Mobile Phones' Impact on Health

Mobile phones have drastically transformed our lives. Also known as cellular phones or cell phones, these gadgets not only incorporate a phone, as the name suggests, but also a lot of other technologically advanced features. They include a camera, a sound recorder cum music system, a Bluetooth device and many more depending on the model and the maker of the phone. They are called mobile phones since they can be used while on the move.

A mobile phone maintains a two way (transmit and receive) communication with the nearby tower within a cell. Even when you are not talking on your mobile, it is constantly in touch with its ‘cell’. A cell may be thought of as the operational unit of a ‘base station’. A city or area may be likened to a bee hive, each hexagon representing a ‘cell’ having its own tower. As you move from one honeycomb to other, your mobile will change contact from one tower to another (another cell).

Cell phones radiate high frequency (hence, microwave, as wavelength is inversely proportional to the frequency) electromagnetic radiation as a means of communication. One could easily demonstrate this electromagnetic emanation by putting a mobile flashing sticker close to a phone when it’s being used. This radiation can pierce our body tissues, particularly the head. But they could also microwave our scrotum if we keep them inside our pant pocket, as the phone is constantly in touch with the tower and emitting radiation unceasingly.

The rapidly alternating electromagnetic field makes the polar molecules in our body move back and forth, as a tiny magnetic compass would move if the external magnetic field was allowed to change. This molecular movement results in heating of the tissues. Scientists were curious if this could harm us.

Previously, it was thought that they could cause brain cancer but it was later found out that there was no significant relationship. There were some unconfirmed reports suggesting an association between mobile phone usage and an increase in the incidence of acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor of auditory nerve. The thermal effects arising out of the to-and fro effects of the polar molecules could give rise to the increased production of a class of proteins, called ‘heat shock proteins’ or stress proteins.

Some drugs (like glucocorticoids, estrogen and progesterone) enter inside the cells where they combine with molecules called receptors, in the cytosol. This drug-receptor complex then translocates to the nucleus and commands the DNA into producing protein molecules by transcription. The resulting proteins typically account for the actions of these steroidal drugs. Heat shock proteins (like Hsp90) cover the DNA binding domain of the cytosolic receptors, preventing interaction with the DNA. When a steroid molecule attaches with the receptor, a conformational change occurs in the receptor releasing the Hsp, thereby freeing the DNA binding domain. Naturally, more stress proteins would mean more blocking of steroid receptors.

Studies have also shown that microwave radiation at doses considered harmless caused DNA damage after two hours of exposure. All these led authorities in some countries advice Bluetooth usage and to keep your head away from your mobile. Read the next few lines if you really should keep your head away!

Having said all those, let me state that the WHO, the American Cancer Society and the National Institute of Health have concluded that there was no scientific evidence that cell phone use had any adverse health risks.

A University of South Florida research team wanted to find out any association of Alzheimer’s disease with cell phone usage. In the past, several studies have hinted at a possible increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease in humans with low frequency electromagnetic radiation, such mains power line frequency. But as they went on with their research, they were surprised at what they saw.

They employed about 100 mice and subjected them to a daily radiation of 1 hour by an antenna that was kept in the center of the cage as shown. Some of these mice were 2 month old, which were genetically programmed to develop Alzheimer's disease like symptoms and signs with age; and some 4 month old, which already had the symptoms. They also placed normal healthy mice in the same cage. The electromagnetic field was made to emulate the radiation received by a man as he talked on his mobile phone and the wavelength was the same as that of the mobile phones. The mice’s memory was checked by maze tests.

They were astonished to find that the electromagnetic field (EMF) not only boosted memory in both healthy and transgenic mice (compared to other mice who did not receive radiation) but also they actually reversed symptoms of Alzheimer’s. EMF seemed to break up tell-tale beta-amyloid plaques, a histopathologic marker of Alzheimer’s disease in mice which already expressed them. There was no evidence of increased tumour/cancer formation, DNA damage or behavioral changes.

