Sensitivity to electricity – Temporal changes in Austria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An increasing number of persons suffer from non-specific health symptoms such as headache, sleep disturbances, difficulties in concentrating and more. In lack of a medical explanation, more and more persons take refuge to the assumption that they were electromagnetic hypersensitive (EHS) and electromagnetic pollution causes their problems. The discussion whether electromagnetic fields (EMF) could cause such adverse health effects is still ongoing.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Based on the Austrian inhabitants a statistical cross-sample of the general population with regard to age, gender and federal state had been investigated to assess the actual situation and potential temporal changes in comparison with a former study of 1994. In a telephone survey a total number of 526 persons were included.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This study showed an actual EHS prevalence of 3.5% compared with 2% estimated in 1994. About 70% of the sample believed that electromagnetic pollution could be a risk factor for health. More than 30% declared to at least some degree to be concerned about their well-being near mobile phone base stations or power lines. However, only 10% were actively looking for specific information. Media triggered EHS hypothesis in 24% of the cases.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results show that concerns about EMF did not decrease with time in spite of scientific studies and health risk assessments concluding that a causal relationship of EMF below recommended reference levels and non-specific health symptoms would be implausible.</p

Synoptic Analysis of Epidemiologic Evidence of Brain Cancer Risks from Mobile Communication

In the radio frequency (RF) range concern about long-term health risks from electromagnetic fields (EMF) is enhanced by contradictory results and conclusions from epidemiologic studies. A new approach of a synoptic analysis of all available data from epidemiological studies published since 2001 was performed. This approach provided new insight with regard to a potential link between mobile phone use and brain cancer. Two quite different data pools could be identified with numerous studies from one research group opposing all other studies. However, it could be shown that with the number of exposed cases both data pools exhibit a clear trend of risk esti-mates (odds ratios) towards the final result, namely a reduced cancer risk of OR = 0.8, though from either side of the zero-risk line. The analysis of potential long-term effects indicated by a dose-dependence revealed diverging results with different dose metrics. Overall, the synoptic analysis supports reassuring rather than alarming conclusions on RF EMF health risks from mobile tele-communication

Abandoning Narratives of Music and Prose. Arnold Schönberg and James Joyce.. Sprachkunst. Beiträge zur Literaturwissenschaft|Sprachkunst XLIX / 2018, 2. Halbband|

Das Werk dieser beiden ‚Leuchttürme‘ der Moderne weist zahlreiche Ähnlichkeiten auf: Sie verabschieden das persönliche und mimetische Erzählen bzw. die klassische Funktionsharmonik; mit Hilfe rationaler Konstruktion aufgrund struktureller Vorgaben wie der Zwölftonreihen und der Gilbert und Linati Schemata messen sie systematisch Möglichkeitsräume aus; Schönbergs Konzept der Emanzipation der Dissonanz und die höchst artifizielle Sprache von ›Finnegans Wake‹ entgrenzen den Spielraum für die musikalische bzw. literarische Bedeutungszuweisung