Aikaterini Skouroliakou

Transient and cumulative memory impairments induced by GSM 1.8 GHz cell phone signal in a mouse model

This study was designed to investigate the transient and cumulative impairments in spatial and non-spatial memory of C57Bl/6J mice exposed to GSM 1.8 GHz signal for 90 min daily by a typical cellular (mobile) phone at a specific absorption rate value of 0.11 W/kg. Free-moving male mice 2 months old were irradiated in two experimental protocols, lasting for 66 and for 148 days respectively. Each protocol used three groups of animals (n = 8 each for exposed, sham exposed and controls) in combination with two behavioural paradigms, the object recognition task and the object location task sequentially applied at different time points. One-way analysis of variance revealed statistically significant impairments of both types of memory gradually accumulating, with more pronounced effects on the spatial memory. The impairments persisted even 2 weeks after interruption of the 8 weeks daily exposure, whereas the memory of mice as detected by both tasks showed a full recovery approximately 1 month later. Intermittent every other day exposure for 1 month had no effect on both types of memory. The data suggest that visual information processing mechanisms in hippocampus, perirhinal and entorhinal cortex are gradually malfunctioning upon long-term daily exposure, a phenotype that persists for at least 2 weeks after interruption of radiation, returning to normal memory performance levels 4 weeks later. It is postulated that cellular repair mechanisms are operating to eliminate the memory affecting molecules. The overall contribution of several possible mechanisms to the observed cumulative and transient impairments in spatial and non-spatial memory is discussed.

Drosophila oogenesis as a bio-marker responding to EMF sources

Abstract The model biological organisms Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila virilis have been utilized to assess effects on apoptotic cell death of follicles during oogenesis and reproductive capacity (fecundity) decline. A total of 280 different experiments were performed using newly emerged flies exposed for short time daily for 3–7 d to various EMF sources including: GSM 900/1800 MHz mobile phone, 1880–1900 MHz DECT wireless base, DECT wireless handset, mobile phone-DECT handset combination, 2.44 GHz wireless network (Wi-Fi), 2.44 GHz blue tooth, 92.8 MHz FM generator, 27.15 MHz baby monitor, 900 MHz CW RF generator and microwave oven’s 2.44 GHz RF and magnetic field components. Mobile phone was used as a reference exposure system for evaluating factors considered very important in dosimetry extending our published work with D. melanogaster to the insect D. virilis. Distance from the emitting source, the exposure duration and the repeatability were examined. All EMF sources used created statistically significant effects regarding fecundity and cell death-apoptosis induction, even at very low intensity levels (0.3 V/m blue tooth radiation), well below ICNIRP’s guidelines, suggesting that Drosophila oogenesis system is suitable to be used as a biomarker for exploring potential EMF bioactivity. Also, there is no linear cumulative effect when increasing the duration of exposure or using one EMF source after the other (i.e. mobile phone and DECT handset) at the specific conditions used. The role of the average versus the peak E-field values as measured by spectrum analyzers on the final effects is discussed.

Apoptotic cell death during Drosophila oogenesis is differentially increased by electromagnetic radiation depending on modulation, intensity and duration of exposure.

Abstract Present generations are being repeatedly exposed to different types and doses of non-ionizing radiation (NIR) from wireless technologies (FM radio, TETRA and TV stations, GSM and UMTS phones/base stations, Wi-Fi networks, DECT phones). Although there is controversy on the published data regarding the non-thermal effects of NIR, studies have convincingly demonstrated bioeffects. Their results indicate that modulation, intensity, exposure duration and model system are important factors determining the biological response to irradiation. Attempting to address the dependence of NIR bioeffectiveness on these factors, apoptosis in the model biological system Drosophila melanogaster was studied under different exposure protocols. A signal generator was used operating alternatively under Continuous Wave (CW) or Frequency Modulation (FM) emission modes, at three power output values (10 dB, 0, −10 dB), under four carrier frequencies (100, 395, 682, 900 MHz). Newly emerged flies were exposed either acutely (6 min or 60 min on the 6th day), or repeatedly (6 min or 60 min daily for the first 6 days of their life). All exposure protocols resulted in an increase of apoptotic cell death (ACD) observed in egg chambers, even at very low electric field strengths. FM waves seem to have a stronger effect in ACD than continuous waves. Regarding intensity and temporal exposure pattern, EMF-biological tissue interaction is not linear in response. Intensity threshold for the induction of biological effects depends on frequency, modulation and temporal exposure pattern with unknown so far mechanisms. Given this complexity, translating such experimental data into possible human exposure guidelines is yet arbitrary.

