Weak ELF Research Articles

The Warburg hypothesis and weak ELF biointeractions

ABSTRACTThe Warburg observation concerning ATP generation in cancer cells is analyzed with regard to the likely involvement of H+ resonance effects on the angular velocity of the ATP synthase rotor. It is reasonable to expect that the variety of diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction may in part be related to the ATP synthase rate of rotation. Experimental measurements of ATP synthase rotational rates, as found in the literature, are consistent with what might be expected from the ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) frequencies of protons moving under a Lorentz force determined by the approximate surface intensity of the geomagnetic field (~26-65 ?T). One research approach proposes that applying the electronic sum of two critical multiple resonance frequencies simultaneously may serve to more closely resemble real world biochemical changes as compared to applying these frequencies sequentially. Accordingly, it is suggested that applying the sum of the two individual resonance frequencies corresponding to H+ and H3O+ has the capacity to both increase proton density as well as couple to ATP synthase rotation. Not only will this tend to stabilize the F0 rotational rate but also perhaps make it feasible to control this rate, thereby providing a new and potentially efficacious means of treating diseases connected to mitochondrial dysfunction electromagnetically.

Rescue of Moribund Chicken Embryos by Extremely Low-Frequency Electric Fields

Modern living is awash with low-frequency electromagnetic radiation raising concern over health effects, birth defects, and infant cancers especially leukemias. Medical/scientific opinion is ambivalent, especially regarding possible mechanisms of action despite our bodies׳ many electric currents. Are some cancers induced by morphogenetic changes rather than direct mutation? We wished to see if morphogenetic effects of weak, extremely low-frequency electric (ELF) fields in embryonated hen׳s eggs could induce cancers, knowing that such treatment is usually deleterious. We report a pilot study intended to reveal a promising cell source in which to search for cancer cells by established methods and then to check for DNA damage. Stored (5°C for 1-36 days) fresh, fertile hens׳ eggs were incubated (38°C, total five or six days) in presence or absence of a weak ELF oscillating electric field (1-40V/cm, 1-50Hz and two to six days). Separated embryos were assessed for development stage. Storage of untreated eggs (>12 days, 5°C) allows a steady loss of normal embryo formation at 38°C (few viable by 25 days, half-life ~18 days). Surprisingly, incubation in a weak ELF field during the period of declining viability significantly (P: 0.03-0.0001) improved viability and condition of the embryos (new half-life ~21 days), rather than the expected converse. Thus for a few days, the field could keep viable some embryos that would otherwise not have survived. The rescued embryos and their untreated controls seem the most promising place to seek any carcinogenic effects of ELF fields. The nature of the presumed critical component keeping them viable during 5°C storage is at least of equal interest.

Detection of Low Frequency Signals using Interferometric Fiber Sensors based on Phase Generated Carrier Demodulation Technique

A fiber-optic sensor is a sensor with high sensitivity, and signal detection technology is one of its key technologies. Phase generated carrier demodulation technology is a homodyne demodulation method widely used for interference fiber-optic sensors. Research reveals that the amplitude of the interference signal and the modulation depth will affect the result of demodulation. The distortion of the demodulated signal can be reduced by the elimination of the effects of the interference signal amplitude and modulation depth. A phase generated carrier demodulation method for interference fiberoptic sensors is proposed to detect weak ELF signals. Theoretical analysis and simulation have been implemented on the demodulation of weak ELF signals using low-level submixer carrier. The results indicate that in the demodulation of weak ELF signals, DC drift occurs in the DCM approach, while the Arctangent approach does not have this problem. Then, an optical fiber sensing system for ELF signals is established based on optical fiber interferometer, indicating the Arctangent approach is able to demodulate the VLF signals accurately.

Why are living things sensitive to weak magnetic fields?

There is evidence for robust interactions of weak ELF magnetic fields with biological systems. Quite apart from the difficulties attending a proper physical basis for such interactions, an equally daunting question asks why these should even occur, given the apparent lack of comparable signals in the long-term electromagnetic environment. We suggest that the biological basis is likely to be found in the weak (∼50 nT) daily swing in the geomagnetic field that results from the solar tidal force on free electrons in the upper atmosphere, a remarkably constant effect exactly in phase with the solar diurnal change. Because this magnetic change is locked into the solar-derived everyday diurnal response in living things, one can argue that it acts as a surrogate for the solar variation, and therefore plays a role in chronobiological processes. This implies that weak magnetic field interactions may have a chronodisruptive basis, homologous to the more familiar effects on the biological clock arising from sleep deprivation, phase-shift employment and light at night. It is conceivable that the widespread sensitivity of biological systems to weak ELF magnetic fields is vestigially derived from this diurnal geomagnetic effect.

Comment: Analyses of models of ion actions under the combined action of AC and DC magnetic fields

I show that the interaction of weak DC and ELF magnetic fields with contained ions cannot generate significant biological effects through changing the character of the ion orbits.

Effects of very weak magnetic fields on radical pair reformation.

We can expect that biological responses to very weak ELF electromagnetic fields will be masked by thermal noise. However, the spin of electrons bound to biologically important molecules is not strongly coupled to the thermal bath, and the effects of the precession of those spins by external magnetic fields is not bounded by thermal noise. Hence, the known role of spin orientation in the recombination of radical pairs (RP) may constitute a mechanism for the biological effects of very weak fields. That recombination will generally take place only if the valence electrons in the two radicals are in a singlet state and the effect of the magnetic field is manifest through differential spin precessions that affect the occupation of that state. Because the spin relaxation times are of the order of microseconds, any effects must be largely independent of frequency up to values of a few megahertz. Using exact calculations on an appropriately general model system, we show that one can expect small, but significant, modifications of the recombination rate by a 50 microT field only under a narrow range of circumstances: the cage time during which the two elements are together must be exceptionally long--of the order of 50 ns or longer; the hyperfine field of either radical must not be so great as to generate a precession period greater than the cage containment time; and the characteristic recombination time of the radical pair in the singlet state must be about equal to the containment time. Thus, even under such singularly favorable conditions, fields as small as 5 microT (50 milligauss) cannot change the recombination rate by as much as 1%. Hence, we conclude that environmental magnetic fields much weaker than the earth's field cannot be expected to affect biology significantly by modifying radical pair recombination probabilities.

