Electromagnetic cellular interactions

A literature review of the increased intracellular free calcium concentration by biofield therapy or laser exposure. An explanation by using a theoretical study of hydrated calcium ions

INTRODUCTION

A revision of several experimental results on cells shows that electromagnetic radiation, either produced by biofield therapy (BFT) or laser, induced an increase in intracellular free calcium concentration. An explanation of this phenomenon is proposed.

METHODS

Quantum chemistry calculations were performed on Ca2+ with different degrees of hydration with the DFT/r2SCAN-3c method together with the implicit solvation model SMD.

RESULTS

Ca2+ dehydration energy by quantum calculations, in an aqueous medium, coincides with the experimental results of the energy of the photon emitted in biofield therapies and lasers. This strongly suggests that the increased intracellular free calcium concentration is because of calcium ion dehydration upon the application of radiation. The Ca2+ dehydration increases the membrane potential due to an augment of the net charge on Ca2+ and it moves near the membrane by the attraction of its negative ions. The voltage-dependent channels are also activated by this membrane potential.

CONCLUSION

The increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration occurs with biofield therapy (BFT) or laser. A novel explanation is given based on resonance-induced Ca2+ dehydration with applied radiation, supported by experimental data and theoretical calculations.

Electromagnetic Modulation of Cell Behavior: Unraveling the Positive Impacts in a Comprehensive Review

There are numerous effective procedures for cell signaling, in which humans directly transmit detectable signals to cells to govern their essential behaviors. From a biomedical perspective, the cellular response to the combined influence of electrical and magnetic fields holds significant promise in various domains, such as cancer treatment, targeted drug delivery, gene therapy, and wound healing. Among these modern cell signaling methods, electromagnetic fields (EMFs) play a pivotal role; however, there remains a paucity of knowledge concerning the effects of EMFs across all wavelengths. It's worth noting that most wavelengths are incompatible with human cells, and as such, this study excludes them from consideration. In this review, we aim to comprehensively explore the most effective and current EMFs, along with their therapeutic impacts on various cell types. Specifically, we delve into the influence of alternating electromagnetic fields (AEMFs) on diverse cell behaviors, encompassing proliferation, differentiation, biomineralization, cell death, and cell migration. Our findings underscore the substantial potential of these pivotal cellular behaviors in advancing the treatment of numerous diseases. Moreover, AEMFs wield a significant role in the realms of biomaterials and tissue engineering, given their capacity to decisively influence biomaterials, facilitate non-invasive procedures, ensure biocompatibility, and exhibit substantial efficacy. It is worth mentioning that AEMFs often serve as a last-resort treatment option for various diseases. Much about electromagnetic fields remains a mystery to the scientific community, and we have yet to unravel the precise mechanisms through which wavelengths control cellular fate. Consequently, our understanding and knowledge in this domain predominantly stem from repeated experiments yielding similar effects. In the ensuing sections of this article, we delve deeper into our extended experiments and research.

Electric-field-assisted proton coupling enhanced oxygen evolution reaction

The discovery of Mn-Ca complex in photosystem II stimulates research of manganese-based catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, conventional chemical strategies face challenges in regulating the four electron-proton processes of OER. Herein, we investigate alpha-manganese dioxide (α-MnO2) with typical MnIV-O-MnIII-HxO motifs as a model for adjusting proton coupling. We reveal that pre-equilibrium proton-coupled redox transition provides an adjustable energy profile for OER, paving the way for in-situ enhancing proton coupling through a new "reagent"- external electric field. Based on the α-MnO2 single-nanowire device, gate voltage induces a 4-fold increase in OER current density at 1.7 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. Moreover, the proof-of-principle external electric field-assisted flow cell for water splitting demonstrates a 34% increase in current density and a 44.7 mW/cm² increase in net output power. These findings indicate an in-depth understanding of the role of proton-incorporated redox transition and develop practical approach for high-efficiency electrocatalysis.

Ultra weak photon emission-a brief review

Cells emit light at ultra-low intensities: photons which are produced as by-products of cellular metabolism, distinct from other light emission processes such as delayed luminescence, bioluminescence, and chemiluminescence. The phenomenon is known by a large range of names, including, but not limited to, biophotons, biological autoluminescence, metabolic photon emission and ultraweak photon emission (UPE), the latter of which shall be used for the purposes of this review. It is worth noting that the photons when produced are neither 'weak' nor specifically biological in characteristics. Research of UPE has a long yet tattered past, historically hamstrung by a lack of technology sensitive enough to detect it. Today, as technology progresses rapidly, it is becoming easier to detect and image these photons, as well as to describe their function. In this brief review we will examine the history of UPE research, their proposed mechanism, possible biological role, the detection of the phenomenon, and the potential medical applications.

Electric field modulation of ERK dynamics shows dependency on waveform and timing

Different exogenous electric fields (EF) can guide cell migration, disrupt proliferation, and program cell development. Studies have shown that many of these processes were initiated at the cell membrane, but the mechanism has been unclear, especially for conventionally non-excitable cells. In this study, we focus on the electrostatic aspects of EF coupling with the cell membrane by eliminating Faradaic processes using dielectric-coated microelectrodes. Our data unveil a distinctive biphasic response of the ERK signaling pathway of epithelial cells (MCF10A) to alternate current (AC) EF. The ERK signal exhibits both inhibition and activation phases, with the former triggered by a lower threshold of AC EF, featuring a swifter peaking time and briefer refractory periods than the later-occurring activation phase, induced at a higher threshold. Interestingly, the biphasic ERK responses are sensitive to the waveform and timing of EF stimulation pulses, depicting the characteristics of electrostatic and dissipative interactions. Blocker tests and correlated changes of active Ras on the cell membrane with ERK signals indicated that both EGFR and Ras were involved in the rich ERK dynamics induced by EF. We propose that the frequency-dependent dielectric relaxation process could be an important mechanism to couple EF energy to the cell membrane region and modulate membrane protein-initiated signaling pathways, which can be further explored to precisely control cell behavior and fate with high temporal and spatial resolution.

Harmonizing Magnetic Mitohormetic Regenerative Strategies: Developmental Implications of a Calcium-Mitochondrial Axis Invoked by Magnetic Field Exposure

Mitohormesis is a process whereby mitochondrial stress responses, mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), act cumulatively to either instill survival adaptations (low ROS levels) or to produce cell damage (high ROS levels). The mitohormetic nature of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) exposure thus makes it susceptible to extraneous influences that also impinge on mitochondrial ROS production and contribute to the collective response. Consequently, magnetic stimulation paradigms are prone to experimental variability depending on diverse circumstances. The failure, or inability, to control for these factors has contributed to the existing discrepancies between published reports and in the interpretations made from the results generated therein. Confounding environmental factors include ambient magnetic fields, temperature, the mechanical environment, and the conventional use of aminoglycoside antibiotics. Biological factors include cell type and seeding density as well as the developmental, inflammatory, or senescence statuses of cells that depend on the prior handling of the experimental sample. Technological aspects include magnetic field directionality, uniformity, amplitude, and duration of exposure. All these factors will exhibit manifestations at the level of ROS production that will culminate as a unified cellular response in conjunction with magnetic exposure. Fortunately, many of these factors are under the control of the experimenter. This review will focus on delineating areas requiring technical and biological harmonization to assist in the designing of therapeutic strategies with more clearly defined and better predicted outcomes and to improve the mechanistic interpretation of the generated data, rather than on precise applications. This review will also explore the underlying mechanistic similarities between magnetic field exposure and other forms of biophysical stimuli, such as mechanical stimuli, that mutually induce elevations in intracellular calcium and ROS as a prerequisite for biological outcome. These forms of biophysical stimuli commonly invoke the activity of transient receptor potential cation channel classes, such as TRPC1.

