permaculture

[Keith Johnson <keithdj@mindspring.com>]

A major study carried out by scientists in Finland suggests that 
radiation from mobile phones causes changes to the brain. Professor 
Darius Leszcynski headed up the two-year program at Finland’s Radiation 
and Nuclear Safety Authority.

The researchers discovered that radiation from cellular phones can cause 
activity in hundreds of proteins in human cells grown in a laboratory. 
It is the first time that scientists have looked at the effects of 
mobile phone radiation on human cells rather than those of rats.

The scientists found that changes in cells that line blood vessels could 
weaken the functioning of the brain’s protective shield against harmful 
substances. These changes damaged the blood-brain barrier—a safety 
barrier that stops harmful substances in the blood from entering the brain.

The study found that exposure caused increased activity in a protein 
called hsp27 linked to the functioning of the blood-brain barrier. 
“[Increased protein activity] might cause cells to shrink—not the blood 
vessels but the cells themselves—and then tiny gaps come between those 
cells through which some molecules could pass,” said Professor Leszcynski.

Speaking to /BBC News Online/, he stated: “The blood-brain barrier has 
been shown to be affected by radiation in animal studies. There is a lot 
of uncertainty about whether this happens in humans. We have shown some 
biological effects. If it did happen it could lead to disturbances, such 
as headaches, feeling tired or problems with sleeping. A study by a 
Swedish research group even suggested it could lead to Alzheimer’s 
disease.” He also stated that a study by French scientists found similar 
results in rats.

An abstract of the Finnish study was published in the May 2002 issue of 
/Differentiation/. The authors concluded: “Based on the known functions 
of hsp27, we put forward the hypothesis that mobile phone 
radiation-induced activation of hsp27 may (1) facilitate the development 
of brain cancer by inhibiting the cytochrome c/caspase-3 apoptotic 
pathway and (2) cause an increase in blood-brain barrier permeability 
through stabilization of endothelial cell stress fibers. We postulate 
that these events, when occurring repeatedly over a long period of time, 
might become a health hazard because of the possible accumulation of 
brain tissue damage. Furthermore, our hypothesis suggests that other 
brain damaging factors may co-participate in mobile phone 
radiation-induced effects.”

Read the rest of the article at 
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/jul2002/cell-j11_prn.shtml

More at

http://www.powerwatch.org.uk/news/20020702_microwave.asp
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2053565.stm
http://www.applelinks.com/index.php/more/how_safe_is_wireless_computer_networking/

--
Keith Johnson
"Be fruitful and mulch apply."
Permaculture Activist Magazine
PO Box 5516, Bloomington, IN 47407
(812) 335-0383
http://www.permacultureactivist.net
http://www.PermacultureTradingPost.com
Switch to Solar Power the Easy Way
http://www.jointhesolution.com/KeithJ-SunPower
http://www.PowUr.com/KeithJ-SunPower
Blog: http://kjpermaculture.blogspot.com/
also Patterns for Abundance Design & Consulting
http://www.permacultureactivist.net/design/Designconsult.html
also Association for Regenerative Culture
http://www.ARCulture.org
also APPLE-Bloomington (Alliance for a Post-Petroleum Local Economy) It's a 
small world after oil.
http://www.relocalize.net/groups/applebloomington
also Bloomington Permaculture Guild
http://my.calendars.net/bloomingtonpccal/
and: http://bloomingtonpermacultureguild.blogspot.com/
also: Bioregional Congress
http://www.bioregional-congress.org