Exposure to a specific time-varying electromagnetic field inhibits cell proliferation via cAMP and ERK signaling in cancer cells.

Exposure to specific electromagnetic field (EMF) patterns can affect a variety of biological systems. We have shown that exposure to Thomas-EMF, a low-intensity, frequency-modulated (25-6 Hz) EMF pattern, inhibited growth and altered cell signaling in malignant cells. Exposure to Thomas-EMF for 1 h/day inhibited the growth of malignant cells including B16-BL6 mouse melanoma cells, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, BT-20, and MCF-7 human breast cancer and HeLa cervical cancer cells but did not affect non-malignant cells. The Thomas-EMF-dependent changes in cell proliferation were mediated by adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways. Exposure of malignant cells to Thomas-EMF transiently changed the level of cellular cAMP and promoted ERK phosphorylation. Pharmacologic inhibitors (SQ22536) and activators (forskolin) of cAMP production both blocked the ability of Thomas-EMF to inhibit cell proliferation, and an inhibitor of the MAP kinase pathway (PD98059) was able to partially block Thomas-EMF-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation. Genetic modulation of protein kinase A (PKA) in B16-BL6 cells also altered the effect of Thomas-EMF on cell proliferation. Cells transfected with the constitutively active form of PKA (PKA-CA), which interfered with ERK phosphorylation, also interfered with the Thomas-EMF effect on cell proliferation. The non-malignant cells did not show any EMF-dependent changes in cAMP levels, ERK phosphorylation, or cell growth. These data indicate that exposure to the specific Thomas-EMF pattern can inhibit the growth of malignant cells in a manner dependent on contributions from the cAMP and MAP kinase pathways. Bioelectromagnetics. 39;217-230, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The effects of electromagnetic fields on B16-BL6 cells are dependent on their spatial and temporal character.

Exposure to low intensity, low frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) has effects on several biological systems. Spatiotemporal characteristics of these EMFs are critical. The effect of several complex EMF patterns on the proliferation of B16-BL6 mouse melanoma cells was tested. Exposure to one of these patterns, the Thomas-EMF, inhibited cell proliferation and promoted calcium uptake. The Thomas-EMF is coded from a digital-to-analog file comprised of 849 points, which provides power to solenoids and can be set to alter timing, intensity, and duration of variable EMF. Setting the point duration to 3 ms generated a time-varying EMF pattern which began at 25 Hz and slowed to 6 Hz over a 2.5 s repeat. Exposing B16-BL6 cells to Thomas-EMF set to 3 ms for 1 h/day inhibited cell proliferation by 40% after 5 days, while setting the point duration to 1, 2, 4, or 5 ms had no effect on cell proliferation. Similarly, exposing cells to Thomas-EMF set to 3 ms promoted a three-fold increase in calcium uptake after 1 h, while the other timings had no effect. Exposure to Thomas-EMF for as short as 15 min/day slowed cell proliferation, but exposure for 1 h/day was optimal. This corresponded to the effect on calcium uptake where uptake was detected after 15 min exposure and was maximal by 1 h of treatment. Studies show that the specific spatiotemporal character of EMF is critical in mediating their biological activities. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:165-174, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Synergistic interactions between temporal coupling of complex light and magnetic pulses upon melanoma cell proliferation and planarian regeneration.

Synergisms between a physiologically patterned magnetic field that is known to enhance planarian growth and suppress proliferation of malignant cells in culture and three light emitting diode (LED) generated visible wavelengths (blue, green, red) upon planarian regeneration and melanoma cell numbers were discerned. Five days of hourly exposures to either a physiologically patterned (2.5-5.0 µT) magnetic field, one of three wavelengths (3 kLux) or both treatments simultaneously indicated that red light (680 nm), blue light (470 nm) or the magnetic field significantly facilitated regeneration of planarian compared to sham field exposed planarian. Presentation of both light and magnetic field conditions enhanced the effect. Whereas the blue and red light diminished the growth of malignant (melanoma) cells, the effect was not as large as that produced by the magnetic field. Only the paired presentation of the blue light and magnetic field enhanced the suppression. On the other hand, the changes following green light (540 nm) exposure did not differ from the control condition and green light presented with the magnetic field eliminated its effects for both the planarian and melanoma cells. These results indicate specific colors affect positive adaptation that is similar to weak, physiologically patterned frequency modulated (8-24 Hz) magnetic fields and that the two forms of energy can synergistically summate or cancel.

