The work with a computer

The work with a computer.

The main known factors of risk and health disturbances

The problem of computer influence on human health was solved in two alternative directions. This is not a false problem as a lot of collected data prove that computer displays, a keyboard have a negative influence on a user. Therefore, let’s first examine the influence of computer displays radiation on plants and animate organisms.

Fig.19, a

In Fig.19, a there is the photograph of the plants that were under the influence of computer displays radiation during 10 days, 24 hours a day without any protection from torsion fields impact (on the left) and under protection (on the right).

Fig.19, b

In Fig.19, b you can see the deviation of palm branches from the normal vertical position under the influence of computer displays radiation influence during 14 days.

On the photograph on the left the oppressive influence of computer displays radiation on the plants growth is vividly visualized. In the materials of First congress of the European Bioelectromagnetics Association, January 23-25, 1992, Brussels, Belgium there are the facts affirming a negative influence of computer displays on the animate world.

A-M. Laverdure (France) conducted the experiments on fruit-flies (Drosophilia melanogaster) with the aim to define a biological effect of the impact on the mentioned species. They were at a distance of 50 centimeters in front of the display screen during the embryonic growth period (2) and all p 444f52e eriod of their development.

In the number of tests, conducted on the groups of 500 eggs in each, the death-rate among adult species rouse from 14 % in the control group to 31.9 % in the groups that were under the impact of computer displays radiation (Fig.20, where: 1- the control group; 2- the death-rate of the fruit-flies which were under the influence of computer displays radiation during the embryonic growth period; 3- the death-rate of the fruit-flies which were under the influence of computer displays radiation during entire period of their development; 4- the fruit-flies under protection).

Fig.20

The process of development and behavior of white rats after their stay in the zone of computer displays influence is discussed in the materials by P.le Ruz and G. Colin (France).

The animals accommodated at the boxes from organic glass were in front of a computer display during 15 days at a distance of 60 cm from its center. It was discovered that the irradiated animals of both sexes had significantly less mass since the birth moment in comparison with the control ones. “The shock tests” were conducted with adult species. The method of electric shock was used for the determination of the threshold of sensitivity. It appeared to be that the threshold of sensitivity significantly increased in the irradiated groups while their mobility decreased (Fig, 21, where: 1- the death-rate of the males in the control group; 2- the death-rate of the males which were under the computer displays; 3- the males under protection; 4,5,6- for the females respectively). The radiation causes the problems with mentality and behavior among rats.

Fig. 21

The influence of computer displays radiation on developing embryos of chickens was examined by Bettty F. Sisken and other (the USA). The tests were conducted in three incubators made from wood and plastic. During 5 days chicken eggs were at a distance of 20 cm from computer displays. The preliminary results of the tests are presented in Fig.22, where: 1- the control group, 2- the embryos of chickens were under the influence of computer displays radiation during the embryonic growth period; 3- the embryos were under protection from the a negative impact of torsion fields. It follows from the diagram that the number of embryos with deviations in development is 1.5 times more in the irradiated groups in comparison with the radiation-free ones; a slowed evolution of foetus or its absence was observer; the embryos became breakable and biologically weak.

Fig.212

The factors of computer influence on a human.

There are convincing evidences of negative complex influence of computer displays radiation on an organism.

As numerous scientific works made with up-to-date domestic and foreign measuring equipment showed, a computer display is a source of some kinds of fields and radiations:

X-radiation;

ultra-violet (315-400 nm);

visible (400-700 nm) ;

near infrared (700-1050 nm);

far infrared (1050 nm - 1 mm);

EHF - VHF ranges (300 GHz - 300 MHz);

VHF – MF ranges (300 MHz - 3 MHz);

MF - VLF ranges (3 MHz - 3 kHz);

infralow frequency - extremely-low frequency ranges (3 kHz - 3Hz);

electrostatic and torsion fields.