In situ fabrication of cerium-incorporated hydroxyapatite/magnetite nanocomposite coatings with bone regeneration and osteosarcoma potential

With the ultimate goal of providing a novel platform able to inhibit bacterial adhesion, biofilm formation, and anticancer properties, cerium-doped hydroxyapatite films enhanced with magnetite were developed via spin-coating. The unique aspect of the current study is the potential for creating cerium-doped hydroxyapatite/Fe3O4 coatings on a titanium support to enhance the functionality of bone implants. To assure an increase in the bioactivity of the titanium surface, alkali pretreatment was done before deposition of the apatite layer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in conjunction with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to evaluate coatings. Coatings demonstrated good efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with the latter showing the highest efficacy. In vitro bioactivity in simulated body fluid solution showed this material to be proficient for bone-like apatite formation on the implant surface. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was undertaken on intact coatings to examine the barrier properties of composites. We found that spin-coating at 4000 rpm could greatly increase the total resistance. After seeding with osteoblastic populations, Ce-HAP/Fe3O4 materials the adhesion and proliferation of cells. The heating capacity of the Ce-HAP/Fe3O4 film was optimal at 45 °C at 15 s at a frequency of 318 kHz. Osseointegration depends on many more parameters than hydroxyapatite production, so these coatings have significant potential for use in bone healing and bone-cancer therapy.

Modifying Distant Effect of High Dilutions of Inorganic and Biological Substances

It is known that highly diluted substances can exert a modifying effect on the initial substances without direct contact with them (distant interaction). The capability of high dilutions of IFNγ and Na2SO4 for the distant modifying effect was studied by the method of terahertz spectroscopy. Statistically significant differences were shown between terahertz characteristics of the initial solution of IFNγ protein and solution that had interacted with high dilutions of IFNγ; in case of sodium sulfate, no such differences were detected. Thus, high dilutions exert a distant modifying effect on the initial substances with complex spatial structure typical of biological molecules.

Non thermal 2.45 GHz electromagnetic exposure causes rapid changes in Arabidopsis thaliana metabolism

Numerous studies report different types of responses following exposure of plants to high frequency electromagnetic fields (HF-EMF). While this phenomenon is related to tissue heating in animals, the situation is much less straightforward in plants where metabolic changes seem to occur without tissue temperature increase. We have set up an exposure system allowing reliable measurements of tissue heating (using a reflectometric probe and thermal imaging) after a long exposure (30 min) to an electromagnetic field of 2.45 GHz transmitted through a horn antenna (about 100 V m^-1 at the plant level). We did not observe any heating of the tissues, but we detected rapid increases (60 min) in the accumulation of transcripts of stress-related genes (TCH1 and ZAT12 transcription factor) or involved in ROS metabolism (RBOHF and APX1). At the same time, the amounts of hydrogen peroxide and dehydroascorbic acid increased while glutathione (reduced and oxidized forms), ascorbic acid, and lipid peroxidation remained stable. Therefore, our results unambiguously show that molecular and biochemical responses occur rapidly (within 60min) in plants after exposure to an electromagnetic field, in absence of tissue heating.

Photophysical Mechanisms of Photobiomodulation Therapy as Precision Medicine

Despite a significant focus on the photochemical and photoelectrical mechanisms underlying photobiomodulation (PBM), its complex functions are yet to be fully elucidated. To date, there has been limited attention to the photophysical aspects of PBM. One effect of photobiomodulation relates to the non-visual phototransduction pathway, which involves mechanotransduction and modulation to cytoskeletal structures, biophotonic signaling, and micro-oscillatory cellular interactions. Herein, we propose a number of mechanisms of PBM that do not depend on cytochrome c oxidase. These include the photophysical aspects of PBM and the interactions with biophotons and mechanotransductive processes. These hypotheses are contingent on the effect of light on ion channels and the cytoskeleton, the production of biophotons, and the properties of light and biological molecules. Specifically, the processes we review are supported by the resonant recognition model (RRM). This previous research demonstrated that protein micro-oscillations act as a signature of their function that can be activated by resonant wavelengths of light. We extend this work by exploring the local oscillatory interactions of proteins and light because they may affect global body circuits and could explain the observed effect of PBM on neuro-cortical electroencephalogram (EEG) oscillations. In particular, since dysrhythmic gamma oscillations are associated with neurodegenerative diseases and pain syndromes, including migraine with aura and fibromyalgia, we suggest that transcranial PBM should target diseases where patients are affected by impaired neural oscillations and aberrant brain wave patterns. This review also highlights examples of disorders potentially treatable with precise wavelengths of light by mimicking protein activity in other tissues, such as the liver, with, for example, Crigler-Najjar syndrome and conditions involving the dysregulation of the cytoskeleton. PBM as a novel therapeutic modality may thus behave as "precision medicine" for the treatment of various neurological diseases and other morbidities. The perspectives presented herein offer a new understanding of the photophysical effects of PBM, which is important when considering the relevance of PBM therapy (PBMt) in clinical applications, including the treatment of diseases and the optimization of health outcomes and performance.

The distinguishing electrical properties of cancer cells

In recent decades, medical research has been primarily focused on the inherited aspect of cancers, despite the reality that only 5-10% of tumours discovered are derived from genetic causes. Cancer is a broad term, and therefore it is inaccurate to address it as a purely genetic disease. Understanding cancer cells' behaviour is the first step in countering them. Behind the scenes, there is a complicated network of environmental factors, DNA errors, metabolic shifts, and electrostatic alterations that build over time and lead to the illness's development. This latter aspect has been analyzed in previous studies, but how the different electrical changes integrate and affect each other is rarely examined. Every cell in the human body possesses electrical properties that are essential for proper behaviour both within and outside of the cell itself. It is not yet clear whether these changes correlate with cell mutation in cancer cells, or only with their subsequent development. Either way, these aspects merit further investigation, especially with regards to their causes and consequences. Trying to block changes at various levels of occurrence or assisting in their prevention could be the key to stopping cells from becoming cancerous. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the current knowledge regarding the electrical landscape of cells is much needed. We review four essential electrical characteristics of cells, providing a deep understanding of the electrostatic changes in cancer cells compared to their normal counterparts. In particular, we provide an overview of intracellular and extracellular pH modifications, differences in ionic concentrations in the cytoplasm, transmembrane potential variations, and changes within mitochondria. New therapies targeting or exploiting the electrical properties of cells are developed and tested every year, such as pH-dependent carriers and tumour-treating fields. A brief section regarding the state-of-the-art of these therapies can be found at the end of this review. Finally, we highlight how these alterations integrate and potentially yield indications of cells' malignancy or metastatic index.