Differential responsiveness of the right parahippocampal region to electrical stimulation in fixed human brains: Implications for historical surgical stimulation studies?

If structure dictates function within the living human brain, then the persistence of specific responses to weak electric currents in fixed, deceased brains could reflect "hardwired" properties. Different key structures from the left and right hemispheres of brains that had been fixed for over 20years with ethanol-formalin-acetic acid were stimulated with either 1-Hz, 7-Hz, 10-Hz, 20-Hz, or 30-Hz, sine-wave, square-wave, or pulsed currents while needle-recorded quantitative electroencephalographic responses were obtained. Differential responses occurred only within the right hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus. The right hippocampus displayed frequency-independent increases in gamma power relative to the left hemispheric homologue. The parahippocampal region responded exclusively to 7-Hz pulsed currents with wideband (8-30Hz) power. These profiles are consistent with dynamic connections associated with memory and consciousness and may partially explain the interactions resultant of pulse type and hemisphere for experiential elicitations during the golden age of surgical stimulations. The results also indicate that there may be an essential "hardwiring" within the human brain that is maintained for decades when it is fixed appropriately.

LORETA indicates frequency-specific suppressions of current sources within the cerebrums of blindfolded subjects from patterns of blue light flashes applied over the skull.

An array of eight cloistered (completely covered) 470-nm LEDs was attached to the right caudal scalp of subjects while each sat blindfolded within a darkened chamber. The LEDs were activated by a computer-generated complex (frequency-modulated) temporal pattern that, when applied as weak magnetic fields, has elicited sensed presences and changes in LORETA (low-resolution electromagnetic tomography) configurations. Serial 5-min on to 5-min off presentations of the blue light (10,000lx) resulted in suppression of gamma activity within the right cuneus (including the extrastriate area), beta activity within the left angular and right superior temporal regions, and alpha power within the right parahippocampal region. The effect required about 5min to emerge followed by a transient asymptote for about 15 to 20min when diminished current source density was evident even during no light conditions. Subjective experiences, as measured by our standard exit questionnaire, reflected sensations similar to those reported when the pattern was presented as a weak magnetic field. Given previous evidence that photon flux density of this magnitude can penetrate the skull, these results suggest that properly configured LEDs that generate physiologically patterned light sequences might be employed as noninvasive methods to explore the dynamic characteristics of cerebral activity in epileptic and nonepileptic brains.

Shifting wavelengths of ultraweak photon emissions from dying melanoma cells: their chemical enhancement and blocking are predicted by Cosic's theory of resonant recognition model for macromolecules.

During the first 24 h after removal from incubation, melanoma cells in culture displayed reliable increases in emissions of photons of specific wavelengths during discrete portions of this interval. Applications of specific filters revealed marked and protracted increases in infrared (950 nm) photons about 7 h after removal followed 3 h later by marked and protracted increases in near ultraviolet (370 nm) photon emissions. Specific wavelengths within the visible (400 to 800 nm) peaked 12 to 24 h later. Specific activators or inhibitors for specific wavelengths based upon Cosic's resonant recognition model elicited either enhancement or diminishment of photons at the specific wavelength as predicted. Inhibitors or activators predicted for other wavelengths, even within 10 nm, were less or not effective. There is now evidence for quantitative coupling between the wavelength of photon emissions and intrinsic cellular chemistry. The results are consistent with initial activation of signaling molecules associated with infrared followed about 3 h later by growth and protein-structural factors associated with ultraviolet. The greater-than-expected photon counts compared with raw measures through the various filters, which also function as reflective material to other photons, suggest that photons of different wavelengths might be self-stimulatory and could play a significant role in cell-to-cell communication.

Spectral power, source localization and microstates to quantify chronic deficits from 'mild' closed head injury: correlation with classic neuropsychological tests.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To explore the quantitative relationship between neuropsychological impairment and spectral QEEG power, source localization (s-LORETA) and microstate duration in patients who 'fail to adapt' years after mild closed head injury. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Differences in classic psychometric measures, QEEG measures, s-LORETA indicators and microstate durations were compared for three levels of neuropsychological impairment ∼(average) 6 years after injury. RESULTS: Patients who displayed the moderate-to-severe neuropsychological impairments typical of mild TBIs exhibited shorter microstates, less power within the alpha band and lower power within the theta and delta bands within caudal regions. There were conspicuous differences in the configurations of microstates, their source localizations and frequency bands. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic relationship between neuropsychological impairment as inferred by classic psychometric measures that can require tens of hours to collect and modern configurational analyses of brain activity that require ∼30 minutes suggests that the latter might be useful in discerning the area of dysfunction and potential focus of treatment for patients with closed head injury years after the event.