Computer displays radiate electromagnetic fields in very wide range. In the radio-frequency region these fields are produced by a cathode-ray tube of a computer display. While their main sources are the horizontal and vertical diverting coils that scan electron ray and work in the range 15-35 kHz. At a distance of 50 cm from a screen usual electric fields intensity - 1 -10 V/m, while magnetic flux density - 0.1- 1 mT.

Video terminals also produce electric and magnetic fields with frequency 50 or 60 Hz and their harmonics. But they are not alone.

The first reports about a negative impact of video terminals are connected with diseases of face skin discovered among employees in Norway [86; 87], Sweden [88] and Great Britain [89]. The checkups of more than 300 people discovered rashes on faces appearing in couple hours of work with a computer. Initially there was itch, then erythema turning sometimes into papulae with characteristic localization on cheeks and particularly on cheekbones. Even at that time Nilsen [87], rejecting allergic contact and photo dermatitis, suggested a possible role of display electrostatic field in these phenomena, while Stenberg [89] was against this theory. The attempts to decrease electrostatic potential by installing the eath, a screen of metal net or liquid (a glass container with electrolytic solution) sometimes brought successful results [86].

Fig.2

About the same result was produced by the increase (to 50%) of air moisture indoors and elimination of electrifiable floor covering. However, none was absolutely sure, and there was the possibility that other unfavorable factors acted in combination with the mentioned ones. Swanbeck also inclined to the version of electrostatic and not electromagnetic fields in combination with psycho-emotional stress experienced by employees in the process of official duties fulfillment [90]. At the same time many scientists shared this opinion [91-93], nevertheless, Wedberg supposed a possible participation of aerosol particles precipitated on the face from the air in the manifestations of skin reactions among users during the work with a computer [95]. While the researches conducted in Finland discovered that electrostatic field of a video terminal significantly changes the proportion between positive and negative aeroions in indoors air, they did not success in providing any significant addition to the problem of skin diseases [96]. Basing on the statements of many patients about the disappearance of skin manifestations after cessation of work with video displays, Swanbeck and Bleeker conducted the number of provocative tests that, however, did not provide any single-valued results [97]. According to the Akimmenko’s data [4], static electric field with intension more than 1000 V/cm changes the activity of exchange processes in skin decreasing its bactericidal activity, however, the electrostatic displays from cathode-ray tube can be much eliminated by increasing the relative air humidity to 70% [4]. Thus, now people pay much more attention to the above-mentioned toxicological aspects of offices [99, 100], especially in connection with the use of fire-retardants in computers and other electronic equipment. Skin manifestations are considered as a form of general somatovegetative disorders that appear among personnel as a result of socio-psychological stress effects [102-104].

The attention to spontaneous abortions among women working with video display terminals appeared after the mention about such phenomena in the number of publications in the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Australia and Poland [105, 21]. Moreover, there was the information about the defects of development among children born by these women, which were considered as teratogenic influence of electromagnetic fields irradiated by computer displays, although observation time was insufficient for this conclusion.

McDonald with co-authors after checking up 56 thousand women in Canada from 1982 to 1984 determined some risk of spontaneous abortions and defects of children development among women who worked with video terminals during their pregnancy [110, 111]. According to the results of the research conducted in the USA among a big group of women who spend 20 and more hours a week at a computer, the frequency of spontaneous abortions was high, although the authors of the article do not connect this with electromagnetic radiation from video terminals [112].

The 191 cases of spontaneous abortions out of 394 successful accouchement used as a control group were examined, the comparison beign conducted as well among the groups of women who were under the influence of video display magnetic fields of conditionally high and low intensities. During the evaluation of research results there was the opinion that the influence of changing magnetic fields (with magnetic flux density > 0.9 mkTl)during the early period of pregnancy can contribute to the increase of further risk of spontaneous abortions.