Electromagnetic modeling and simulation of the biophoton propagation in myelinated axon waveguide

Biophotons in the nervous system are a potential carrier of neural signals. Previous experiments and studies indicated that biophotons are closely related to the neuronal activity and can propagate along myelinated axons. We establish a multilayer electromagnetic simulation model and demonstrate that the myelinated axon waveguide has low attenuation and low dispersion and operates in a narrow bandwidth on the order of 10 nm. We also find that the operating wavelength of the waveguide is almost linearly related to the axon diameter and the number of myelin layers. Each additional layer of the myelin sheath causes the operating wavelength of the myelinated axon waveguide to shift 52.3 nm to the long-wave direction, while an increase in the axon diameter of 1.0 µm causes the operating wavelength to shift 94.5 nm to the short-wave direction. These findings well explain the tendency of the spectral redshift among different species and the spectral blueshift during the aging process of mice. Via the analysis method in this paper, we can predict the wavelength of the propagating biophotons based on the neural structure.

A Perspective on the Potential of Opsins as an Integral Mechanism of Photobiomodulation: It's Not Just the Eyes

Objective: To investigate the potential relationship between opsins and photobiomodulation. Background: Opsins and other photoreceptors occur in all phyla and are important in light-activated signaling and organism homeostasis. In addition to the visual opsin systems of the retina (OPN1 and OPN2), there are several non-visual opsins found throughout the body tissues, including encephalopsin/panopsin (OPN3), melanopsin (OPN4), and neuropsin (OPN5), as well as other structures that have light-sensitive properties, such as enzymes, ion channels, particularly those located in cell membranes, lysosomes, and neuronal structures such as the nodes of Ranvier. The influence of these structures on exposure to light, including self-generated light within the body (autofluorescence), on circadian oscillators, and circadian and ultradian rhythms have become increasingly reported. The visual and non-visual phototransduction cascade originating from opsins and other structures has potential significant mechanistic effects on tissues and health. Methods: A PubMed and Google Scholar search was made using the search terms "photobiomodulation", "light", "neuron", "opsins", "neuropsin", "melanopsin", "encephalopsin", "rhodopsin", and "chromophore". Results: This review was examined the influence of neuropsin (also known as kallikrein 8), encephalopsin, and melanopsin specifically on ion channel function, and more broadly on the central and peripheral nervous systems. The relationship between opsins 3, 4, and 5 and photobiomodulation mechanisms was evaluated, along with a proposed role of photobiomodulation through opsins and light-sensitive organelles as potential alleviators of symptoms and accelerators of beneficial regenerative processes. The potential clinical implications of this in musculoskeletal conditions, wounds, and in the symptomatic management of neurodegenerative disease was also examined. Conclusions: Systematic research into the pleotropic therapeutic role of photobiomodulation, mediated through its action on opsins and other light-sensitive organelles may assist in the future execution of safe, low-risk precision medicine for a variety of chronic and complex disease conditions, and for health maintenance in aging.

Towards the Idea of Molecular Brains

How can single cells without nervous systems perform complex behaviours such as habituation, associative learning and decision making, which are considered the hallmark of animals with a brain? Are there molecular systems that underlie cognitive properties equivalent to those of the brain? This review follows the development of the idea of molecular brains from Darwin’s “root brain hypothesis”, through bacterial chemotaxis, to the recent discovery of neuron-like r-protein networks in the ribosome. By combining a structural biology view with a Bayesian brain approach, this review explores the evolutionary labyrinth of information processing systems across scales. Ribosomal protein networks open a window into what were probably the earliest signalling systems to emerge before the radiation of the three kingdoms. While ribosomal networks are characterised by long-lasting interactions between their protein nodes, cell signalling networks are essentially based on transient interactions. As a corollary, while signals propagated in persistent networks may be ephemeral, networks whose interactions are transient constrain signals diffusing into the cytoplasm to be durable in time, such as post-translational modifications of proteins or second messenger synthesis. The duration and nature of the signals, in turn, implies different mechanisms for the integration of multiple signals and decision making. Evolution then reinvented networks with persistent interactions with the development of nervous systems in metazoans. Ribosomal protein networks and simple nervous systems display architectural and functional analogies whose comparison could suggest scale invariance in information processing. At the molecular level, the significant complexification of eukaryotic ribosomal protein networks is associated with a burst in the acquisition of new conserved aromatic amino acids. Knowing that aromatic residues play a critical role in allosteric receptors and channels, this observation suggests a general role of π systems and their interactions with charged amino acids in multiple signal integration and information processing. We think that these findings may provide the molecular basis for designing future computers with organic processors.

Bioluminescence and Photoreception in Unicellular Organisms: Light-Signalling in a Bio-Communication Perspective

Bioluminescence, the emission of light catalysed by luciferases, has evolved in many taxa from bacteria to vertebrates and is predominant in the marine environment. It is now well established that in animals possessing a nervous system capable of integrating light stimuli, bioluminescence triggers various behavioural responses and plays a role in intra- or interspecific visual communication. The function of light emission in unicellular organisms is less clear and it is currently thought that it has evolved in an ecological framework, to be perceived by visual animals. For example, while it is thought that bioluminescence allows bacteria to be ingested by zooplankton or fish, providing them with favourable conditions for growth and dispersal, the luminous flashes emitted by dinoflagellates may have evolved as an anti-predation system against copepods. In this short review, we re-examine this paradigm in light of recent findings in microorganism photoreception, signal integration and complex behaviours. Numerous studies show that on the one hand, bacteria and protists, whether autotrophs or heterotrophs, possess a variety of photoreceptors capable of perceiving and integrating light stimuli of different wavelengths. Single-cell light-perception produces responses ranging from phototaxis to more complex behaviours. On the other hand, there is growing evidence that unicellular prokaryotes and eukaryotes can perform complex tasks ranging from habituation and decision-making to associative learning, despite lacking a nervous system. Here, we focus our analysis on two taxa, bacteria and dinoflagellates, whose bioluminescence is well studied. We propose the hypothesis that similar to visual animals, the interplay between light-emission and reception could play multiple roles in intra- and interspecific communication and participate in complex behaviour in the unicellular world.

Graphene and Iron Reinforced Polymer Composite Electromagnetic Shielding Applications: A Review

With advancements in the automated industry, electromagnetic inferences (EMI) have been increasing over time, causing major distress among the end-users and affecting electronic appliances. The issue is not new and major work has been done, but unfortunately, the issue has not been fully eliminated. Therefore, this review intends to evaluate the previous carried-out studies on electromagnetic shielding materials with the combination of Graphene@Iron, Graphene@Polymer, Iron@Polymer and Graphene@Iron@Polymer composites in X-band frequency range and above to deal with EMI. VOSviewer was also used to perform the keyword analysis which shows how the studies are interconnected. Based on the carried-out review it was observed that the most preferable materials to deal with EMI are polymer-based composites which showed remarkable results. It is because the polymers are flexible and provide better bonding with other materials. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyaniline (PANI), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) are effective in the X-band frequency range, and PDMS, epoxy, PVDF and PANI provide good shielding effectiveness above the X-band frequency range. However, still, many new combinations need to be examined as mostly the shielding effectiveness was achieved within the X-band frequency range where much work is required in the higher frequency range.