Mobile-phone radiation-induced perturbation of gene-expression profiling, redox equilibrium and sporadic-apoptosis control in the ovary of Drosophila melanogaster

ABSTRACT The daily use by people of wireless communication devices has increased exponentially in the last decade, begetting concerns regarding its potential health hazards. Drosophila melanogaster four days-old adult female flies were exposed for 30 min to radiation emitted by a commercial mobile phone at a SAR of 0.15 W/kg and a SAE of 270 J/kg. ROS levels and apoptotic follicles were assayed in parallel with a genome-wide microarrays analysis. ROS cellular contents were found to increase by 1.6-fold (x), immediately after the end of exposure, in follicles of pre-choriogenic stages (germarium - stage 10), while sporadically generated apoptotic follicles (germarium 2b and stages 7–9) presented with an averaged 2x upregulation in their sub-population mass, 4 h after flys irradiation with mobile device. Microarray analysis revealed 168 genes being differentially expressed, 2 h post-exposure, in response to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic field-radiation exposure (≥1.25x, P < 0.05) and associated with multiple and critical biological processes, such as basic metabolism and cellular subroutines related to stress response and apoptotic death. Exposure of adult flies to mobile-phone radiation for 30 min has an immediate impact on ROS production in animals ovary, which seems to cause a global, systemic and non-targeted transcriptional reprogramming of gene expression, 2 h post-exposure, being finally followed by induction of apoptosis 4 h after the end of exposure. Conclusively, this unique type of pulsed radiation, mainly being derived from daily used mobile phones, seems capable of mobilizing critical cytopathic mechanisms, and altering fundamental genetic programs and networks in D. melanogaster.

Immune responses of a wall lizard to whole-body exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation

Abstract Purpose During the last three decades, the number of devices that emit non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (EMR) at the wireless communication spectrum has rapidly increased and possible effects on living organisms have become a major concern. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of radiofrequency EMR emitted by a widely used wireless communication device, namely the Digital Enhanced Communication Telephony (DECT) base, on the immune responses of the Aegean wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii). Materials and methods Adult male lizards were exposed 24 h/day for 8 weeks to 1880–1900 MHz DECT base radiation at average electric field intensity of 3.2 V/m. Immune reactivity was assessed using the phytohemagglutinin (PHA) skin swelling and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) tests. Results Our results revealed a noticeable suppression (approximately 45%) of inflammatory responses in EMR-exposed lizards compared to sham-exposed animals. T cell-mediated responses were marginally affected. Conclusion Daily radiofrequency EMR exposure seems to affect, at least partially, the immunocompetence of the Aegean wall lizard.

Response of Caenorhabditis elegans to wireless devices radiation exposure

Abstract Purpose: To examine the impact of electromagnetic radiation, produced by GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) mobile phones, Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity) routers and wireless DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) phones, on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Materials and methods: We exposed synchronized populations, of different developmental stages, to these wireless devices at E-field levels below ICNIRPs (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) guidelines for various lengths of time. WT (wild-type) and aging- or stress-sensitive mutant worms were examined for changes in growth, fertility, lifespan, chemotaxis, short-term memory, increased ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) production and apoptosis by using fluorescent marker genes or qRT-PCR (quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction). Results: No statistically significant differences were found between the exposed and the sham/control animals in any of the experiments concerning lifespan, fertility, growth, memory, ROS, apoptosis or gene expression. Conclusions: The worm appears to be robust to this form of (pulsed) radiation, at least under the exposure conditions used.

