Synergistic
possibilities and Charting the hidden force at street corners
Comment
from Lyn Milnes, re list of diseases in Dr Havas' study on street corners
(cancer, miscarriages, depression, Lou Gehrig's disease and, possibly,
Alzheimer's disease)
Most of
these are degenerative diseases. May I draw people's attention to the
recent work on degenerative diseases looking at exposure to mercury combined
with exposure to electro-magnetic fields? This combination (synergistic
effect) is known to produce degenerative diseases (see below).
Sources
of mercury in the environment include amalgam fillings in teeth AND I
believe there is a mercury component in the triple vaccine given to infants,
which has recently been strongly linked with childhood autism. (Eli Lilly
drug company makes this vaccine. Did you know that aclause making it impossible
to sue Eli Lilly for this was mysteriously added on to the bottom on the
Homeland Security Bill in US? That's the recent Bill to "combat terrorism".)
Below is
something on the subject - it is well-referenced but sorry, haven't kept
the attribution and am not clear who wrote it.
Informant:
Lyn Milnes excerpt from messages to/from Roy Beavers
and
Health
Effects of EMF Exposure
In the review
of a long term comprehensive EMF risk assessment study by the California
Dept. of Health Services, all reviewers concluded that it is highly likely
that EMF causes some forms of cancer, along with chronic neurological
conditions like ALS (Lou Gerhig's disease) and depression. They also found
a significant likelihood that EMF causes cardiovascular problems and increased
suicide(37).
Actually
there is strong evidence in the medical literature already supporting
these conclusions and documenting mechanisms by which the effects occur.
The evidence is based on the fact that mercury exposure has been documented
to cause all of these conditions (50), and EMF exposure has been documented
to cause significant release of mercury into the body from those who have
amalgam, the majority of the population.
Some studies
have found persons with chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields(EMF)
to have higher levels of mercury exposure and excretion(38). Magnetic
fields are known to induce current in metals and would increase the documented
effects of galvanism(45). EMF is also documented in animal and human studies
to cause cellular calcium efflux and affect calcium homeostasis(39,40),
which may be a factor in the reduction of melatonin levels caused by EMF
exposure in animal and human studies(40,41). In studies on chicks this
had significant adverse effects on viability of embryos and chicks. Melatonin
is known to be protective against mercury and free radical activity, as
well as regulating the circadian rhythm cycle and sleep cycle. EMF exposure
lowers melatonin production and disrupts the sleep cycle(41). Another
study provides evidence for an association between occupational electromagnetic
fields and suicide(46). The authors indicate that a plausible mechanism
related to melatonin and depression provides a direction for additional
laboratory research as well as epidemiological evaluation.
Occupational
exposure to higher levels of EMF have also been found in many studies
to result in much higher risk of chronic degenerative neurological conditions
such as ALS(42), Alzheimer's Disease(43), as well as Leukemia and Cancer(44).
Since EMF
causes increased mercury exposure in those with amalgam, and mercury is
also known to cause these conditions, the relative importance of mercury
or other factors is not clear since the studies were not controlled for
mercury levels or number of amalgam fillings.
(37) California
Dept. of Health Services, California EMF Program, Draft of final risk
evaluation report,
http://www.dhs.cahwnet.gov/ehib/emf/RiskEvaluation/riskeval.html
(38) F.Schmidt
et al, "Mercury in urine of employees exposed to magnetic fields",
Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen, 1997, 117(2): 199-202; & Sheppard AR and EisenbudM.,
Biological Effects of electric and magnetic fields of extremely low frequency.
New York university press. 1977; & Ortendahl T W, Hogstedt P, Holland
RP, "Mercury vapor release from dental amalgam in vitro caused by
magnetic fields generated by CRT's", Swed Dent J 1991 p 31
(39) Aldinucci
C; Palmi M; Sgaragli G; Benocci A; Meini A; Pessina F; Pessina GP. The
effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields on the physiologic behaviour of
a human astrocytoma cell line. Biochim Biophys Acta 2000, 11;1499(1-2):101-108.