Photon emission from melanoma cells during brief stimulation by patterned magnetic fields: is the source coupled to rotational diffusion within the membrane?

If parameters for lateral diffusion of lipids within membranes are macroscopic metaphors of the angular magnetic moment of the Bohr magneton then the energy emission should be within the visible wavelength for applied ~1 µT magnetic fields. Single or paired digital photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) were placed near dishes of ~1 million B16 mouse melanoma cells that had been removed from incubation. In very dark conditions (10(-11) W/m(2)) different averaged (RMS) intensities between 5 nT and 3.5 µT were applied randomly in 4 min increments. Numbers of photons were recorded directly over or beside the cell dishes by PMTs placed in pairs within various planes. Spectral analyses were completed for photon power density. The peak photon emissions occurred around 1 µT as predicted by the equation. Spectra analyses showed reliable discrete peaks between 0.9 and 1.8 µT but not for lesser or greater intensities; these peak frequencies corresponded to the energy difference of the orbital-spin magnetic moment of the electron within the applied range of magnetic field intensities and the standard solution for Rydberg atoms. Numbers of photons from cooling cells can be modified by applying specific intensities of temporally patterned magnetic fields. There may be a type of "cellular" magnetic moment that, when stimulated by intensity-tuned magnetic fields, results in photon emissions whose peak frequencies reflect predicted energies for fundamental orbital/spin properties of the electron and atomic aggregates with large principal quantum numbers.

Comparable proportions of classes of experiences and intracerebral consequences for surgical stimulation and external application of weak magnetic field patterns: implications for converging effects in complex partial seizures.

The similarity of the proportions of different types of experiences reported during surgical electrical stimulation of epileptic temporal lobes published in the scientific literature and those reported following exposures to weak, applied magnetic fields was supported by direct comparisons in a retrospective analysis. Of the 20 types of specific experiences, the surgical stimulation groups reported proportionally more fear experiences, while the groups exposed to temporally patterned magnetic fields applied across the temporoparietal regions reported more somesthetic and vestibular experiences. There were no group differences for the other 17 types of experiences. Calculations indicated that the spread of charge displacement from neuronal membranes by the currents employed in the surgical studies and the magnetic field energy associated with the applied fields could affect similar numbers of cortical neurons. The similar subjective experiences of the two techniques indicate that the less invasive procedures might be employed to systematically study complex partial seizures.

Potential production of Hughlings Jackson's "parasitic consciousness" by physiologically-patterned weak transcerebral magnetic fields: QEEG and source localization.

Exotic experiences such as the sensing of another consciousness or the detachment of consciousness from the body are occasionally reported by individuals with partial seizures from a temporal lobe focus. The experiences display the characteristics of Hughlings Jackson's "parasitic consciousness". We have hypothesized that these experiences are encouraged by slight discrepancies in hemispheric activity that can be simulated by application of weak, physiologically-patterned magnetic fields across the cerebral hemispheres. Electroencephalographic and Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (sLORETA) data revealed altered activity bands within specific regions within the cerebral cortices during these experiences. The clear changes in power of brain activity were discerned after consistent durations of exposure to specifically patterned weak magnetic fields. Millisecond range point durations were required. The technology may be useful to explore the subjective components associated with complex partial seizures.

Post-seizure drug treatment in young rats determines clear incremental losses of frontal cortical and hippocampal neurons: the resultant damage is similar to very old brains.

Loss of neurons occurs with aging and following lithium/pilocarpine-induced epileptic seizures. In the present study, the numbers of neurons within the layers from sample areas of the four lobes of the neocortices and the hippocampus were counted by light microscopy in brains of rats that had been administered lithium or pilocarpine and then injected immediately or shortly after seizure onset with either acepromazine, ketamine, or prazosin. The mean numbers of neocortical and hippocampal neurons were lowest in rats treated with acepromazine or prazosin 1h after seizure onset, while those of rats immediately treated with ketamine displayed the least decrements and were most similar to normal rats. The largest loss of neurons occurred within the CA1 field and layers 5 and 6 of the frontal cortices. The mean numbers of neurons within the cortices in rats whose treatments had been delayed for 1h were similar to those of normal rats over 700 days of age. These results support the hypothesis that neuronal loss from cumulative effects of seizure-induced brain damage simulates aging.