In 1979 the article by two Americans Werth-Eimer and Leeper [116] published in fairly respectable journal disturbed the scientific community of developed countries. Basing on the results of own investigation, conducted in Denver (the USA), they claimed about the increased risk of tumor appearance, particularly leucosis, among children living in immediate proximity to high-voltage power lines and thus experiencing the radiation of electric and magnetic fields of industrial frequency (in the USA 60 Hz). We can claim with certainty that this article in some sense broke the record of quoting for such publications. The reports by Tomenins [117], Savitz with co-authors [118], Nasca with co-authors [119], which provided the results of similar researches, proved the seriousness of this problem.

Research laboratories and professionals collectives also participated in the discussion of the problem. Delgado in the tests with chicken embryos showed a teratogenic influence of low-frequency magnetic fields with intensity 0.12, 1.2 and 12 mT [120]. Simulating radiation influence from video terminals by the impact of impulse magnetic fields (40 mT) with frequency 15.6 kHz, Chiang with co-authors obtained the acceleration of teratogenic effects provoked among mice, although the imitation was not fulfilled in corpore - the irradiation was conducted in Helmholts rings [121].

The most correct in the context of experiment performance must be recognized the researches conducted recently by Anisimov with co-authors, when the influence on experimental animals was directly at the display that allowed to simulate all aspects of its influence with the maximum identity. In these experiments scientists marked the increase of frequency of the tumors induced by urethane among mice irradiated during an hour every day five times a week by electromagnetic fields from video terminals which fact was the evidence of a stimulating influence of display radiation on tumors development [5].

Then it is advisable to pay attention on those sides of electromagnetic fields influence on visual function that, judging from published works, were somehow avoided by the researchers of safety at work with PC displays.

The existing possibility of great epileptic seizures provoked by watching TV programs [122] could not be set aside during the investigation of video display terminals safety.

Although an insignificant number of people suffer from photogenic epilepsy, according to the data provided by Jeavons with co-authors, work with video terminals can cause seizures among photosensitive individuals, especially if they use a TV set as a display [123]. However, as video display terminals are characterized by a lower level of blinking, absence of raster graphics and line interlacing, they can in a lesser degree cause seizures in comparison with TV sets [124].

Another phenomenon, at the same time of no lesser importance, connected with straight perception of changing magnetic fields by a human obtained the name magnetophosphene. This phenomenon known relatively long ago (it was discovered by D’Arsonval in 1896) lies in the fact that people with covered eyes have the feeling of light flashes during the head irradiation by the field with frequency more than 10 Hz and intensity of dozens mT [105]. At the definite period it was considered that the appearance of magnetophosphene is connected with the influence of a magnetic field on excitable structures of an encephalon. Later the phenomenon of electrophosphene was discovered. It resembles the feelings from magnetophosphene and occurs during the passing of a low frequency alternating current through the head.

Researching afterwards these phenomena, Lovsund with co-authors defined that the optimum of sensitivity lies in the range of 20-30 Hz for electro-, as well as for magnetophosphene with magnetic field intensity 10-12 mT [126: 127]. Later with the help of the experiments with isolated retina of a frog’s eye they showed that electromagnetic fields influence a photoreceptor apparatus and not the structure of an encephalon [128]. This fact has a significant importance in connection with recently accepted role of main epiphysis neurohormone - melathonin- in the influence of low frequency electromagnetic fields [5].

In the organisms of people and animals melathonin is synthesized directly in retina and plays admittedly an important role in transmission of a signal from the eye to the epiphysis. Olcese with co-authors have recently experimentally determined that alteration of the magnetic field with density about 30 mT, which is in the measures of geomagnetic field of the Earth, changes for sure melathonin content in the retina of a rat’s eye [129]. Thus, Olcese with co-authors think that retina of mammals participates in magnetic field information transmission to the central nervous system. In addition to that Prato with co-authors in their recent investigations showed that the influence effects of a low frequency magnetic field wiht low magnetic flux density (141 mT) could be simulated by the light, the realization of this influence being fulfilled through the opioid system [130]. Analyzing the results of the researches presented in these works, one can suppose that “left’ from animals human’s similar system of magnetic field perception by retina receptor structure, which functions as electro- and magnetophosphene in impulse low frequency electromagnetic fields, sends signals to the brain during the work with a video terminal which is one more reason of stress and disorders in normal functioning of a vision organ.