(40) Pablos
MI; Agapito MT; Gutierrez-Baraja R; Reiter RJ; Recio JM. Effect of calcium
on melatonin secretion in chick pineal gland I. Neurosci Lett 1996 Oct18;217(2-3):161-4;
& Nikaido SS; Takahashi JS. Calcium modulates circadian variation
in cAMP-stimulated melatonin in chick pineal cells. Brain Res 1996 15;716(1-2):1-10;
& Youbicier-Simo BJ; Boudard F; Cabaner C; Bastide M. Biological effects
of continuous exposure of embryos and young chickens to electromagnetic
fields emitted by video display units. Bioelectromagnetics 1997;18(7):514-23
;
(41) Juutilainen
J; Stevens RG; et al; Nocturnal 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate excretion in
female workers exposed to magnetic fields. J Pineal Res 2000; 28(2):97-104;
& Akerstedt T; Arnetz B; Ficca G; Paulsson LE; Kallner A. A 50-Hz
electromagnetic field impairs sleep. J Sleep Res 1999 Mar;8(1):77-81
(42) Savitz
DA; Checkoway H; Loomis DP. Magnetic field exposure and neurodegenerative
disease mortality among electric utility workers. Epidemiology 1998 Jul;9(4):398-404;
& Savitz DA; Loomis DP; Tse CK. Electrical occupations and neurodegenerative
disease: analysis of U.S. mortality data.Arch Environ Health 1998 Jan-Feb;53(1):71-4;
& Johansen C; Olsen JH. Mortality from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,
other chronic disorders, and electric shocks among utility workers.Am
J Epidemiol 1998 Aug 15;148(4):362-8; & Davanipour Z; Sobel E; Bowman
JD; Qian Z; Will AD. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and occupational exposure
to electromagnetic fields. Bioelectromagnetics 1997;18(1):28-35.
(43) Sobel
E; Dunn M; Davanipour Z; Qian Z; Chui HC. Elevated risk of Alzheimer's
disease among workers with likely electromagnetic field exposure. Neurology
1996 ;47(6):1477-81; & Sobel E, Davanipour Z. Electromagnetic field
exposure may cause increased production of amyloid beta and eventually
lead to Alzheimer's disease. Neurology. 1996 Dec;47(6):1594-600; &
Sobel E; Davanipour Z; Sulkava R; Erkinjuntti T; Wikstrom J et al; Occupations
with exposure to electromagnetic fields: a possible risk factor for Alzheimer's
disease. Am J Epidemiol 1995 Sep 1;142(5):515-24.
(44) London
SJ; Bowman JD; Sobel E; Thomas DC; Garabrant DH; Pearce N; Bernstein L;
Peters JM. Exposure to magnetic fields among electrical workers in relation
to leukemia risk in Los Angeles County. Am J Ind Med 1994 Jul;26(1):47-60;
& Caplan LS; Schoenfeld ER; O'Leary ES; Leske MC. Breast cancer and
electromagnetic fields--a review. Ann Epidemiol 2000 Jan;10(1):31-44
(45) Mercury
Exposure and Health Effects from Dental Amalgam Galvanism, http://www.home.earthlink.net/~berniew1/galv.html
(46) van
Wijngaarden E, Savatz D, Kleckner R, Cai J, Loomis D. Exposure to electromagnetic
fields and suicide among electric utility Workers: a nested case-control
study. Occup Environ Med 2000; 57:258-263.
(50) ALS:
the Mercury Connection, http://www.home.earthlink.net/~berniew1/als.html
Depression:
the Mercury Connection: http://www.home.earthlink.net/~berniew1/depress.html
Mercury
related health effects from amalgam fillings, http://www.home.earthlink.net/~berniew1/amalg6.html
(B.Windham(Ed.),
over 2000 peer-reviewed medical studies reviewed and referenced
and
Charting
the hidden force at street corners
Corky Adams
TORONTO STAR
JAN 4, 2003
There's
a steadily growing conviction among some researchers that electromagnetic
fields can promote bad things - cancer, miscarriages, depression, Lou
Gehrig's disease and, possibly, Alzheimer's disease. But there's all-too-scanty
knowledge of how much exposure people get in the course of a day.
To help
bridge this knowledge gap, Magda Havas, who teaches in the Faculty of
Environmental and Resource Studies at Trent University in Peterborough,
has taken readings on the main streets of 60 Ontario communities ranging
in size from Toronto (2.3 million people) to Burk's Falls (1,000).
She found
that 49 of the communities (82 per cent) had readings above the level
that is associated with childhood leukemia. The worst of all the communities,
by far, was Kingston, followed by Oshawa, London, Peterborough, and Toronto.