Prospects and application of ultrasound and magnetic fields in the fermentation of rare edible fungi

Ultrasound has the potential to be broadly applied in the field of agricultural food processing due to advantages such as environmental friendliness, low energy costs, no need for exogenous additives and ease of operation. High-frequency ultrasound is mainly used in medical diagnosis and in the food industry for the identification of ingredients and production line quality testing, while low-frequency ultrasounds is mainly used for extraction and separation, accelerating chemical reactions, auxiliary microbial fermentation and quality enhancement in food industry. Magnetic fields have many advantages of convenient use, such as non-toxic, nonpolluting and safe. High-intensity pulsed magnetic fields are widely used as a physical non-thermal sterilization technology in food processing, while weak magnetic fields are better at activating microorganisms and promoting their growth. Ultrasound and magnetic fields, due to their positive biological effects, have a wide range of applications in the food processing industry. This paper provides an overview of the research progress and applications of ultrasound and magnetic fields in food processing from the perspectives of their biological effects and mechanisms of action. Additionally, with the development and application of physical field technology, physical fields can now be used to provide significant technical advantages for assisting fermentation. Suitable physical fields can promote the growth of microbial cells, improve mycelial production and increase metabolic activity. Furthermore, the current status of research into the use of ultrasound and magnetic field technologies for assisting the fermentation of rare edible fungi, is discussed.

In Vitro Examinations of Cell Death Induction and the Immune Phenotype of Cancer Cells Following Radiative-Based Hyperthermia with 915 MHz in Combination with Radiotherapy

Multimodal tumor treatment settings consisting of radiotherapy and immunomodulating agents such as immune checkpoint inhibitors are more and more commonly applied in clinics. In this context, the immune phenotype of tumor cells has a major influence on the anti-tumor immune response as well as the composition of the tumor microenvironment. A promising approach to further boost anti-tumor immune responses is to add hyperthermia (HT), i.e., heating the tumor tissue between 39 °C to 45 °C for 60 min. One key technique is the use of radiative hyperthermia systems. However, knowledge is limited as to how the frequency of the used radiative systems affects the immune phenotype of the treated tumor cells. By using our self-designed in vitro hyperthermia system, we compared cell death induction and expression of immune checkpoint molecules (ICM) on the tumor cell surface of murine B16 melanoma and human MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells following HT treatment with clinically relevant microwaves at 915 MHz or 2.45 GHz alone, radiotherapy (RT; 2 × 5 Gy or 5 × 2 Gy) alone or in combination (RHT). At 44 °C, HT alone was the dominant cell death inductor with inactivation rates of around 70% for B16, 45% for MDA-MB-231 and 35% for MCF-7 at 915 MHz and 80%, 60% and 50% at 2.45 GHz, respectively. Additional RT resulted in 5–15% higher levels of dead cells. The expression of ICM on tumor cells showed time-, treatment-, cell line- and frequency-dependent effects and was highest for RHT. Computer simulations of an exemplary spherical cell revealed frequency-dependent local energy absorption. The frequency of hyperthermia systems is a newly identified parameter that could also affect the immune phenotype of tumor cells and consequently the immunogenicity of tumors.

Effects of 1.5 and 4.3 GHz microwave radiation on cognitive function and hippocampal tissue structure in Wistar rats

Previous studies have shown that single-frequency microwave radiation can lead to cognitive decline in rats. However, few studies have focused on the combined effects of irradiation with different frequencies of microwaves. Our research aimed to investigate the effects of 1.5 GHz and 4.3 GHz microwave radiation, singly and in combination, on cognitive function and hippocampal tissue structure in rats. A total of 140 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the S group (sham radiation group), L10 group (10 mW/cm² 1.5 GHz group), C10 group (10 mW/cm² 4.3 GHz band group) and LC10 group (10 mW/cm² 1.5 and 4.3 GHz multi-frequency radiation group). For 1–28 days after microwave radiation, we analyzed the average escape latency for the Morris water maze task, electroencephalograms, change in hippocampal tissue structure and ultrastructure, content of the Nissl body in the hippocampus, and activities of lactate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase. Compared to the S group, all exposure groups showed varying degrees of learning and memory decline and hippocampal structural damage. The results showed that 1.5 GHz and 4.3 GHz microwave radiation was able to induce cognitive impairment and hippocampal tissue damage in rats and combined radiation with both frequencies caused more serious injuries, but none of these damaging effects varied with microwave frequency.

Biomolecular Basis of Cellular Consciousness via Subcellular Nanobrains

Cells emerged at the very beginning of life on Earth and, in fact, are coterminous with life. They are enclosed within an excitable plasma membrane, which defines the outside and inside domains via their specific biophysical properties. Unicellular organisms, such as diverse protists and algae, still live a cellular life. However, fungi, plants, and animals evolved a multicellular existence. Recently, we have developed the cellular basis of consciousness (CBC) model, which proposes that all biological awareness, sentience and consciousness are grounded in general cell biology. Here we discuss the biomolecular structures and processes that allow for and maintain this cellular consciousness from an evolutionary perspective.

Brain-to-brain communication: the possible role of brain electromagnetic fields (As a Potential Hypothesis)

Up now, the communication between brains of different humans or animals has been confirmed and confined by the sensory medium and motor facilities of body. Recently, direct brain-to-brain communication (DBBC) outside the conventional five senses has been verified between animals and humans. Nevertheless, no empirical studies or serious discussion have been performed to elucidate the mechanism behind this process. The validation of DBBC has been documented via recording similar pattern of action potentials occurring in the brain cortex of two animals. With regard to action potentials in brain neurons, the magnetic field resulting from the action potentials created in neurons is one of the tools where the brain of one animal can affect the brain of another. It has been shown that different animals, even humans, have the power to understand the magnetic field. Cryptochrome, which exists in the retina and in different regions of the brain, has been confirmed to be able to perceive magnetic fields and convert magnetic fields to action potentials. Recently, iron particles (Fe₃O₄) believed to be functioning as magnets have been found in various parts of the brain, and are postulated as magnetic field receptors. Newly developed supersensitive magnetic sensors made of iron magnets that can sense the brain's magnetic field have suggested the idea that these Fe₃O₄ particles or magnets may be capable of perceiving the brain's extremely weak magnetic field. The present study suggests that it is possible the extremely week magnetic field in one animal's brain to transmit vital and accurate information to another animal's brain.

Influence of far-red light coherence on the functional state of plants

The influence of the coherence of far-red (730 nm) light on the functional activity of plants was studied. Blackberry explants cultivated in vitro on an artificial nutrient medium served as a biological model. The explants were irradiated with light beams with different spatial and temporal coherence. The average cell size D was taken as the discrimination threshold for the coherence length L_{coh} and the correlation radius r_{cor}. The results of irradiation were judged by the length and number of shoots formed on each explant. The greatest photoinduced effect was observed when the conditions L_{coh}, r_{cor}>D were fulfilled, i.e., when the cell fit completely in the coherence volume of the light wave field. Significant differences in growth parameters were also observed in the variants of the experiment with a constant frequency spectrum of radiation (fixed L_{coh}), but different r_{cor}. It is concluded that the correlation properties of radiation affect photoregulatory processes.