Numerous home equipment and electricity supply network in our houses produce light electric and magnetic changing fields with frequency 50-60 Hz. Since these fields are significantly lower than the static magnetic field of the Earth (about 400-500 mT) or its electric fields, it was difficult to suspect that they can be dangerous for health and it is naturally that researches in this sphere did not get a proper attention.

Where are the dangers for a user? From our point of view, torsion fields theory allows to approach to the understanding of the nature of a possible electromagnetic fields negative influence for human health. In accordance with this theory, torsion fields are a component of any electromagnetic radiation. Torsion fields and their characteristics are examined more minutely in the following chapters.

While the computer and informatics symbolize the latest period of civilization, the era of electricity began and continues from the end of the XIX century. High-voltage power lines are an indispensable element of industrial landscape.

In 1979 American researches N. Wertheimer and A. Leeper disturbed the world with the report about double increase of risk to die from cancer among children who live in immediate proximity to high-voltage power lines [85].

After them D. Savits and a number of other researches obtained similar results in observations over children [81, 83,84].

Moreover, it was found out that people who work in electrotechnical industry (electricians, electric engineers, personnel operating telephone and high-voltage lines) fall ill and die from leucosis and some other kinds of malignant tumors, including brain, prostate and mamma tumors, more often than employees of other specialities.

In the monograph [19] there is the similar data about disease rate among machinists of locomotives and their assistants who occupy the first place.

A a negative impact of radiotelephones should be mentioned as well. The investigations in the sphere of radiotelephone radiation biological influence affirmed that the most sensitive systems of a human organism are nervous, immune, endocrine and genital ones. Reaction of these systems defines the consequences of a negative influence on a human organism in general. As in the case with a PC display, the field of investigation is mainly brain and peripheral receptors of vestibular, visual, auditory analyzers, at the same time it is evident that different parts of a brain and receptors are responsible for functioning of above-mentioned crucial organism systems.

During the use of cellular telephones with carrier frequency 450-900 MHz wavelength is slightly exceeds linear dimension of a human head and in this case radiation influences non-uniformly, i.e. so-called “hot spots” can be generated, particularly in the head center. Experiments with animals do not give reliable information, as none of them has a skull similar in shape and dimension to a human one. Therefore, in recent times a lot of attention is paid to the researches that use complex model phantoms, calculation methods of analysis of energy absorption by different structures of cerebrum. The calculation of absorbed electromagnetic field energy by a human brain shows that during the use of telephones with on-peak power = 2 Wt and working frequency = 900 MHz magnetic field intensity in cerebrum (hypothalamus area) is 20-30 V/m or 120-230 mkWt/cm (the allowance in Russia for cellular telephones users = 100 mkWt/cm² ).

Taking into account an important role of cerebral hemispheres and hypothalamus in the fulfillment of human mental functions, one can expect that a prolonged repeated impact of maximum permissible doses of electromagnetic radiation and accompanying informational torsion component can lead to mental disorders, including the alteration of conditioned reflexes, behavioral reactions, condition of short-term and long-term memory, to changes of bioelectric activity of different brain structures.

Influence of electromagnetic radiation and accompanying informational torsion component on an organism is not enough studied; however, it is evident that it affects an organism (the numerous experiments with laboratory animals conducted in France, USA, Switzerland, Ukraine, Russia prove the possibility of influence of weak ultralow and low frequency electromagnetic fields and their torsion components on biological objects, especially on a brain).

Moreover, still tense pose of an operator, who is chained for a long period to a display, leads to tiredness and pain in the spine, neck, shoulder joints, while intensive work with a keyboard causes pain feelings in elbow joints, forearms, wrists, hands and fingers.

Operator activity includes first of all a visual perception of information reflected on a display; therefore, a visual apparatus experiences a significant tension. The factors that affect significantly eyesight are:

The imperfection of methods of images creation on a display.

