When precaution creates misunderstandings: the unintended effects of precautionary information on perceived risks, the EMF case.

In the past decade, growing public concern about novel technologies with uncertain potential long-term impacts on the environment and human health has moved risk policies toward a more precautionary approach. Focusing on mobile telephony, the effects of precautionary information on risk perception were analyzed. A pooled multinational experimental study based on a 5 × 2 × 2 factorial design was conducted in nine countries.

Influence of information about specific absorption rate (SAR) upon customers' purchase decisions and safety evaluation of mobile phones.

This study investigated whether the SAR value is a purchase-relevant characteristic of mobile phones for laypersons and what effect the disclosure of a precautionary SAR value has on laypersons' risk perception. The study consisted of two parts: Study part 1 used a conjoint analysis design to explore the relevance of the SAR value and other features of mobile phones for an intended buying decision. Study part 2 used an experimental, repeated measures design to examine the effect of the magnitude of SAR values and the disclosure of a precautionary SAR value on risk perception.

Analysis of risk assessment and risk management processes in the derivation of maximum levels for environmental contaminants in food.

Environmental contaminants originate from diverse sources and, owing to their ubiquitous presence in the environment, may appear in foods. Setting standards in food is increasingly important within the European Union and world-wide to protect consumers' health and to avoid trade barriers. This paper analyses how maximum levels for environmental contaminants in food were derived by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, by the European Union and by national authorities (USA, Germany).

Quantification of cardiac and tissue iron by nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry in a novel murine thalassemia-cardiac iron overload model.

Objective: To determine whether nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation parameters can be used to quantify iron in tissues, the relationship between NMR spectrometric T2 relaxation measurements and tissue iron concentration were verified in a novel murine cardiac iron overload model.

Methods: Congenital heterozygous thalassemic mice and controls were injected with intraperitoneal iron or saline and were sacrificed at three weeks. Samples of liver, heart and peripheral muscle were subjected to NMR relaxation measurements and continuous distribution analysis.