Tissue Engineering Strategies to Increase Osteochondral Regeneration of Stem Cells; a Close Look at Different Modalities

The homeostasis of osteochondral tissue is tightly controlled by articular cartilage chondrocytes and underlying subchondral bone osteoblasts via different internal and external clues. As a correlate, the osteochondral region is frequently exposed to physical forces and mechanical pressure. On this basis, distinct sets of substrates and physicochemical properties of the surrounding matrix affect the regeneration capacity of chondrocytes and osteoblasts. Stem cells are touted as an alternative cell source for the alleviation of osteochondral diseases. These cells appropriately respond to the physicochemical properties of different biomaterials. This review aimed to address some of the essential factors which participate in the chondrogenic and osteogenic capacity of stem cells. Elements consisted of biomechanical forces, electrical fields, and biochemical and physical properties of the extracellular matrix are the major determinant of stem cell differentiation capacity. It is suggested that an additional certain mechanism related to signal-transduction pathways could also mediate the chondro-osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. The discovery of these clues can enable us to modulate the regeneration capacity of stem cells in osteochondral injuries and lead to the improvement of more operative approaches using tissue engineering modalities.

Photons detected in the active nerve by photographic technique

The nervous system is one of the most complex expressions of biological evolution. Its high performance mostly relies on the basic principle of the action potential, a sequential activation of local ionic currents along the neural fiber. The implications of this essentially electrical phenomenon subsequently emerged in a more comprehensive electromagnetic perspective of neurotransmission. Several studies focused on the possible role of photons in neural communication and provided evidence of the transfer of photons through myelinated axons. A hypothesis is that myelin sheath would behave as an optical waveguide, although the source of photons is controversial. In a previous work, we proposed a model describing how photons would arise at the node of Ranvier. In this study we experimentally detected photons in the node of Ranvier by Ag+ photoreduction measurement technique, during electrically induced nerve activity. Our results suggest that in association to the action potential a photonic radiation takes place in the node.

Glossary on atmospheric electricity and its effects on biology

There is an increasing interest to study the interactions between atmospheric electrical parameters and living organisms at multiple scales. So far, relatively few studies have been published that focus on possible biological effects of atmospheric electric and magnetic fields. To foster future work in this area of multidisciplinary research, here we present a glossary of relevant terms. Its main purpose is to facilitate the process of learning and communication among the different scientific disciplines working on this topic. While some definitions come from existing sources, other concepts have been re-defined to better reflect the existing and emerging scientific needs of this multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary area of research.

Toward the creation of an ontology for the coupling of atmospheric electricity with biological systems

Atmospheric electric fields (AEFs) are produced by both natural processes and electrical infrastructure and are increasingly recognized to influence and interfere with various organisms and biological processes, including human well-being. Atmospheric electric fields, in particular electromagnetic fields (EMFs), currently attract a lot of scientific attention due to emerging technologies such as 5G and satellite internet. However, a broader retrospective analysis of available data for both natural and artificial AEFs and EMFs is hampered due to a lack of a semantic approach, preventing data sharing and advancing our understanding of its intrinsic links. Therefore, here we create an ontology (ENET_Ont) for existing (big) data on AEFs within the context of biological systems that is derived from different disciplines that are distributed over many databases. Establishing an environment for data sharing provided by the proposed ontology approach will increase the value of existing data and facilitate reusability for other communities, especially those focusing on public health, ecology, environmental health, biology, climatology as well as bioinformatics.

The role of magnetic fields in neurodegenerative diseases

The term neurodegenerative diseases include a long list of diseases affecting the nervous system that are characterized by the degeneration of different neurological structures. Among them, Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are the most representative ones. The vast majority of cases are sporadic and results from the interaction of genes and environmental factors in genetically predisposed individuals. Among environmental conditions, electromagnetic field exposure has begun to be assessed as a potential risk factor for neurodegeneration. In this review, we discuss the existing literature regarding electromagnetic fields and neurodegenerative diseases. Epidemiological studies in AD, PD, and ALS have shown discordant results; thus, a clear correlation between electromagnetic exposure and neurodegeneration has not been demonstrated. In addition, we discuss the role of electromagnetic radiation as a potential non-invasive therapeutic strategy for some neurodegenerative diseases, particularly for PD and AD.

The Increment of Genoprotective Effect of Melatonin due to "Autooptic" Effect versus the Genotoxicity of Mitoxantrone

Background:

Mitoxantrone is a chemotherapy anti-cancer drug, which can have side effects on healthy cells like secondary cancers. On the other side, Melatonin is a hormone that is responsible for the daily rhythm adjustment and has several properties to be anticancer and anti-inflammatory. Recently, it has been shown that all living cells produce ultraweak photon emission (UPE) spontaneously and continuously. The intensity of UPE is in the order of a few, up to 10⁴ photon/(cm² sec) (or 10⁻¹⁹ to 10⁻¹⁴ W/cm²) measurable by photodetectors. UPEs are produced from diverse natural oxidative and biochemical reactions, especially free radical reactions and the simple cessation of excited molecules. Also, it has been evidenced that UPE has a signaling role at a distance among different cell cultures.

Objective:

Here, we investigate the effect of UPE among similar cells (i.e. “Autooptic effect”) by using mirrors around the cell plate(s).

Material and Methods:

In this experimental research, the HepG2 cells were co-treated by melatonin as a genoprotective and silver nanoparticles as a carrier against mitoxantrone’s genotoxicity. Our results are analyzed based on the Comet assay method, and the genoprotective effect of melatonin is investigated in presence of (and without) mirrors against the genotoxicity of mitoxantrone. Additionally, the autooptic effect is investigated in presence of Ag nanoparticles (NPs).

Results:

The results indicated that Ag NPs with lower concentrations of melatonin made more protection as genoprotective agent, and the same results obtained by increasing access’ cells to drug.

Conclusion:

The autooptic effect could increase the genoprotective effect of melatonin.

A Novel In Vitro Device to Deliver Induced Electromagnetic Fields to Cell and Tissue Cultures

We have developed a novel, to our knowledge, in vitro instrument that can deliver intermediate-frequency (100-400 kHz), moderate-intensity (up to and exceeding 6.5 V/cm pk-pk) electric fields (EFs) to cell and tissue cultures generated using induced electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in an air-core solenoid coil. A major application of these EFs is as an emerging cancer treatment modality. In vitro studies by Novocure reported that intermediate-frequency (100-300 kHz), low-amplitude (1-3 V/cm) EFs, which they called "tumor-treating fields (TTFields)," had an antimitotic effect on glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells. The effect was found to increase with increasing EF amplitude. Despite continued theoretical, preclinical, and clinical study, the mechanism of action remains incompletely understood. All previous in vitro studies of "TTFields" have used attached, capacitively coupled electrodes to deliver alternating EFs to cell and tissue cultures. This contacting delivery method suffers from a poorly characterized EF profile and conductive heating that limits the duration and amplitude of the applied EFs. In contrast, our device delivers EFs with a well-characterized radial profile in a noncontacting manner, eliminating conductive heating and enabling thermally regulated EF delivery. To test and demonstrate our system, we generated continuous, 200-kHz EMF with an EF amplitude profile spanning 0-6.5 V/cm pk-pk and applied them to exemplar human thyroid cell cultures for 72 h. We observed moderate reduction in cell density (<10%) at low EF amplitudes (<4 V/cm) and a greater reduction in cell density of up to 25% at higher amplitudes (4-6.5 V/cm). Our device can be readily extended to other EF frequency and amplitude regimes. Future studies with this device should contribute to the ongoing debate about the efficacy and mechanism(s) of action of "TTFields" by better isolating the effects of EFs and providing access to previously inaccessible EF regimes.