Burk's Falls had the lowest readings, followed by Cambridge, Newmarket,
Madoc, Perth and Bradford.
Pinpointing
sources is important, because it is the accumulated exposure, collected
at different places from different sources during the course of a day,
that determines health impacts.
Havas is
quick to point out there is no proof, as yet, that electromagnetic fields
directly cause illnesses. But there is plenty of evidence showing they
are associated with illnesses and can promote them.
Her work
on Main Street, Ontario, should be a wake-up call to public utilities
and other businesses generating electromagnetic fields, such as banks
and cellphone companies, which one day could face lawsuits from people
claiming compensation for impaired health.
No doubt
aware of potential liability, the California Public Utilities Commission
ordered a study eight years ago on the effects of electromagnetic fields.
Slated to cost $11.2 million, it is the most extensive study ever done
and is about to be released. According to the London Sunday Times, the
study will suggest hundreds of thousands of people may be at risk.
The strength
of magnetic fields is measured in milliGauss (mG), after the German mathematician
Karl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855). According to federal government guidelines
in Canada, a cumulative, 24-hour exposure of up to 1,000 milliGauss is
safe.
However,
Havas says, this guideline is ridiculous. Studies have established that
a 24-hour exposure in the range of 2-4 mG doubles the incidence of childhood
leukemia. A daily exposure of 16 mG has been shown to triple the risk
of miscarriage during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. When breast cancer
cells are exposed to 12 mG, their growth rate increases.
To put this
in context, kitchen appliances, measured at a distance of 30 centimetres,
can run from 0.1 to 30 mG. In offices, photocopy machines emit up to 4
mG, fluorescent lights up to 3 mG and computer terminals up to 0.6 mG.
Power drills can generate up to 4 mG and power saws up to 30 mG.
In Kingston,
Havas monitored 36 street corners on Princess St. between Division and
Ontario Sts. Her mean reading was 47 mG. In Toronto, the mean reading
for 108 street corners on Yonge St. between Bloor and Front Sts. was 19.2
mG. In Oshawa, the mean on Simcoe St. was 29.5 mG; in London on Dundas
St., 22.9 mG; and in Peterborough on George St., 20.8 mG.
That's not
good news for sidewalk cafes, street vendors, couriers and people living
over stores. Her study is published in The Science Of The Total Environment
298 (2002) at pages 183-206. An excellent review of studies on electromagnetic
fields can be found at
http://www.powerlinefacts.com/EMF.htm?GXHC_gx_session_id_=386f15e88f9c9aa3
The study is good news in terms of raising awareness - and that's crucial
to any health issue.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/
Article_PrintFriendly&c=Article&cid=1035776231161&call_pageid=968332188774
Protein
folding/homocysteine/amyloid,etc.
Note that
this email from Mr. Purdy mentions he would be interested in knowing about
the "homocysteine" in our guinea pig (Kelley Z-1) who was diagnosed
with the reactive amyloidosis. Mr. Purdy is "right on" in regard
to the research and a connection to "homocysteine." I have not
gone into a whole lot of detail but will mention that both my husband,
Bud, and I have been tested and do have elevated levels of homocysteine!!!!!
This is in spite of taking supplements. It appears hat our EMR exposure
is causing "malabsorption" of nutrients (there is a lot of medical
literature to support this). I am, of course, "not an expert"........
It is the
connection between homocysteine, a mutant gene found in my husband, the
short version of which is referred to as "C677 mutation (thermolabile
form) in the MTHFR, which has to do with "malabsorption" (folic
acid, Vitamins B-6 and B-12 in particular) as well as the findings in
the guinea pigs of "hypersegmented neutrophils" (slowed DNA
synthesis, that all are included in the medical literature as being connected
with protein misfolding that leads to a build-up of amyloid.
There are
too many references to even begin to include them at this time; however,
Mr. Purdy does have a listing of some of the relevant items. Keep in mind
when reviewing Mr. Purdey's work that "a complete metabolic panel"
was done in conjunction with the necropsy on my guinea pig (Kelley Z-1)
and, in her case, the University was not able to "identify a toxic
source." The veterinarian in charge is a Ph.D. and I have communicated
with her several times. It is obvious she was looking for something toxic
to explain the "reactive amyloidosis" but was not able to make
a link to excess arsenic, chromium, or other excess minerals.