This group of factors includes:

non-optimal parameters of cathode-ray sweep circuit;

incompatibility of display and graphic adapter parameters;

insufficient display resolution, defocusing, beam nonconvergence and low level of its other technical characteristics;

redundant or insufficient display brightness;

torsion component of electromagnetic radiation.

Insufficiently considered organization of a working place that leads to:

presence of flashes on a front display panel;

absence of required level of working places illuminance;

nonobservance of a distance between operator’s eyes and a display.

In addition to all mentioned facts, the work of a computer is accompanied by acoustic noises, including ultrasound.

A possible worsening of computer operator’s health is the object of research programs of the National Academy of Sciences, National Institute of Labor Protection and Skin Diseases Prophylaxis of the USA, scientific-medical institutions of Sweden, France, Austria, Japan, and, what is a pleasant fact, of Ukraine.

Although the picture of computer influence on a human organism described above is rather gloomy, one should remember that such consequences are possible in the case of full neglect of the problem. Each user should know the problem “by sight” to be able to defeat it.

Thus, a special significance is acquired by the problem of protection and creation of convenient conditions for human existence in professional and domestic spheres with the help of the search of means for prevention from professional aptitude loss.

3. Computer stress syndrome.

Medical authorities are disturbed with the fact that among PC users a new kind of disease was discovered -computer stress syndrome of a PC user (CSS) which is accompanied by headache, eyes inflammation, allergy, irritability, languor and depression [29].

The symptoms of the disease are numerous and various. In our review they are grouped under the principle of influence on that or another area of an organism. As a rule, the presence of only one symptom is unlikely, as all functional organs of a human are interconnected.

1. Physical indispositions: drowse, fatiguability, constant tiredness (even after a rest); headaches after work; headaches in eyes area (eye pain); headaches in frontal bones and forehead areas; headaches in cervical, side and perietal parts of a head; pain in lower part of the back, in hips area, in legs; the feeling of pricking, numb sensations, pain in hands, wrists; tension of muscles of upper part of a body (neck, back, shoulders, hands).

Eyes diseases: quick fatiguability, feelings of sharp pain, burning, itch, tearfulness; often winking, the feeling of rubbed eyes.

3. Disfunction of a visual perception: the vagueness of eyesight at a long distance immediately after work at a computer (“the scales on eyes”); the vagueness of eyesight at a long distance (screen picture is badly focused by the visual system); the vagueness of eyesight increases during the day; the appearance of double eyesight (screen picture is doubled); spectacles become “weak” (the need to change spectacles); headaches; slow refocusing; strabismus.

4. The worsening of concentration and capacity for work (very often as a result of visual disfunctions): concentration is reached with difficulty (it is impossible to maintain attentiveness during a long period of time); irritability during and after work; loss of working spot on a display, omission of lines, words, typing of repeated lines; mistakes during the filling of columns (“missing”), changing of words and figures.

According to the doctors’ opinion, the reasons of various symptoms of computer stress syndrome are five main factors:

wrong work of eyes and wrong position of a body;

use of discordant spectacles or contact lenses;

wrong organization of working place;

summation of physical, mental and visual work;

low level of visual readiness to the work with a computer.

However, according to the author’s opinion, the main reason of a negative influence of PC displays, TV sets and other home equipment on users is a torsion component of electromagnetic radiation.

There is a reliable opinion that the possibility of CSS appearance can be decreased to minimum by excluding the negative factors of influence.

The Russian Research Institute of Labor Protection also conducted biomedical investigations of computer impact on users. The presented Table 1 illustrates the obtained results.

To be just, it should be noted that there is as well the opinion about absence of computer influence on the health. But all above-said earnestly proves the existence of CSS. This opinion is held as well by A. V. Bobrov who claims that torsion fields - is the basis of informational interactions in biology.