A model for the detection of weak ELF electric and magnetic fields

A model for the detection of weak electric and magnetic fields is developed by analogy to a phased array antenna and receiver. Pyramidal cells from the cortex of the brain are shown to have elements which can be modeled as an antenna, a mixer amplifier, and a neural network narrow band filter with summing junctions output which could, in turn, modulate the firing rate of a pacemaker cell or ongoing brain oscillations. The signal-to-noise ratio is shown to increase for signals which are coherent in time and space with the square root of the number of elements involved. Additionally, the signal-to-noise ratio may be enhanced by increasing the power spectral density of the ongoing chaotic oscillation at the applied signal frequency.

Cell density dependent response of E. Coli cells to weak ELF magnetic fields

Cell density dependent response of E. Coli cells to weak ELF magnetic fields

P VII.21 - P VII.21 Effects of weak ELF magnetic fields and nalidixic acid on induction of recA-lacZ fusion in E. coli cells

P VII.21 - P VII.21 Effects of weak ELF magnetic fields and nalidixic acid on induction of recA-lacZ fusion in E. coli cells

Interference of Ion Quantum States Within a Protein Explains Weak Magnetic Field's Effect on Biosystems

A consistent physical model is proposed that explains weak ELF magnetic field effects on biological systems. An interference is described of quantum states of bound ions in protein cavities for the first time. The ion quantum dynamics is investigated at idealized case in the colinear static and alternating magnetic fields. There is taken into account a nuclear spin of ion and a nonlinear protein response on redistribution of the ion probability density. A formula is developed for the magnetic-dependent part of an ion-protein dissociation probability. Typical frequency and amplitude spectra are calculated for the interference in various magnetic conditions including the “magnetic vacuum” and compared with the known experimental data.

What is the etiology of human brain tumors?. A report on the first lebow conference

Although the conference could not provide a definitive etiologic explanation for the observed increase in incidence of human brain tumors, particularly among the elderly, nevertheless, this interdisciplinary gathering of prominent scientists and clinicians proved invaluable in identifying new avenues of research. Clearly, the puzzle of what causes brain tumors is highly complex, involving links to ionizing/electromagnetic radiation, familial, and dietary factors. The Lebow Conference provided an important scientific framework upon which to build further research studies, and its influence will be felt for years to come.

Possible mechanisms by which extremely low frequency magnetic fields affect opioid function.

Although extremely low frequency (ELF, < 300 Hz) magnetic fields exert a variety of biological effects, the magnetic field sensing/transduction mechanism (or mechanisms) remain to be identified. Using the well-defined inhibitory effects that magnetic fields have on opioid peptide mediated antinociception or "analgesia" in the land snail Cepaea nemoralis, we show that these actions only occur for certain frequency and amplitude combinations of time-varying sinusoidal magnetic fields in a manner consistent with a direct influence of these fields. We exposed snails with augmented opioid activity to ELF magnetic fields, which were varied in both amplitude and frequency, along with a parallel static magnetic field. When the peak amplitude (0-547 microT) of a magnetic field of 60 Hz was varied systematically, we observed a nonlinear response, i.e., a nonlinear reduction in analgesia as measured by the latency of a defined response by the snails to a thermal stimulus. When frequency (10-240 Hz) was varied, keeping the amplitude constant (141 microT), we saw significant inhibitory effects between 30 and 35 Hz, 60 and 90 Hz and at 120 and 240 Hz. Finally, when the static field was varied but the amplitude and frequency of the time-varying field were held constant, we observed significant inhibition at almost all amplitudes. This amplitude/frequency "resonance-like" dependence of the magnetic field effects suggests that the mechanism (or mechanisms) of response to weak ELF fields likely involves a direct magnetic field detection mechanism rather than an induced current phenomenon. We examined the implications of our findings for several models proposed for the direct sensing of ELF magnetic fields.

Magnetite in human tissues: a mechanism for the biological effects of weak ELF magnetic fields.

Due to the apparent lack of a biophysical mechanism, the question of whether weak, low-frequency magnetic fields are able to influence living organisms has long been one of the most controversial subjects in any field of science. However, two developments during the past decade have changed this perception dramatically, the first being the discovery that many organisms, including humans, biochemically precipitate the ferrimagnetic mineral magnetite (Fe3O4). In the magnetotactic bacteria, the geomagnetic response is based on either biogenic magnetite or greigite (Fe3S4), and reasonably good evidence exists that this is also the case in higher animals such as the honey bee. Second, the development of simple behavioral conditioning experiments for training honey bees to discriminate magnetic fields demonstrates conclusively that at least one terrestrial animal is capable of detecting earth-strength magnetic fields through a sensory process. In turn, the existence of this ability implies the presence of specialized receptors which interact at the cellular level with weak magnetic fields in a fashion exceeding thermal noise. A simple calculation shows that magnetosomes moving in response to earth-strength ELF fields are capable of opening trans-membrane ion channels, in a fashion similar to those predicted by ionic resonance models. Hence, the presence of trace levels of biogenic magnetite in virtually all human tissues examined suggests that similar biophysical processes may explain a variety of weak field ELF bioeffects.