While what exactly cleared the plaques was not certain, but to quote Gary Arendash of the University of Southern Florida: "One thing is clear, however -- the cognitive benefits of long-term electromagnetic exposure are real”. Arendash also wondered if the preferential use of one of our ears in holding the phone could have asymmetric outcomes in the brain in terms of the plaques. He also observes: "It might also be useful in traumatic brain injury, which is also characterised by plaques, or just to improve cognitive performance”

While it’s too premature to use your phone too close to your head to get a boost in your exams in the near future, its possible use as a “nootropic” is certainly encouraging.

Mobile phones have a lot of other usable paraphernalia, some of which I pointed earlier. These features and the availability of inexpensive high-efficiency light emitting diodes (LEDs) inspired Breslauer et al to construct a microscope that would be helpful in developing countries.

They have developed a high-resolution microscope attachment that is meant for camera- phones (picture on the left; click to enlarge). Their microscope can capture colour images of the malignant malaria causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum, red blood cells sickling in peripheral blood smear in homozygous sickle cell anemia (hemoglobin SS ) using brightfield microscopy. When fluorescence microscopy was performed with the sputum of tuberculosis patients using Auramine-O stain, the device captured Mycobacterium tuberculosis as well. The resolution was sufficient for the identification of single TB bacterium. The contraption was also good enough to highlight the rod shaped morphology of the acid-fast aerobic bacteria. In addition, epidemiological studies could be easily performed given that the individual mobile cells had their own identification codes and was under GPS location monitoring.

Thus, we can create a cheap and efficient brightfield and fluorescent microscope out of a simple mobile phone (they used Nokia N73 camera phones, equipped with a 3.2 megapixel CMOS camera) and some easy to obtain components. To end up, there seems to be more to cheer than fear.

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References:
Gary W. Arendash, Juan Sanchez-Ramos, Takashi Mori, Malgorzata Mamcar, Xiaoyang Lin, Melissa Runfeldt, Li Wang, Guixin Zhang, Vasyl Sava, Jun Tan, & Chuanhai Cao (2010). Electromagnetic Field Treatment Protects Against and Reverses Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer's Disease Mice Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 19, 191-210

Breslauer DN, Maamari RN, Switz NA, Lam WA, Fletcher DA (2009) Mobile Phone Based Clinical Microscopy for Global Health Applications. PLoS ONE 4(7): e6320. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006320

Cell Phone Radiation Reverses Alzheimer's and Boosts Memory in Mice

Cellphone radiation is good for Alzheimer's mice

Of Dipoles and Mobile Displays

In my previous article Consciousness, I discussed how dipole phenomenon might help us understand consciousness. Molecules comprise of electrically neutral neutrons in addition to protons, which are positively charged, and electrons which are charged negative. Since the number of electrons and protons are equal, molecules bear no net charge. But the distribution of electrical charges in a molecule is not always symmetrical; charges don't overlap. This inequality leads to what we call dipole moment (here moment means torque or couple, in physics). This is asymmetry in charge is analogous to tiny bar magnets, having north and south poles.

Water for example is a polar molecule and its dipole interactions explain its property of surface tension. When we heat food in a microwave oven, we actually agitate the 'magnet like' water molecules (dipoles) present in the foodstuff, which very rapidly alternate themselves in the rapidly changing microwave frequencies (about 2.5 giga Hertz). Hence the heat!

Now researchers at E Ink Corporation have created a mobile phone display using molecules having dipole moments. Imagine an egg crate like this as shown in the left. Think of the 'balls' as dipoles and that the left sides of these balls behaving as 'north pole' are colored black; while the right sides as 'south poles' are colored white. This magnetic analogy is appropriate since opposing charges also behave in much the same way. Now, if you were to apply an electrostatic charge to the crate (not the balls), the balls would orient themselves in the direction of the charge. In the process, an image consisting of grayscale halftones will be created.

This display is very very energy efficient, foldable, rollable, can be seen even in bright light and has high contrast. However color technique has to be perfected. Cell phones may be expected to become more energy efficient in the near future.

Blackberry Thumb

You may have heard of Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) in connection to computer (over)users, professional guitarists who has the habit of strumming frequently and in other occupations. It is often christened as Work Related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULD). They include Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), Tennis elbow, Golfer's elbow and others. For example, those of us who use the keyboard and mouse often, may suffer from CTS, where the median nerve is compressed within a tunnel, giving rise to pain in the hand and forearm.