We all know
that EMF/EMR has been referred to in the medical literature as being "toxic."
There is a strong correlation between what has happened to our family
and the work that Mr. Purdy has done at least insofar as the literature
is concerned. Mr. Purdy also has information on his website about EMF's
(http://www.purdeyenvironment.com).
The Australian
League of Rights has an article on its site titled: "On Target from
New Zealand," Sept.-Oct. 2002, Vol. 20, No. 5, that cites an interview
with Mark Nigel Purdy regarding mad cow disease. This interview is about
half way down on the webpage.
Mark Nigel
Purdy is an organic dairy farmer from Somerset, England, who refused to
spray his cattle with pesticide to fight the warble fly. He fought in
court and won. When the mad cow epidemic hit England neither he nor the
other organic dairy farmers had cows with BSE.
While Nigel
Purdy is "not an expert," he has studied the mad cow issue extensively
and argues that "mad cow" is not spread by a virus, but is a
result of organophosphate pesticides and toxic mineral overload. He states
reasons why the disease does not spread from cow to cow. He also discusses
"mineral imbalance" as one of the factors that can cause the
disease.
It is "mineral
imbalance" that appears to be a major factor in regard to many, if
not all, of the health problems affecting our family as well as our animals.
I can "make the link" from available journal articles but this
will require a lot more time. I must reiterate that the use of the term
"mad cow disease" does not mean to imply in any way that we
or our animals have the disease. The disease involves "misfolding
of proteins" (or some malfunction in the protein-folding process)
that has similar findings but does not involve the protein "prion"
that is found in the brains of affected cows.
*
* *
1-09-03 email from Nigel Purdy below:
Dear Joanne,
Thanks for your e mails. You are doing some intersting work - very enterprising.
A few questions / comments from a non expert: Have you looked at copper,
- levels in cells and plasma, the species present ie Cu2+ or Cu 3+, the
proteins that transport it? A protection against emf that is often suggested
is to put an aluminium sheet, even foil I think, between the electrical
source and the room. The sheet should be earthed. Have you looked at this
at all as part of your experiments? ie does it reduce the effects on the
guineas. The elevated hsps means the cells are under oxidative stress
(it doesn't prove that emfs are the source) but it correlates well with
much of the other work on EMFs.There's some interesting work done with
transgenic nematodes and biological stress - (try the local pet store
for these!!)
Daniells
C, Duce I, Thomas D, Sewell P, Tattersall J, de Pomerai D.
Transgenic nematodes as biomonitors of microwave-induced stress. Mutat
Res. 1998 Mar 13;399(1):55-64 de Pomerai D. Heat-shock proteins as biomarkers
of pollution. Hum Exp Toxicol. 1996 Apr;15(4):279-85. Review. No abstract
available.
Chronic
elevation of hsps may be required for cancer - French PW, Penny R, Laurence
JA, McKenzie DR. Mobile phones, heat shock proteins and cancer. Differentiation.
2001 Jun;67(4-5):93-7.
One study
on bees found elevated phospholipids and reduced trehalase enzyme activity
- lower glucose levels.
Kefuss J,
M'Diaye K, Bounias M, Vanpoucke J, Ecochard J. Biochemical effects of
high intensity constant magnetic fields on worker honey bees.Bioelectromagnetics.
1999;20(2):117-22.
If your
guineas are getting amyloid build up then I would want to know whether
their homocysteine was raised - this amino acid has often been linked
to alzheimers/amyloid build up and low intake of folic acid, vit B6 and
12 etc.is often blamed for this. Stress is being mediated via metal ions
such as copper.
White AR,
Huang X, Jobling MF, Barrow CJ, Beyreuther K, Masters CL, Bush AI, Cappai
R. Homocysteine potentiates copper- and amyloid beta peptide-mediated
toxicity in primary neuronal cultures: possible risk factors in the Alzheimer's-type
neurodegenerative pathways. J Neurochem. 2001 Mar;76(5):1509-20.
Interestingly
Beta amyloid itself is likely to exert oxidative stress Huang X, Atwood
CS, Hartshorn MA, Multhaup G, Goldstein LE, Scarpa RC, Cuajungco MP, Gray
DN, Lim J, Moir RD, Tanzi RE, Bush AI. The A beta peptide of Alzheimer's
disease directly produces hydrogen peroxide through metal ion reduction.
