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Environ Res. 2018 Jul;164:100-108. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.01.036. Epub 2018 Feb 23.
In this article, the author draws on his experience in the world of geospatial information technology standards to suggest a path toward acceleration of bioelectromagnetics science. Many studies show biological effects of extremely low frequency (ELF) and radiofrequency (RF) radiation despite that fact that the radiation is too weak to cause temperature changes in biological features. Considered together in worst case scenarios, such effects, many of which appear to have long latencies, could have potentially disastrous consequences for the health and safety of humans and wildlife. Other studies show no such effects, and in both cases, often there are significant research quality deficits that make it difficult to draw firm conclusions from the data. The progress of bioelectromagnetics science is retarded by a lack of standard data models and experimental protocols that could improve the overall quality of research and make it easier for researchers to benefit from omics-related bioinformatics resources. "Certainty of safety" of wireless devices used in digital communications and remote sensing (radar) is impossible without dosimetry standards that reflect the effects of non-thermal exposures. Electrical signaling in biological systems, a poorly funded research domain, is as biologically important as chemical signaling, a richly funded research domain, and these two types of signaling are inextricably connected. Entreprenuerial scientists pursuing bioelectronic innovations have begun to attract new funding. With appropriate institutional coordination, this new funding could equally benefit those investigating environmental effects of ELF and RF radiation. The author proposes a concerted effort among both bioelectronics technology stakeholders and environmental bioelectromagnetics science researchers to collaborate in developing institutional arrangements and standard data models that would give the science a stronger bioinformatics platform and give researchers better access to omics data. What is proposed here is essentially a bioelectromagnetics omics initiative.
本文作者凭借其在地理空间信息技术标准领域的经验,提出了一条加速生物电磁学科学发展的途径。许多研究表明,即使辐射弱到不足以引起生物特征的温度变化,极低频率(ELF)和射频(RF)辐射也会产生生物效应。从最坏的情况来看,这些效应中的许多似乎潜伏期很长,可能对人类和野生动物的健康和安全造成潜在的灾难性后果。其他研究则没有显示出这种效应,而且在这两种情况下,通常都存在严重的研究质量缺陷,使得很难从数据中得出确凿的结论。生物电磁学科学的进展受到缺乏标准数据模型和实验协议的阻碍,这些协议可以提高研究的整体质量,并使研究人员更容易从与组学相关的生物信息学资源中受益。如果没有反映非热暴露影响的剂量学标准,数字通信和遥感(雷达)中使用的无线设备的“安全性”就无法确定。生物系统中的电信号是一个资金不足的研究领域,与化学信号一样重要,而化学信号是一个资金充足的研究领域,这两种信号是不可分割的。从事生物电子创新的创业科学家已经开始吸引新的资金。通过适当的机构协调,这些新的资金同样可以使那些研究 ELF 和 RF 辐射环境影响的人受益。作者建议生物电子技术利益相关者和环境生物电磁学科学研究人员共同努力,制定机构安排和标准数据模型,为科学提供更强大的生物信息学平台,并使研究人员更好地访问组学数据。这里提出的基本上是一个生物电磁组学倡议。