With the advent of newer technologies, newer WRULDs are emerging. BlackBerry(s) are high end mobile phones which have a QWERTY keypad. People use it for emails and blogging, in addition to varieties of other applications the web offers. Gone are the days when we used the cell phones only for SMS ing, in addition to voice transfer, of course. People using Blackberry develop a typical RSI called the Blackberry Thumb. They use their thumbs to key in, and frequent use of their thumbs caused pain, paraesthesia (abnormal sensation) in the thumb. Some even had developed blisters in their thumbs.

So, to avoid this, you better use your thumbs alternately, avoid overuse and use ergonomically designed keypads. Else, you might end up paying a visit to your doctor!

Mobile Flashers, tuned to thrill!

The cellular revolution has given us a lot. It has given us the connectivity we needed so dearly. It has also fostered the development of many accessories in the process. For example, here I show you a simple mobile flashing sticker I bought in Calcutta. Just take off the oily sticker/cellophane at the back of the flasher and stick it on the mobile, you are done! The device will flash whenever the phone is in use.

You can see LEDs (smd versions) and other devices through a magnifying glass, in the embedded circuit, through the transparent top. But, where is the power source? I couldn't recognize one. May be there is. But a more plausible possibility is there isn't one. There's one coil type of thing incorporated within it, which possibly generates electricity from the Radio Frequency radiations in the Gigahertz range by induction(Lenz's law). There could be another type of energy capturing device, in the form of resonant tuned (LC/RC) circuits. The induced a.c. current could then be rectified by surface mount diodes and the resulting d.c. voltage could then be doubled or multiplied by capacitor-diode networks. This voltage amplification is necessary as there would be voltage drops (about 600mV/each silicon diode) in the LEDs and across other components too. Thus the sticker probably draws its energy from the emanating radiations (of the cell phone itself).

Reminds me of the principle of simple batteryless crystal radio receivers of the past. Cool yeah!

Mobile Phones And The Army

Nowadays almost everyone owns a mobile phone. This little genie is truly a wonder, as it is actually a programmable gadget with multifaceted activities.

You can store phone numbers, call and receive people, record and see videos, program ringtones, calculate sums, sms (short messaging service), do multimedia or even access this blog from it; to name a few.

If you think of the hardware, its bewildering. It has a unique IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Index) number and if your phone gets stolen it may be tracked by using this number, or the phone may be disabled altogether. It has an encryption key that allows encoded communication, so that people can not eavesdrop on you; a programmable SIM and countless other features. If you swap (exchange) Jack's SIM with Jill's SIM, the cellphones will behave differently. Their identities will be switched! With so many wizardry in it, it is almost at par with a laptop computer.

The access technologies include CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), FDMA (Frequency Division, Multiple Access), GSM (Groupe Special Mobile), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) protocols. These technologies allow a process known as multiplexing, by which different data may be delivered to people (sets) at different locations at the same time. Until now, the brand leader in cellular phone handsets is not Japan or Korea, neither it is the US; but countries from the Scandinavia, particularly Finland. So strong is the presence of Scandinavia (in these technologies) that the term Bluetooth has been coined after a Danish king (Harald Blatand, who united Denmark and Norway). Bluetooth is a technology of data transfer between phones using radio waves.

I hope that now there should be little doubt that this is really a very intelligent technology indeed. There is a caveat though. It is not a high powered equipment, and it is not capable of stand alone communication with the possible exception of infrared or bluetooth. It transmits to the cell tower (base station) which in turn relays them to the MTSO (Mobile Telephone Switching Office), every service providers have. Even then it is a beast in its own right. When a data or voice communicating device so versatile like this is developed, who gets it first? The army: because people at the helm wouldn't want such a useful communicating device to be at large, in the public hands. So, the technology was possibly in the hands of the army, which then percolated to the civilians only after better alternatives were available to them or the industry lobby stepped up the pressure on the government.

It is an open secret, that we civilians get technologies from the military after several years from their invention. If you consider Moore's Law (which states that the number of transistors on a fixed area of a chip doubles every two years), we can easily deduce how advanced (in technology) they are. Awe inspiring, isn't it?