Infrared thermography quantitative image processing

Infrared thermography is an imaging technique that has the ability to provide a map of temperature distribution of an objects surface. It is considered for a wide range of applications in medicine as well as in non-destructive testing procedures. One of its promising medical applications is in orthopaedics and diseases of the musculoskeletal system where temperature distribution of the bodys surface can contribute to the diagnosis and follow up of certain disorders. Although the thermographic image can give a fairly good visual estimation of distribution homogeneity and temperature pattern differences between two symmetric body parts, it is important to extract a quantitative measurement characterising temperature. Certain approaches use temperature of enantiomorphic anatomical points, or parameters extracted from a Region of Interest (ROI). A number of indices have been developed by researchers to that end. In this study a quantitative approach in thermographic image processing is attempted based on extracting different indices for symmetric ROIs on thermograms of the lower back area of scoliotic patients. The indices are based on first order statistical parameters describing temperature distribution. Analysis and comparison of these indices result in evaluating the temperature distribution pattern of the back trunk expected in healthy, regarding spinal problems, subjects.

Optimal Elasticity cut-off value for discriminating Healthy to Pathological Fibrotic patients employing Fuzzy C-Means automatic segmentation in Liver Shear Wave Elastography images

The aim of the present study is to determine an optimal elasticity cut-off value for discriminating Healthy from Pathological fibrotic patients by means of Fuzzy C-Means automatic segmentation and maximum participation cluster mean value employment in Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) images. The clinical dataset comprised 32 subjects (16 Healthy and 16 histological or Fibroscan verified Chronic Liver Disease). An experienced Radiologist performed SWE measurement placing a region of interest (ROI) on each subjects right liver lobe providing a SWE image for each patient. Subsequently Fuzzy C-Means clustering was performed on every SWE image utilizing 5 clusters. Mean Stiffness value and pixels number of each cluster were calculated. The mean stiffness value feature of the cluster with maximum pixels number was then fed as input for ROC analysis. The selected Mean Stiffness value feature an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.8633 with Optimum Cut-off value of 7.5 kPa with sensitivity and specificity values of 0.8438 and 0.875 and balanced accuracy of 0.8594. Examiners classification measurements exhibited sensitivity, specificity and balanced accuracy value of 0.8125 with 7.1 kPa cutoff value. A new promising automatic algorithm was implemented with more objective criteria of defining optimum elasticity cut-off values for discriminating fibrosis stages for SWE. More subjects are needed in order to define if this algorithm is an objective tool to outperform manual ROI selection.

SU‐E‐U‐07: An Edge‐Preserving Markov‐Random‐Fields Model for Speckle Removal in Ultrasound Images

Purpose: Contemporary ultrasound (US) systems have gained the confidence of medical community among other imaging modalities such as CT and MRI. However, US images carry a granular pattern, so called speckle, which constitutes a major image quality degradation factor. A new Markov random fields (MRF) model is proposed for the detection and removal of speckle noise in ultrasound images. Methods: 20 ultrasound images were analyzed. The MRF model design comprised two distinct sources of information: (a) the likelihood function that characterizes the contrast likelihood at a site, and (b) the a priori knowledge derived from the wavelet transform of the US image. The likelihood probability density function (pdf) is approximated by the combination of the intensity distribution and the wavelet transform modules (WTM) values of individual regions in the image. The a priori knowledge or contextual information is described by the positions and the angle vector of the WTM values. The combination of these sources builds the MRF model and provides an accurate edge map that is employed in the speckle reduction procedure that follows. Results: The proposed MRF model addresses the speckle problem that dominates US imaging. Speckle noise is reduced significantly while all edges remained intact. It exhibited similar results in terms of speckle index (SI), signal‐to‐mean‐square‐error ratio (S/mse) and edge preservation index s compared with the commercially available denoising packet introduced by General Electric termed as Speckle Reduction Imaging (SRI). Conclusion: Experimental results have demonstrated that an efficient speckle suppression algorithm can improve the overall image quality, which in turns could improve the decision‐making procedure in ultrasound imaging.