Optimal durations of single exposures to a frequency-modulated magnetic field immediately after bisection in planarian predict final growth values.

Planarian (Dugesia tigrinia) were exposed to a frequency-modulated ("Thomas"), patterned electromagnetic field (EMF) immediately following transection through the pharynx. Subjects were exposed from 15 min to 3 h as well as single versus repeated exposures. Results from multiple experiments indicated that those planaria exposed from 45 to 90 min regenerated at significantly higher rates than those exposed less than 45 min. In addition, the study revealed that exposures greater than 45 min were not significantly different beyond this inflection point. We suggest that this particular pattern of EMF is capable of inducing biochemical pathways associated with cell proliferation, in particular the p38-MAPK and hsp70 pathways.

Case report: a prototypical experience of 'poltergeist' activity, conspicuous quantitative electroencephalographic patterns, and sLORETA profiles - suggestions for intervention.

People who report objects moving in their presence, unusual sounds, glows around other people, and multiple sensed presences but do not meet the criteria for psychiatric disorders have been shown to exhibit electrical anomalies over the right temporal lobes. This article reports the striking quantitative electroencephalography, sLORETA results, and experimental elicitation of similar subjective experiences in a middle-aged woman who has been distressed by these classic phenomena that began after a head injury. She exhibited a chronic electrical anomaly over the right temporoinsular region. The rotation of a small pinwheel near her while she 'concentrated' upon it was associated with increased coherence between the left and right temporal lobes and concurrent activation of the left prefrontal region. The occurrence of the unusual phenomena and marked 'sadness' was associated with increased geomagnetic activity; she reported a similar mood when these variations were simulated experimentally. Our quantitative measurements suggest people displaying these experiences and possible anomalous energies can be viewed clinically and potentially treated.

Emergence of complex partial epilepsy-like experiences following closed head injuries: personality variables and neuropsychological profiles.

To pursue Richard Roberts' epileptic spectrum disorder (ESD) and the emergence of complex partial epilepsy-like experiences, items and total scores for the ESD Inventory were examined for 185 patients who had sustained mechanical impacts (and were diagnosed with or without neuropsychological impairment) and a reference group (n=68) of university students. Results from neuropsychological, personality, neurological screening, and interview data supported the role of temporal lobe origins for these experiences. The incidences of these experiences were sufficient to adversely affect adaptation and to produce psychiatric profiles. Although only 70% of the patients who were impaired versus not impaired could be differentiated by items from the ESD Inventory, >95% of the patients with scores >100 on the ESD Inventory displayed abnormal scores on more than four Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory scales. These results support Roberts' ESD concept and strongly suggest that persistent, subclinical occurrence of these experiences could be the cause or major correlate of neuropsychological impairment for these patients.

Biophoton emissions from cell cultures: biochemical evidence for the plasma membrane as the primary source.

Photon emissions were measured at ambient temperature (21°C) in complete darkness once per min from cultures of 10(6) cells during the 12 h following removal from 37°C. The energy of emission was about 10(-20) J/s/cell. Of 8 different cell lines, B16-BL6 (mouse melanoma cells) demonstrated the most conspicuous emission profile. Acridine orange and ethidium bromide indicated the membranes were intact with no indication of (trypan blue) cell necrosis. Treatments with EGF and ionomycin produced rapid early (first 3 h) increases in energy emission while glutamine-free, sodium azide and wortmanin-treated cells showed a general diminishment 3 to 9 h later. The results suggested the most probable origin of the photon emission was the plasma cell membrane. Measures from cells synchronized at the M- and S-phase supported this inference.

Intracerebral source generators characterizing concentrative meditation.