Combined Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields and X-Ray in Renal Tissue and Function

PURPOSE

Biochemical and histopathological properties of renal tissues were reported to be affected by both radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) and ionizing radiation. The radiation-induced changes in the kidney, including the serum levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr), could lead to adverse health outcomes such as chronic kidney disease. These complications signify the importance of the research in this field. Thus, in this study, the effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiations, as well as their combination, were assessed by evaluating the alteration in BUN, Cr, and histopathological changes in kidney tissue.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ninety-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups and were exposed to either 900/1800MHz (mobile phone) or 2.4 GHz RF-EMF (Wi-Fi) radiation for 14 days, 8Gy x-ray, or their combination. Sera were collected from 2 mL of rat blood, then BUN and Cr levels were determined. Also, renal samples were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and evaluated histopathologically.

RESULTS

Both BUN and Cr levels raised non-significantly after exposure to 8 Gy x-rays. Moreover, all measurements in the samples of x-ray groups were in borderline or higher than normal values. The BUN levels of control, Wi-Fi, x-ray, and Wi-Fi+x-ray groups were not significantly different. However, Cr levels in the Wi-Fi group were significantly higher than those of the controls, and BUN to Cr ratio levels were significantly lower than those of the controls. Also, tubular atrophy and vessel wall thickening were associated with these exposures.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to 900/1800MHz, 2400 MHz EMF can alter the kidney function. However, pre-exposure to 900/1800MHz EMF could modulate the acute adverse effects of lethal x-ray dose, which addresses the adaptive response in the kidney.

Low-Field Magnetic Stimulation Accelerates the Differentiation of Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells via Non-canonical TGF-β Signaling Pathways

Demyelination and oligodendrocyte loss are characteristic changes in demyelinating disorders. Low-field magnetic stimulation (LFMS) is a novel transcranial neuromodulation technology that has shown promising therapeutic potential for a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions. The cellular and molecular mechanisms of magnetic stimulation remain unclear. Previous studies mainly focused on the effects of magnetic stimulation on neuronal cells. Here we aimed to examine the effects of a gamma frequency LFMS on the glial progenitor cells. We used rat central glia-4 (CG4) cell line as an in vitro model. CG4 is a bipotential glial progenitor cell line that can differentiate into either oligodendrocyte or type 2-astrocyte. The cells cultured in a defined differentiation media were exposed to a 40-Hz LFMS 20 min daily for five consecutive days. We found that LFMS transiently elevated the level of TGF-β1 in the culture media in the first 24 h after the treatment. In correlation with the TGF-β1 levels, the percentage of cells possessing complex branches and expressing the late oligodendrocyte progenitor marker O4 was increased, indicating the accelerated differentiation of CG4 cells towards oligodendrocyte in LFMS-treated cultures. LFMS increased phosphorylation of Akt and Erk1/2 proteins, but not SMAD2/3. TGF-β1 receptor I specific inhibitor LY 364947 partially suppressed the effects of LFMS on differentiation and on levels of pAkt and pErk1/2, indicating that LFMS enhances the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells via activation of non-canonical TGF-β-Akt and TGF-β-Erk1/2 pathways but not the canonical SMAD pathway. The data from this study reveal a novel mechanism of magnetic stimulation as a potential therapy for demyelination disorders.

Micro Magnetic Field Produced by Fe3O4 Nanoparticles in Bone Scaffold for Enhancing Cellular Activity

The low cellular activity of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) limits its application in bone scaffold, although PLLA has advantages in terms of good biocompatibility and easy processing. In this study, superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were incorporated into the PLLA bone scaffold prepared by selective laser sintering (SLS) for continuously and steadily enhancing cellular activity. In the scaffold, each Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle was a single magnetic domain without a domain wall, providing a micro-magnetic source to generate a tiny magnetic field, thereby continuously and steadily generating magnetic stimulation to cells. The results showed that the magnetic scaffold exhibited superparamagnetism and its saturation magnetization reached a maximum value of 6.1 emu/g. It promoted the attachment, diffusion, and interaction of MG63 cells, and increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase, thus promoting the cell proliferation and differentiation. Meanwhile, the scaffold with 7% Fe₃O₄ presented increased compressive strength, modulus, and Vickers hardness by 63.4%, 78.9%, and 19.1% compared with the PLLA scaffold, respectively, due to the addition of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, which act as a nanoscale reinforcement in the polymer matrix. All these positive results suggested that the PLLA/Fe₃O₄ scaffold with good magnetic properties is of great potential for bone tissue engineering applications.

Evidence for DNA resonance signaling via longitudinal hydrogen bonds

The theory of the morphogenic field suggests that chemical signaling is supplemented by electromagnetic signaling governing the structure and shape of tissues, organs and the body. The theory of DNA resonance suggests that the morphogenic field is created by the genomic DNA which sends and receives electromagnetic signals in a sequence-specific manner. Previously, the authors have proposed the existence of HIDERs, genomic elements that serve as antennas in resonance signaling and demonstrated that they occur nonrandomly and are conserved in evolution. Here, it is proposed that longitudinal hydrogen bonds exist in the double helix, that chains of these bonds form delocalized proton clouds, that the shapes of these clouds are sequence-specific and form the basis of sequence-specificity of resonance between HIDERs. Based on longitudinal hydrogen bonds, a proton DNA resonance code was devised and used to identify HIDERs which are enriched 20 fold in the genome and conserved in evolution. It was suggested that these HIDERs are the key elements responsible for DNA resonance signaling and the formation of the morphogenic field.

Limitations on electromagnetic communication by vibrational resonances in biological systems

Previous research in biology and physics speculates that high-frequency electromagnetic fields may be an unexplored method of cellular and subcellular communication. The predominant theory for generating electric fields in the cell is mechanical vibration of charged or polar biomolecules such as cell membranes or microtubules. The challenge to this theory is explaining how high-frequency vibrations would not be overdamped by surrounding biological media. As many of these suspected resonators are too large for atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, accurately modeling biological resonators remains an ongoing challenge. While many resonators have been studied and simulated, the general limitations on communication imposed by energy transfer arguments have not been considered. Starting with energy transfer expressions from coupled-mode theory, we derive expressions for the minimum quality factor (Q factor) required to sustain communication for both near- and far-field interactions. We compare previous simulation studies and our theory. We determine the flexing mode of microtubules as an identified resonance in the literature which meets our criteria. Our results suggest the major obstacle to meeting our criteria for effective electromagnetic communication is the trade-off between the Q factor and the plasma frequency: Resonators must be large enough to have a large Q factor, but small enough to resonate at frequencies greater than the plasma frequency.

