Cellphone Tracking Without Warrant Unconstitutional

Cellphone Tracking Without Warrant Unconstitutional

The Wall Street Journal online article about cellphone tracking highlights interesting perceptions into the complexities involved between the US Constitution and Statutory Law. WSJ in its article sets out its stall of the various decisions there have been that, on the surface of it, at any rate, illustrate how diverse one US State perceives cellphone tracking compared to another State. A very short Order issued by her Honour Lynn N Hughes made recently in the United States District Court Southern District Of Texas succinctly makes it plain that the standard under partiuclar provisions set out in the Stored Communications Act are below that of the US Constitution Ammendment 4. A copy of the Judgment can be downloaded from WSJ website hughesorder1116.pdf.

Cell Phone Use May Have Effect On Brain Activity

Cell Phone Use May Have Effect On Brain Activity, But Health Consequences Unknown

February 28, 2011

In a preliminary study, researchers found that 50-minute cell phone use was associated with increased brain glucose metabolism (a marker of brain activity) in the region closest to the phone antenna, but the finding is of unknown clinical significance, according to a study in the February 23 issue of JAMA.

"The dramatic worldwide increase in use of cellular telephones has prompted concerns regarding potential harmful effects of exposure to radiofrequency-modulated electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs). Of particular concern has been the potential carcinogenic effects from the RF-EMF emissions of cell phones. However, epidemiologic studies of the association between cell phone use and prevalence of brain tumors have been inconsistent (some, but not all, studies showed increased risk), and the issue remains unresolved," according to background information in the article. The authors add that studies performed in humans to investigate the effects of RF-EMF exposures from cell phones have yielded variable results, highlighting the need for studies to document whether RF-EMFs from cell phone use affects brain function in humans.


Nora D. Volkow, M.D., of the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md., and colleagues conducted a study to assess if cell phone exposure affected regional activity in the human brain. The randomized study, conducted between January 1 and December 31, 2009, included 47 participants. Cell phones were placed on the left and right ears and brain imaging was performed with positron emission tomography (PET) with (18F)fluorodeoxyglucose injection, used to measure brain glucose metabolism twice, once with the right cell phone activated (sound muted) for 50 minutes ("on" condition) and once with both cell phones deactivated ("off" condition). Analysis was conducted to verify the association of metabolism and estimated amplitude of radiofrequency-modulated electromagnetic waves emitted by the cell phone. The PET scans were compared to assess the effect of cell phone use on brain glucose metabolism.


The researchers found that whole-brain metabolism did not differ between the on and off conditions. However, there were significant regional effects. Metabolism in the brain region closest to the antenna (orbitofrontal cortex and temporal pole) was significantly higher (approximately 7 percent) for cell phone on than for cell phone off conditions. "The increases were significantly correlated with the estimated electromagnetic field amplitudes both for absolute metabolism and normalized metabolism," the authors write. "This indicates that the regions expected to have the greater absorption of RF-EMFs from the cell phone exposure were the ones that showed the larger increases in glucose metabolism."

"These results provide evidence that the human brain is sensitive to the effects of RF-EMFs from acute cell phone exposures," the researchers write. They add that the mechanisms by which RF-EMFs could affect brain glucose metabolism are unclear.

"Concern has been raised by the possibility that RF-EMFs emitted by cell phones may induce brain cancer. ... Results of this study provide evidence that acute cell phone exposure affects brain metabolic activity. However, these results provide no information as to their relevance regarding potential carcinogenic effects (or lack of such effects) from chronic cell phone use."

"Further studies are needed to assess if these effects could have potential long-term harmful consequences," the authors conclude. (JAMA 2011;305[8]:808-814. Available pre-embargo to the media at www.jamamedia.org)

Cell Phone Radiofrequency Radiation Exposure and Brain Glucose Metabolism
The results of this study add information about the possible effects of radiofrequency emissions from wireless phones on brain activity, write Henry Lai, Ph.D., of the University of Washington, Seattle, and Lennart Hardell, M.D., Ph.D., of University Hospital, Orebro, Sweden, in an accompanying editorial.

"Although the biological significance, if any, of increased glucose metabolism from acute cell phone exposure is unknown, the results warrant further investigation. An important question is whether glucose metabolism in the brain would be chronically increased from regular use of a wireless phone with higher radiofrequency energy than those used in the current study. Potential acute and chronic health effects need to be clarified. Much has to be done to further investigate and understand these effects."