Previous researchers have studied meditation practices as a means to understand consciousness as well as altered states of consciousness. Various meditation techniques, such as Transcendental Meditation (TM) and Qigong, have been explored with source localization tools; however, the concentrative meditation technique has yet to be fully studied in this manner. The current study demonstrates findings, which outline differential activation in a self-referential default network during meditation in participants who espouse themselves as regular concentrative meditation practitioners, as well as comparisons with a control group practicing a modified version of the relaxation response. The results are compared with other putative experimental findings employing other meditation techniques, and the findings outlined in the current study are discussed with respect to changes in perceptual awareness often reported by meditators.

Planarian activity differences when maintained in water pre-treated with magnetic fields: a nonlinear effect.

There have been multiple claims that exposing water to a static magnetic field affects its properties which influence living systems. To test this hypothesis, planarian subsequent to dissection were maintained in spring water that had been previously exposed for only one day to one of three (16, 160, or 1,600 G) intensity static magnetic fields or to a reference condition. Although there was no significant difference in regeneration rates over the subsequent seven-day period, there was a statistically significant nonlinear effect for planarian mobility and diffusion rates. Both mobility rates and diffusion velocity of a liquid within the water that had been exposed to the 16 G field was about twice that for water exposed to the other intensities. These results imply that nonlinear biophysical effects may emerge under specific conditions of intensity ranges for particular volumes of water.

A LORETA study of mental time travel: similar and distinct electrophysiological correlates of re-experiencing past events and pre-experiencing future events.

Previous studies exploring mental time travel paradigms with functional neuroimaging techniques have uncovered both common and distinct neural correlates of re-experiencing past events or pre-experiencing future events. A gap in the mental time travel literature exists, as paradigms have not explored the affective component of re-experiencing past episodic events; this study explored this sparsely researched area. The present study employed standardized low resolution electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) to identify electrophysiological correlates of re-experience affect-laden and non-affective past events, as well as pre-experiencing a future anticipated event. Our results confirm previous research and are also novel in that we illustrate common and distinct electrophysiological correlates of re-experiencing affective episodic events. Furthermore, research from this experiment yields results outlining a pattern of activation in the frontal and temporal regions is correlated with the time frame of past or future events subjects imagined.

Ultraweak Photon Emissions as a Non-Invasive, Early-Malignancy Detection Tool: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study.

Early detection of cancer improves treatment options and increases survival. Building upon previous demonstrations that ultraweak photon emissions (UPE) could be measured to detect cancers, we designed an early detection protocol to test malignancy in both in vitro and in vivo systems. Photons were measured for 100 s from plates containing ~1 million malignant or non-malignant cells from 13 different types of human and mouse cell lines. Tumor cells displayed increased photon emissions compared to non-malignant cells. Examining the standardized Spectral Power Density (SPD) configurations for flux densities between 0.1 and 25 Hz (Δf = 0.01 Hz) yielded 90% discriminant accuracy. The emission profiles of mice that had been injected with melanoma cells could be differentiated from a non-malignant reference groups as early as 24 h post-injection. The peak SPD associated with photon emissions was ~20 Hz for both malignant cell cultures and mice with growing tumors. These results extend the original suggestion by Takeda and his colleagues (2004) published in this journal concerning the potential diagnostic value of UPEs for assessing proliferations of carcinoma cells. The specificity of the spectral profile in the 20 Hz range may be relevant to the consistent efficacy reported by several authors that weak magnetic field pulsations within this frequency range can diminish the growth of malignant cells in culture and tumor weights in mice.

Altered neuronal densities in sexually dimorphic structures: comparable effects from perinatal magnetic fields with nitric oxide synthase inhibitors and postnatal hypoxia.

Cytometry of the neuronal density within four sexually dimorphic nuclei was completed for adult rats that had been perinatally exposed to 0.5Hz, 5-10nT magnetic fields or sham conditions while their mothers drank tap water containing the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-NAME or only tap water. One week after birth the rats were rendered hypoxic for 1 min or served as controls. Exposures to either the magnetic field or the NOS inhibitor reduced the numbers of neurons within the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis by about 25%, whereas exposure to either the hypoxia or magnetic fields resulted in comparable decreases in cell numbers within the ventromedial nucleus (dorsomedial part). For comparison males had 15% fewer neurons in these nuclei compared to females. The effect sizes for the interactions involving the perinatal exposure for 8 days to the magnetic fields were comparable to the magnitudes of those associated with 1 min of hypoxia 1 week postnatally. These results show the sensitivity of specific structures of the developing brain to interactions between subtle environmental variables.