Quantifying Biofield Therapy through Biophoton Emission in a Cellular Model

Biofield therapy has shown positive results over a broad range of pathology from preclinical research to human studies. However, biofield therapy investigation is limited by an inability to quantify the therapeutic effect. This study aimed to measure the effects Reiki had on mice intervertebral disc (IVD) cells compared with sham and to quantify Reiki by measuring photon emission. We treated mice IVD cells with ten-minute sessions of either Reiki or sham on three successive days. During treatment, we placed the cells in a specifically constructed box with an installed photomultiplier tube (PMT). Reiki significantly increased the photon emission of the cells post-treatment compared with Reiki pre-treatment and sham (p < 0.05). Real time PCR (RT PCR) showed an increase in collagen II and aggrecan (p < 0.05). We present a means to quantify biofield therapy by measuring the post-treatment photon emission. We concurrently demonstrate Reiki's effect on the anabolic healing response.

Possible traces of resonance signaling in the genome

Although theories regarding the role of sequence-specific DNA resonance in biology have abounded for over 40 years, the published evidence for it is lacking. Here, the authors reasoned that for sustained resonance signaling, the number of oscillating DNA sequences per genome should be exceptionally high and that, therefore, genomic repeats of various sizes are good candidates for serving as resonators. Moreover, it was suggested that for the two DNA sequences to resonate, they do not necessarily have to be identical. Therefore, the existence of sequences differing in the primary sequence but having similar resonating sub-structures was proposed. It was hypothesized that such sequences, named HIDERs, would be enriched in the genomes of multicellular species. Specifically, it was hypothesized that delocalized electron clouds of purine-pyrimidine sequences could serve as the basis of HIDERs. The consequent computational genomic analysis confirmed the enrichment of purine-pyrimidine HIDERs in a few selected genomes of mammals, an insect, and a plant, compared to randomized sequence controls. Similarly, it was suggested that hypothetical delocalized proton clouds of the hydrogen bonds of multiple stacked bases could serve as sequence-dependent hydrogen-bond-based HIDERs. Similarly, the enrichment of such HIDERs was observed. It is suggested that these enrichments are the first evidence in support of sequence-specific resonance signaling in the genome.

Recent Approaches on Signal Transduction and Transmission in Acupuncture: A Biophysical Overview for Medical Sciences

Acupuncture is one of the areas among the alternative therapies that arise high curiosity in the biomedical scientific community. It is particularly popular for treatment of chronic diseases and addictions. However, contrasting with its evidence-based effectiveness, the lack of reasonable explanations for its mode of action divides that scientific community. Difficulties also arise to those responsible for providing information for clinicians and professionals who wish to acquire competencies leading to the acupuncture practice and have a background based on biochemistry and physiology. The classic theories of nerve conduction do not fully explain how information is read and transmitted during the acupuncture treatment. Other theories have been proposed, but they are based on concepts such as biophotonic waves and quantum biochemistry that are difficult to read and understand by those who do not have knowledge in physics. It is the main objective of this review to provide a summary of the main theories and explanatory approaches to the signal transduction and conduction in acupuncture and to describe them in terms of their explanatory hypotheses, limitations, and weaknesses. The most of the literature found support theories for neural conduction, including gate control. They explain the effects of acupuncture in pain relief; few studies have been conducted concerning the conduction based on biophotons. The primo vascular system has been referred as a possible anatomic support for conduction of information during an acupuncture treatment, which could be connected to biophoton transmission.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the abdominal wall and vulva in children: Report of two cases and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Primitive neuroectodermal tumors are rare, highly malignant small round cell tumors belonging to the Ewing sarcoma family. The purpose of this article is to present clinical manifestation, histology, treatment, and prognosis of two primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) in extremely rare anatomic locations, the abdominal wall and vulva.

CASE SUMMARY

Case 1 was a 66-month-old girl with lesions on the abdominal wall; tumor size was about 3.4 cm × 6.1 cm × 2 cm. The patient underwent radical resection of the tumor. After the operation, an alternating vincristine, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide/ifosfamide and etoposide (IE) regimen was given for eight cycles, and the patient survived for 66 mo without progression. Case 2 was a 40-month-old girl, with a vulvar lesion; tumor size was about 3.3 cm × 5 cm × 2.5 cm. The tumor was partially resected by surgery. The family left treatment after two cycles of vincristine, pirarubicin, and cyclophosphamide/IE chemotherapy, and the patient died at home six months after surgery.

CONCLUSION

PNET is a rare, fast-growing, highly malignant tumor that requires histologic and molecular analyses for exact diagnosis, and multimodal treatment is required to achieve a good prognosis.

Nanowired Bioelectric Interfaces

Biological systems have evolved biochemical, electrical, mechanical, and genetic networks to perform essential functions across various length and time scales. High-aspect-ratio biological nanowires, such as bacterial pili and neurites, mediate many of the interactions and homeostasis in and between these networks. Synthetic materials designed to mimic the structure of biological nanowires could also incorporate similar functional properties, and exploiting this structure-function relationship has already proved fruitful in designing biointerfaces. Semiconductor nanowires are a particularly promising class of synthetic nanowires for biointerfaces, given (1) their unique optical and electronic properties and (2) their high degree of synthetic control and versatility. These characteristics enable fabrication of a variety of electronic and photonic nanowire devices, allowing for the formation of well-defined, functional bioelectric interfaces at the biomolecular level to the whole-organ level. In this Focus Review, we first discuss the history of bioelectric interfaces with semiconductor nanowires. We next highlight several important, endogenous biological nanowires and use these as a framework to categorize semiconductor nanowire-based biointerfaces. Within this framework we then review the fundamentals of bioelectric interfaces with semiconductor nanowires and comment on both material choice and device design to form biointerfaces spanning multiple length scales. We conclude with a discussion of areas with the potential for greatest impact using semiconductor nanowire-enabled biointerfaces in the future.

Simulation of electric fields generated from microtubule vibrations

Microtubules are tubular proteins that form part of the cytoskeleton in eukaryotic cells. Because of their unique mechanical properties, many studies have theorized microtubules could show high-frequency mechanical vibrations. Others have further suggested these vibrations of the electrically polar microtubules could be a source of electric fields inside the cell that could serve some biological function, such as a role in organizing mitosis or also possibly in cell-to-cell communication. In this work, we use a transient method to simulate the electric fields that would be generated from a single microtubule supposing they could sustain vibrations. We evaluate the biological significance of the electric fields and the potential energy microtubules might exert on one another. Our simulation method allows us to evaluate vibrational modes that have not previously been studied. The simulations suggest the acoustic branch flexing mode would actually be the most electrically active. Our results suggest a single vibrating microtubule could potentially exert significant forces (those that exceed thermal energy) on biological dipoles or charges at distances larger then the Debye length, on the order of 10nm from the surface of the microtubule, but interaction is not likely at greater distances.