Biochemistry. 1999 Jun 15;38(24):7609-16.
Metals ie
zinc and copper would be central to the oxidative stress, and resistance
to this stress (Suzuki K, Miura T, Takeuchi H Inhibitory effect of copper(II)
on zinc(II)-induced aggregation of amyloid beta-peptide. Biochem Biophys
Res Commun. 2001 Jul 27;285(4):991-6.
Huang X,
Cuajungco MP, Atwood CS, Hartshorn MA, Tyndall JD, Hanson GR, Stokes KC,
Leopold M, Multhaup G, Goldstein LE, Scarpa RC, Saunders AJ, Lim J, Moir
RD, Glabe C, Bowden EF, Masters CL, Fairlie DP, Tanzi RE, Bush AI. Cu(II)
potentiation of alzheimer abeta neurotoxicity Correlation with cell-free
hydrogen peroxide production and metal reduction. J Biol Chem. 1999 Dec
24;274(52):37111-6.) but one has to ask how an emf could raise levels
of these metals or make existing metals more dangerous ie could emf increase
ionised fractions of the metals; could dietary absorption and metabolism
be affected by emf; could protective proteins that bind these metals safely
be affected?
I guess
the amyloid is concentrating in the the glomeruli filtration system of
the kidney because there is a build up of large molecule leucocyte material
expressing amyloid. Presumably the fields exert their effects on white
cells/stem cells and these cells are bearing the brunt of the oxidative
stress. My hunch is that highish chronic emf exposure may be affecting
the electron spins around metal atoms in the body, probably copper, causing
these metals to lose electrons: they become free radicals with unpaired
electrons that initiate the protein damage that you are seeing in your
guineas. Copper wire of course conducts electrical currents by shuttling
electrons from atom to atom and in the body some of copper's roles are
similar and the interaction of the 2 fields may have something to do with
it.
Henshaw
has discovered this mechanism of emf damage (Henshaw DL, Ross AN, Fews
AP, Preece AW. Enhanced deposition of radon daughter nuclei in the vicinity
of power frequency electromagnetic fields. Int J Radiat Biol. 1996 Jan;69(1):25-38.
) which is based on the affinity that alpha particles from radon daughter
nuclei have for electrical currents and that these 'toxic' particles concentrate
around the sources of electricity - the analogies are bees around a honey
pot and iron filings around a magnet. The particles are deposited on or
inhaled by animals in the vicinity /downwind.
Here are
a few more interesting papers that i've come across.
Best wishes
Nigel Purdey
Atwood CS,
Moir RD, Huang X, Scarpa RC, Bacarra NM, Romano DM, Hartshorn MA, Tanzi
RE, Bush AI. Dramatic aggregation of Alzheimer abeta by Cu(II) is induced
by conditions representing physiological acidosis. J Biol Chem. 1998 May
22;273(21):12817-26.
Fews AP,
Henshaw DL, Wilding RJ, Keitch PA. Corona ions from powerlines and increased
exposure to pollutant aerosols. Int J Radiat Biol. 1999 Dec;75(12):1523-31.
Fews AP,
Henshaw DL, Keitch PA, Close JJ, Wilding RJ. Increased exposure to pollutant
aerosols under high voltage power lines. Int J Radiat Biol. 1999 Dec;75(12):1505-21
Purnell
SJ, Allen JE, Oyedepo AC, Henshaw DL. Fetal dosimetry from natural alpha-particle
emitters. Radiat Res. 1999 Dec;152(6 Suppl):S133-6.
de Pomerai
D, Daniells C, David H, Allan J, Duce I, Mutwakil M, Thomas D, Sewell
P, Tattersall J, Jones D, Candido P. Non-thermal heat-shock response to
microwaves. Nature. 2000 May 25;405(6785):417-8. No abstract available.
Lebedeva
NN, Sulimov AV, Sulimova OP, Korotkovskaya TI, Gailus T. Investigation
of brain potentials in sleeping humans exposed to the electromagnetic
field of mobile phones. Crit Rev Biomed Eng 2001;29(1):125-33.
Maier R.[Is
CNS activity modified by pulsed electromagnetic fields]?
Biomed Tech (Berl). 2001 Jan-Feb;46(1-2):18-23. German
Informant:
Joanne Mueller (excerpt from a email to Roy Beavers)
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