ABSTRACT
Objectives: Radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMR) from mobile phones is known to produce a stress response because of its effect on hypothalamus. Mobile phones have become an integral part of our lives with increasing usage not only in terms of number of users but also increase in talk time. The present study aimed to study the effect of mobile phone radiofrequency electromagnetic radiations on oxidative stress and feeding behaviour assessment in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Materials and Methods: Twelve male SD rats of 10–12 weeks old, weighing 180–220 g, were housed and allowed to acclimatise in a room with 12:12 h light-dark cycle with ad libitum amount of food and reverse osmosis (RO) water before the start of the study. Then, rats were divided into control and RF-EMR exposed groups, and everyday feed intake and body weight were measured. At the end of the study period, blood sample was collected through retro orbital puncture for biochemical investigations. Results: The present study showed significant increase in malondialdehyde and serum corticosterone levels and decrease feeding behaviour in rats exposed to RF-EMR in rats exposed to RF-EMR. Conclusion: This study proves that mobile RF-EMR causes oxidative stress and oxidative damage leading to decreased feeding behaviour in SD rats.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To measure the levels of environmental noise in the medical intensive care unit, surgical intensive care unit, and adult ward of the Makati Medical Center for the morning, afternoon, and evening shifts, on weekdays and weekends, and to compare noise levels across shifts, and between weekdays and weekends. @*Methods@#Design: Environmental Noise Survey. Setting: Tertiary Private Training Hospital. Participants: None. @*Results@#The overall mean environment noise levels in all the areas surveyed (medical intensive care unit, surgical intensive care unit and adult ward) exceeded World Health Organization recommendations by more than 20 dB across different working shifts on both weekdays and weekends. There was no significant difference in noise levels between weekdays and weekends across shifts in all areas, except for the afternoon shift in the Medical ICU. Using Repeated Measures ANOVA, results showed that there is no sufficient evidence to conclude that at least one shift has significantly different mean noise level in any of the 3 areas (MICU: F(2)=4.73, p-value=.1124; SICU: F(2)=7.91, p-value=.0540; WARD: F(2)=2.73, p-value=.1948) @*Conclusion@#The overall environmental noise levels in the different areas of MICU, SICU and Adult ward exceeded the WHO recommendation. It is recommended that a change in strategy is needed for prevention of environmental noise, setting guidelines and policies to assure quality health care and noise control. Further investigations to ascertain exact sources may give rise to feasible solutions.
Subject(s)
Noise , Hospitals , Sound , Intensive Care UnitsABSTRACT
The present study was designed to investigate the effects of varying intensities of noise stress onto the body and adrenal gland weight (absolute) of 17 weeks old (291–296) gram (g) Wistar rat. Animals were exposed to varying intensity of noise, i.e., 60 dB (Decibel), 80 dB, 100 dB, 120 dB, and 140 dB for 1 h (h)/day for 30 days. The dose of different noise intensities was delivered through a special fabricated noise chamber which had provided all daily needs of animal-like oxygen, food, and water. Food and water consumption behavior was recorded on 1st, 14th, and 29th days and body weight change recorded on 1st, 15th, and 30th days after the exposure of noise stress. Absolute adrenal glands weight was recorded on the 30th day. The results of the present study showed that the food, water consumption behavior, and body weight (g) of the experimental group EG1 (60 dB), EG2 (80 dB), EG3 (100 dB), EG4 (120 dB), and EG5(140 dB) were found to be significantly (P < 0.001) decreased during 1st–14th days and during 15th–30thdays a recovery which were observed in food, water consumption, and in body weight of the EG1 (60 dB), EG2 (80 dB), and EG3 (100 dB). A percentage (%) decrease was found, i.e., 0.76, 0.37, 3.87, 25.89, and 30.06% in body weight of EG1 (60 dB), EG2 (80 dB), EG3 (100 dB), EG4 (120 dB), and EG5 (140 dB) experimental groups, respectively.