Re: Cellular Effects of NIR

["John Moulder" <jmoulder@post.its.mcw.edu>]

> I am looking for references on studies which have shown "changes" in 
> cells exposed to NIR at power densities well below exposure 
> standards, particularly recent ones (if any). 

You really should specify what kind of NIR, and what level of reliability, 
because this is a broad question.

Restricting myself to effects that have been independently replicated:

Optical frequencies:  You can get organism-level effects well below safety 
standards (e.g., vision; thermal sensing of IR). 

RF/MW:  I do not know of anything below ANSI/IEEE C95.1 levels except possibly 
the old Blackman et al studies on calcium efflux done with ELF-modulated RF.

Power-frequency:  If you accept the ICNIRP 24-hr public exposure guideline of 
100 microT, the reported effects on ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) might 
qualify, but that's about it.  If you go with the NRPB-UK level of 1330 
microT, then the ODC effects would qualify, as would some of the reported 
effects on intracellular calcium.  There is also the Liburdy et al report that 
a 1.2 microT field can reverse melatonin-inhibition of breast cancer cell 
growth (but I'm not sure that this can be considered independently replicated)

Static fields:  You can get effects on magneto-tactic bacterial and on some 
insects at well below safety standards.



------------------------------------
John Moulder (jmoulder@its.mcw.edu)
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