The editorial authors also question whether the findings of Volkow et al may be a marker of other alterations in brain function from radiofrequency emissions, such as neurotransmitter and neurochemical activities? "If so, this might have effects on other organs, leading to unwanted physiological responses. Further studies on biomarkers of functional brain changes from exposure to radiofrequency radiation are definitely warranted."

SOURCE: American Medical Association 

Previous discussions about Mobile Phones and Health:
http://trewmte.blogspot.com/2009/09/cellphones-cause-brain-tumors.html

Cellphones Cause Brain Tumors

Cellphones Cause Brain Tumors, Says New Report By International EMF Collaborative

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Photo courtesy of Radiation Research

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Report available: http://www.radiationresearch.org/pdfs/15reasons.asp

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For those who haven't seen the report named above announced on the 25 August 2009, it reports on a further international investigation into what impact the use of mobile phones may have on the human brain. I do not propose to make a judgmental article that argues the 'fores and againsts' as I think you need to make up your own.

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You may agree with me that when highly skilled people come together to collaborate on research like this that we should at least allow for the opportunity to acquaint ourselves with what it is they are saying and see if we can learn how to reduce or remove any risks that might be.

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Reading the report and placing the concepts in it relating to testing in confined spaces where numbers of mobile phones, awaiting examination or are being examined, are all switched ON and bursting at full power to the network to register, then that process and procedure needs to be looked at closely to see if there is any risks to health that could exist. As I understand it, talking with the report publisher today, brain tumours are less likely to show up within 10-15 years (which is approximately the life of GSM at present) as the cycle of a brain tumour may not be known for 25 years, and in other cases 40 years. I am not a medical expert, but I am listening to what is being said.

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I mention the time periods because it has always been my argument that if there was a case to answer relating to mobile phones and Masts radiating everyone to death or causing health issues, surely the exposure to mobile phone usage spanning from 1985 (when UK TACS was introduced) to the present time with GSM surely that respresents some form of semi-empirical test result; meaning not all the issues have been considered in the fullest sense by qualified research, but common-sense applies. However, 25-40 years may mean there could be issues down the line to deal with that wont be known yet. So hopefully, to my professional mobile telephone colleagues, do not ignore this issue, be prepared to read without prejudice.

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The full press release that was issued is below:

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Cellphones Cause Brain Tumors, Says New Report By International EMF Collaborative

August 25, 2009
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BERKELEY, CALIF. & SUTTON COLDFIELD, ENGLAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A new report, "Cellphones and Brain Tumors:15 Reasons for Concern, Science, Spin and the Truth Behind Interphone," was released today by a collaborative of international EMF activists. Groups affiliated with the report include Powerwatch and the Radiation Research Trust in the U.K., and in the U.S., EMR Policy Institute, ElectromagenticHealth.org and The Peoples Initiative Foundation. Download the report.
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The exposé discusses research on cellphones and brain tumors and concludes:
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• There is a risk of brain tumors from cellphone use;
• Telecom funded studies underestimate the risk of brain tumors, and;
• Children have larger risks than adults for brain tumors.

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This report, sent to government leaders and media today, details eleven design flaws of the 13-country, Telecom-funded Interphone study. The Interphone study, begun in 1999, was intended to determine the risks of brain tumors, but its full publication has been held up for years. Components of this study published to date reveal what the authors call a ‘systemic-skew', greatly underestimating brain tumor risk.
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The design flaws include categorizing subjects who used portable phones (which emit the same microwave radiation as cellphones,) as ‘unexposed'; exclusion of many types of brain tumors; exclusion of people who had died, or were too ill to be interviewed, as a consequence of their brain tumor; and exclusion of children and young adults, who are more vulnerable.
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Lloyd Morgan, lead author and member of the Bioelectromagnetics Society says, "Exposure to cellphone radiation is the largest human health experiment ever undertaken, without informed consent, and has some 4 billion participants enrolled.Science has shown increased risk of brain tumors from use of cellphones, as well as increased risk of eye cancer, salivary gland tumors, testicular cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukemia. The public must be informed."
International scientists endorsing "Cellphones and Brain Tumors: 15 Reasons for Concern" include:

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Ronald B. Herberman, MD, Director Emeritus, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute; David Carpenter, MD, Director, Institute for Health and the Environment, University at Albany; Martin Blank, PhD, Associate Professor of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics, Columbia University; Professor Yury Grigoriev, Chairman of Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, and many others.