth is slowed, and ROS-responsive genes are induced. These effects require the presence of cryptochrome, a putative magnetosensor that synthesizes ROS. We conclude that modulation of intracellular ROS via cryptochromes represents a general response to weak EMFs, which can account for either therapeutic or pathological effects depending on exposure. Clinically, our findings provide a rationale to optimize low field magnetic stimulation for novel therapeutic applications while warning against the possibility of harmful synergistic effects with environmental agents that further increase intracellular ROS.

Illumination semiangle of 10-9 rad achieved in a 1.2-MV atomic resolution holography transmission electron microscope.

The coherency of a 1.2-MV transmission electron microscope was evaluated through illumination semiangles calculated from lengths over which Fresnel fringes can be observed. These lengths were determined from the diameters of circular holes fully filled with Fresnel fringes, i.e. this method allows lengths to be accurately measured even if micrographs are subjected to distortions. The smallest illumination semiangle of 4.0 × 10-9 rad was obtained for a circular hole with a diameter of 191 μm. In addition, electron beam brightness was estimated to be approximately 3 × 1014 A/m2·sr from the obtained illumination semiangle values and current densities. The results provide us with essential information that can be referred to in future electron holography studies aimed at detecting weak electromagnetic fields in materials.