Table 1. The results of PC influence on users

4. Computer and children health.

We should especially note the problem: computer and children. Nowadays in the world there is a powerful industry of computer games. A huge number of companies compete for the superiority (and subsequently for significant profits) on the market, creating beautiful and fascinating, cunning and intricate, aggressive and bloodthirsty games for boys and girls of all ages. Owing to their anatomic and physiological features, children are the most sensitive to external influences. They devote all their free time to games with a great pleasure. In this connection we should remember about a great danger. Children are in much lesser degree than adults capable to control their conduct and being carried away they can’t tear themselves away from a display, where thrilling events are taking place. But their mentality is very unstable; therefore, exorbitant passion for computer games can become a reason of very severe consequences: exaggerated excitability, decrease in school results, a child becomes capricious, uncontrollable, ceases to be interested in anything except a computer. In its influence on a child organism a computer game resembles a drug.

In Japan and England doctors discovered a disease of a new kind among some children who were keen on computer games since early age - video game epilepsy syndrome. The symptomes of this disease are headaches, prolonged spasms of face muscles, and disfunctions of eyesight. The syndrome, although not leading to the fading of mental capabilities, contributes to the forming of typical to epilepsy negative character features, such as suspiciousness, hypochondria, hostile and aggressive attitude towards relatives, impetuosity and irascibility.

It does not follow from all said above that a child can’t be allowed to use a computer at any chance, but parents should very strongly measure out computer time, especially in the case when there are no devices for protection against a negative impact of torsion fields.

It should be noted that in recent times there was the appearance of religious literature about a negative impact of TV sets and computer equipment [65]. The author of the book, an Orthodox priest, noting expansion of spiritual diseases and declining of morality among children, connects this with a negative influence of urban “computer and television” sphere. Using the materials of periodicals, he explains how exactly the surrounding world provokes child soul into negative emotions, cultivates idle reverie and passions destructive for a soul, he explains how it causes a definite damage to a physical and mental health of children. Children psychologies and psychiatrist consider that the main children diseases in the XXI century will be the diseases connected with a negative impact of TV sets and computers. Television encodes the behavior of a child or teenager by different means, voluntarily and not,, making him or her live according to the laws of screen world.

Psychogenic influence on a human can be produced by different means, for example, with the help of color. Many scientists researched the influence of colors on mentality. Lusher’s test - one of the most widespread and reliable tests. An examnee is proposed to choose a favorite color from a variety, then - from the rest again the favourite color and so on. Making the comparative analysis, scientists obtain conclusions about psycho-emotional condition of a human and about his or her health. The same Lusher solved one more task: presenting colors to a human according to the specific program, he changed his or her emotional and physical condition. Thus, if a special color spectrum is used for a game, then a lot can be obtained…

“It seems like computerization gave rise to one more misfortune - passion for the Internet”, - is announced in “Canadian Medical Association Journal”. Doctor Yang observed 496 patients, 396 of them had unhealthy passion for the Internet. She noted that in its nature this phenomenon resembles alcoholism or irresistible craving for gambling. In the journal it is underlined that those who have a computer at home are under the greatest risks.

As experience shows, the ideas of protection against a negative influence of torsion fields of PC displays and other electronic equipment are accepted with difficulty. However, one should not forget that there are the numerous proofs of a negative influence of PC displays on users even in the presence of protective devices in the form of filters of different modification. The science should deal with explanation of the mentioned facts, because, as I. I. Pavlov said, “facts are the air of science”. Even if they are beyond the conceptions worked out by science.

The traditional reasons are conditioned by the conceptions formed in the science and relate not only to the problems of users’ protection against PC displays negative impact but as well to practically all incipient branches of scientific knowledge.

The american scientific sociologist Kun in his book “The structure of scientific revolutions” shows that wide scientific community begins to accept experimental results which are beyond the generally accepted theoretical concepts, as a rule, after appearance of hypotheses, concepts, theories, in whose framework their scientific interpretation is possible. Until this, paradoxical facts are ignored; scientists do not take them into account in their activity.

The spread of new ideas goes, as a rule, simultaneously with the appearance of a new generation of scientists who are free from the burden of past, obsolescent concepts, and they become thus the bearers of the ideas of a new paradigm.