Re: Digest Number 528

If you have had people imply that your ES symptoms are just caused
by your emotions, Olle Johansson's new paper will cheer you up. His
description of his research is not too long, so I am pasting it on below.
Regards,    
Shivani


Please, note that my coworkers and I have got yet another article published:

Rajkovic V, Matavulj M, Johansson O, "Histological characteristics of
cutaneous and thyroid mast cell populations in male rats exposed to
power-frequency electromagnetic fields", Int J Radiat Biol 2005; 81: 491-499

This paper emanates from a very fruitful collaboration between the
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Novi Sad, Serbia and
Montenegro, and my own research group at the Karolinska Institute,
Stockholm, Sweden. We have actually already presented some of the data at
two conferences:

Rajkovic V, Matavulj M, Johansson O, "Histological and stereological
analysis of cutaneous mast cells in rats exposed to 50 Hz EMF", 6th
International Congress of the European Bioelectromagnetics Association
(EBEA), Budapest, Hungary, November 13-15, 2003 (abstr.)

Rajkovic V, Matavulj M, Johansson O, "An immunohistochemical and
morphometrical study of the power-frequency electromagnetic field influence
on skin and thyriod amine- and peptide-containing cells in rats", BioEM
2005, Dublin, Ireland, June 19-24, 2005 (abstr.)

...and we also have further papers to be finalized.

***************

As most of you already know, several years ago I and Peng-Yue Liu could,
i.a., demonstrate a large increase in the cutaneous mast cell count in
persons with electrohypersensitivity as compared to normal healthy
individuals [cf. e.g. Johansson & Liu, ""Electrosensitivity",
"electrosupersensitivity" and "screen dermatitis": preliminary observations
from on-going studies in the human skin", In: Proceedings of the COST 244:
Biomedical Effects of Electromagnetic Fields - Workshop on Electromagnetic
Hypersensitivity (ed. D Simunic), EU/EC (DG XIII), Brussels/Graz, 1995, pp
52-57]. In addition, also an effect on cutaneous mast cells from normal
healthy volunteers in front of ordinary TVs/PCs could be shown [Johansson
et al., "Cutaneous mast cells are altered in normal healthy volunteers
sitting in front of ordinary TVs/PCs - results from open-field provocation
experiments", J Cutan Pathol 2001; 28: 513-519]. Based on these findings,
Shabnam Gangi and I could summarize this "mast cell hypothesis" in two
papers [Gangi & Johansson, "Skin changes in "screen dermatitis" versus
classical UV- and ionizing irradiation-related damage--similarities and
differences. Two neuroscientists' speculative review", Exp Dermatol 1997;
6: 283-291; Gangi & Johansson, "A theoretical model based upon mast cells
and histamine to explain the recently proclaimed sensitivity to electric
and/or magnetic fields in humans", Med Hypotheses 2000; 54: 663-671]. My
working hypothesis since then is that electrohypersensitivity is a kind of
irradiation damage, since the observed cellular changes are very much the
same as the ones you would find in tissue subjected to UV-light or ionizing
radiation [see e.g. Johansson, "Elöverkänslighet - en form av strålskada"
(="Electrohypersensitivity - a kind of irradiation damage", in Swedish),
Tf-bladet 2004; (3): 12-13].

One very fierce criticism from certain 'opponents' has been that such mast
cell alterations in persons with electrohypersensitivity (or in normal
healthy volunteers!) can not be due to the action of electromagnetic fields
(EMFs) and/or airborn chemicals, but must be due to psychological or
psychiatric personality disturbances, cognitive malfunction, or likewise.
The purpose and objective of the present study was - therefore - to
determine whether rat mast cells in skin and thyroid gland, as well as
cutaneous nerve fibers and eosinophils, are sensitive to the influence of
power-frequent EMFs.

In summary, it turned out that the numerical and volume densities of intact
type A mast cells in the thyroid of the exposed group of rats were
significantly higher as compared to the control (p<0.05 for both). [N.B.
The obtained animal results can not be understood by psychological or
psychiatric theories, but are claimed to be due only to the EMF exposure.]

***************

As usual, we are eagerly hoping for some funding to be able to continue our
research efforts. We would be very happy to also include microwaves of
mobile phone character in future studies.

[If you want to have a reprint, please, send me an A4/C4-envelope with your
name and address on. For Swedes: Om Du vill ha ett särtryck, skicka mig då
ett A4/C4-kuvert med Ditt namn och postadress på. Frankera med 2 st.
valörlösa frimärken eller 11 kronor i brevporto.]

Best regards
Yours
Olle J.

(Olle Johansson, assoc. prof.
The Experimental Dermatology Unit
Department of Neuroscience
Karolinska Institute
171 77 Stockholm
Sweden)


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