Molecular orbitals of delocalized electron clouds in neuronal domains

We have further developed the two-brains hypothesis as a form of complementarity (or complementary relationship) of endogenously induced weak magnetic fields in the electromagnetic brain. The locally induced magnetic field between electron magnetic dipole moments of delocalized electron clouds in neuronal domains is complementary to the exogenous electromagnetic waves created by the oscillating molecular dipoles in the electro-ionic brain. In this paper, we mathematically model the operation of the electromagnetic grid, especially in regard to the functional role of atomic orbitals of dipole-bound delocalized electrons. A quantum molecular dynamic approach under quantum equilibrium conditions is taken to illustrate phase differences between quasi-free electrons tethered to an oscillating molecular core. We use a simplified version of the many-body problem to analytically solve the macro-quantum wave equation (equivalent to the Kohn-Sham equation). The resultant solution for the mechanical angular momentum can be used to approximate the molecular orbital of the dipole-bound delocalized electrons. In addition to non-adiabatic motion of the molecular core, 'guidance waves' may contribute to the delocalized macro-quantum wave functions in generating nonlocal phase correlations. The intrinsic magnetic properties of the origins of the endogenous electromagnetic field are considered to be a nested hierarchy of electromagnetic fields that may also include electromagnetic patterns in three-dimensional space. The coupling between the two-brains may involve an 'anticipatory affect' based on the conceptualization of anticipation as potentiality, arising either from the macro-quantum potential energy or from the electrostatic effects of residual charges in the quantum and classical subsystems of the two-brains that occurs through partitioning of the potential energy of the combined quantum molecular dynamic system.

Biological effects of static magnetic fields and zinc isotopes on E. coli bacteria

The sensitivity of intracellular enzymatic systems to static magnetic fields (SMFs) and magnetic isotopes has been shown both in vitro and in vivo. These effects are determined by the spin-dependent magnetosensitive stages of enzymatic reactions. The search for experimental evidence of the combined effect of SMFs and zinc magnetic isotope ⁶⁷ Zn on the intracellular processes on Escherichia coliEscherichia coli bacteria has taken place in vivo. The joint effects of external SMFs and magnetic zinc isotope ⁶⁷ Zn on vital functions of E.coli bacteria have been shown experimentally. The combined effect of isotope ⁶⁷ Zn and weak SMFs (25-35 mT) causes a 2-4-fold increase in the colony-forming ability and growth rate constants of bacteria E. coli compared with nonmagnetic zinc isotopes ^64,66 Zn. The effects of SMFs in the range of 2.2-8 mT were detected for all bacteria, regardless of zinc isotope content in the media. An increase in ATP concentration in E. coli was detected for bacteria grown on a medium with the magnetic isotope ⁶⁷ Zn in the SMF range of 2.2-4.2 mT. The major elements' (Na, K, Ca, Mg, P, Zn) metabolism in E. coli depend on the intensity of SMFs and zinc isotopes. These data confirm the existence of intracellular enzymatic processes stages that are sensitive to SMFs and magnetic moments of atomic nuclei. It is important to note that magnetic zinc ⁶⁷ Zn and magnesium ²⁵ Mg isotopes induce effects on viability of E. coli in different SMF ranges. Bioelectromagnetics. 40:62-73, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Magnetocarcinogenesis: is there a mechanism for carcinogenic effects of weak magnetic fields?

Extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic fields have been classified as possibly carcinogenic, mainly based on rather consistent epidemiological findings suggesting a link between childhood leukaemia and 50-60 Hz magnetic fields from power lines. However, causality is not the only possible explanation for the epidemiological associations, as animal and in vitro experiments have provided only limited support for carcinogenic effects of ELF magnetic fields. Importantly, there is no generally accepted biophysical mechanism that could explain such effects. In this review, we discuss the possibility that carcinogenic effects are based on the radical pair mechanism (RPM), which seems to be involved in magnetoreception in birds and certain other animals, allowing navigation in the geomagnetic field. We review the current understanding of the RPM in magnetoreception, and discuss cryptochromes as the putative magnetosensitive molecules and their possible links to cancer-relevant biological processes. We then propose a hypothesis for explaining the link between ELF fields and childhood leukaemia, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the current evidence, and make proposals for further research.

Physical Stimulations for Bone and Cartilage Regeneration

A wide range of techniques and methods are actively invented by clinicians and scientists who are dedicated to the field of musculoskeletal tissue regeneration. Biological, chemical, and physiological factors, which play key roles in musculoskeletal tissue development, have been extensively explored. However, physical stimulation is increasingly showing extreme importance in the processes of osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation, proliferation and maturation through defined dose parameters including mode, frequency, magnitude, and duration of stimuli. Studies have shown manipulation of physical microenvironment is an indispensable strategy for the repair and regeneration of bone and cartilage, and biophysical cues could profoundly promote their regeneration. In this article, we review recent literature on utilization of physical stimulation, such as mechanical forces (cyclic strain, fluid shear stress, etc.), electrical and magnetic fields, ultrasound, shock waves, substrate stimuli, etc., to promote the repair and regeneration of bone and cartilage tissue. Emphasis is placed on the mechanism of cellular response and the potential clinical usage of these stimulations for bone and cartilage regeneration.

In Vivo Cytotoxicity Induced by 60 Hz Electromagnetic Fields under a High-Voltage Substation Environment

Living beings permanently receive electromagnetic radiation, particularly from extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs), which may cause adverse health effects. In this work, we studied the in vivo cytotoxic effects of exposing BALB/c mice to 60 Hz and 8.8 µT EMFs during 72 h and 240 h in a switchyard area, using animals exposed to 60 Hz and 2.0 mT EMFs or treated with 5 mg/kg mitomycin C (MMC) as positive controls. Micronucleus (MN) frequency and male germ cell analyses were used as cytological endpoints. ELF-EMF exposure was observed to significantly (p < 0.05) increase MN frequency at all conditions tested, with the 2 mT/72 h treatment causing the highest response, as compared with untreated control. In addition, increased sperm counts were observed after switchyard area ELF-EMF exposure, as compared with untreated control. In contrast, low sperm counts were obtained for 72 h/2.0 mT-exposed animals and for MMC-treated mice (p < 0.05), without altering male germ cell morphological characteristics.

Effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on turkeys

Several studies have examined the potential biological effects of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on birds; however, little attention has been paid to the extremely low frequency (ELF; 0-300 Hz; 0-50 μT) radiation found in an urbanized environment. For monitoring the effects of ELF EMF, we used a turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) model, because the nucleated erythrocytes of turkeys contain β-adrenoceptors, and norepinephrine- (NE-) activated β-adrenoceptors have an important role in physiological and behavioral processes. Our aims were the following: 1) to investigate the intracellular mechanisms; 2) to compare the intracellular mechanisms in the treated and control groups over time, considering inter-individual differences and intra-subject correlations; 3) and to study the reversible nature of the response. The turkeys in the treatment group were treated in vivo with ELF EMF (50 Hz; 10 μT) for 3 wk after a 1-wk-long adaptation period. The animals were not exposed to ELF EMF during the regeneration period (5 wk following the exposure). The NE-activated β-adrenoceptor function was detected by measuring the amount of 3΄5΄-cyclic-adenosine-monophosphate (cAMP), and the biochemical enzyme parameters were defined. Repeated measurements of cAMP levels were analyzed using marginal models and a piecewise linear mixed model to compare treatment and control groups over time. According to our results, NE-activated β-adrenoceptor function was decreased in the treated birds in a time-dependent manner, while there were no differences between toxicological parameters in the serum, compared to the normal ranges. The decreased NE-dependent β-adrenoceptor function could be compensated by the homeostatic complex during the 5-wk regeneration period. Extended experimental periods and more sophisticated analysis methods may help prevent harmful environmental effects on birds; furthermore, these findings could affect public health and the economy.