Is there an EMF-cancer connection?

Article Abstract:

The first of a series of three articles in the journal Science on the topic of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and cancer is presented. The first article covers epidemiological research; the second, cell and animal studies; and the third, policy questions and politics. In the 1970s, alarm regarding EMFs was not taken seriously, but epidemiological studies done since then have led to rethinking by many scientists. Children who live close to power lines, and men exposed to high levels of EMFs at work, have unusually high cancer rates, according to some studies. Popular opinion has been aroused against EMFs by scientific sources such as The New Yorker magazine; but the true scientific evidence can be best described as inconclusive. A fundamental experimental problem for epidemiologists is the universal exposure to EMFs in modern life. Electromagnetic radiation is made up of an electric and a magnetic field, pushing charged particles in the direction of the field and at right angles to it, respectively. While electrical fields are easily screened, magnetic fields make their way unimpeded through most substances. An initial study that found correlations between living near power lines and cancer incidence in children, reported in 1979, was easily discounted for methodological reasons. Scientists including David Carpenter, the Dean of the School of Public Health at the State University of New York in Albany, debunked the findings. Now he heads a large study of the relationship between cancer and EMFs. Results from several other studies are presented and discussed. A major confounding factor is the difficulty of quantifying exposure to EMFs and other possible carcinogens, since a dose-response relationship must be established before causality can be inferred. Critics argue that studies done more recently, with ''tighter'' methodology, have found reduced risk. Moreover, they assert that, however damaging EMFs are, they are less so than cigarette smoking. Nor is there laboratory evidence as to just how EMFs could damage cells. More research is needed - and is forthcoming. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Reports, Causes of, Cancer, The New Yorker (Periodical), Electromagnetic radiation, Electromagnetic waves

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''Hairy enzymes'' stay in the blood

Article Abstract:

About 40 children each year are born with a deficiency of the enzyme adenosine deaminase. Without this enzyme, the child has a severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). The immune system cannot develop, and the children live a short life of constant illness. It is reasonable to ask why these children cannot just be injected with the deficient enzyme. Unfortunately, the direct approach simply will not work, since the liver filters the enzyme out of the blood within minutes. Bone marrow transplants may help the 20 percent of the patients who have compatible donors, and long-term research is looking towards gene therapy to supplement the enzyme. But to help patients now, a small firm has developed a method of simply ''hiding'' the enzyme so that the liver cannot remove it. The enzyme molecules are chemically bonded to dozens of molecules of polyethylene glycol (PEG). The inert PEG reduces, but does not eliminate the enzyme's normal function, but to the liver, nothing is seen but a ''hairy'' mass of innocuous PEG. The hairy enzyme remains in the blood for weeks rather than minutes. An added advantage is that hairy enzymes are also invisible to the patient's immune system. This feature may make the same technology useful in the treatment of many different diseases. For example, L-asparaginase can be helpful in the treatment of some leukemias, but can caused potentially fatal allergic reactions. Hairy PEG-L-asparaginase may avoid the problem. One difficulty with the method is its cost, particularly for rare diseases like severe combined immunodeficiency, where there can be no economies of scale. The yearly cost of treating a patient is estimated at $60,000. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Care and treatment, Drug therapy, Genetic disorders, Polyethers, Adenosine deaminase, Adenosine deaminase deficiency, ADA deficiency, Glycol ethers, editorial

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Beyond databases and E-mail

Article Abstract:

The Internet system serves researchers worldwide with e-mail, thousands of data bases and software to navigate through the data bases. It will soon enable collaboration between researchers regardless of location and change the nature of research itself by creating links between different pieces of information.

Computer networks, Usage, Cover Story, Technology application, Communication in science, Scientific communication, Internet

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