Publications by authors named "Rene Hirtl"

The European Union's Workers' Directive 2013/35/EU on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to electromagnetic fields specifies action levels (ALs) for external electric and magnetic fields, which should protect against induced tissue-internal electric field strengthabove the exposure limit values, the latter being defined in order to prevent tissue stimulation at low frequencies. However, although 2013/35/EU explicitly calls for the protection of 'workers at particular risk' (including workers with metallic implants), the AL specified in the Directive have been derived under the assumption that there are no metallic parts present inside the body. Therefore, in the present work, we analysed the situation of a worker's hand and forearm bearing metallic implants (Herbert screw and volar radius plate) used for osteosynthesis after the most common bone fractures of the hand/forearm, exposed to low frequency magnetic fields.

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In order to evaluate the localised magnetic field (MF) exposure of the cashier's hand due to a particular demagnetization device (deactivator) for single-use labels of an acoustomagnetic (AM) electronic article surveillance (EAS) system, comprehensive measurements of the MF near the surface of the deactivator, and numerical computations of the induced electric field strength, were performed in high-resolution anatomical hand models of different postures and positions with respect to the deactivator. The measurement results for magnetic inductionwere assessed with respect to the action levels (AL) for limb exposure, and the computational results forwere evaluated with respect to the exposure limit values (ELV) for health effects according to European Union (EU) directive 2013/35/EU. For the ELV-based assessment, a maximum of the 2 × 2 × 2 mmaveraged(max) and the respective 99.

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A novel exposure facility for exposing cell monolayers to centimeter and millimeter waves (18-40.5 GHz) used by future 5G mobile communication technology and similar applications has been developed. A detailed dosimetric characterization of the apparatus for frequencies of 27 and 40.

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Studies have reported that exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by mobile telephony might affect specific sleep features. Possible effects of RF-EMF emitted by Wi-Fi networks on sleep-dependent memory consolidation processes have not been investigated so far. The present study explored the impact of an all-night Wi-Fi (2.

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Background: The use of wireless telecommunication systems such as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi)-enabled devices has steadily increased in recent years. There are persistent concerns that radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure might affect health. Possible effects of RF-EMF exposure on human sleep were examined with regard to mobile phones and base stations, but not with regard to Wi-Fi exposure.

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A new head exposure system for double-blind provocation studies investigating possible effects of 2.45 GHz Wi-Fi exposure on human sleep was developed and dosimetrically analyzed. The exposure system includes six simultaneously radiating directional antennas arranged along a circle (radius 0.

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A simplified procedure, using circular disk models with homogeneous electric conductivity as representations for different body parts, has been proposed recently by product standard IEC 62822-3 for the assessment of magnetic field exposure in proximity to current-carrying conductors of welding equipment. Based on such simplified models, worst case coupling coefficients CCE(I), i.e.

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For the assessment of non-sinusoidal magnetic fields the European EMF Directive 2013/35/EU specified the Weighted Peak Method in Time Domain (WPM-TD) as the reference method. However, also other scientifically validated methods are allowed, provided that they lead to approximately equivalent and comparable results. In the non-binding guide for practical implementation of 2013/35/EU three methods alternative to the WPM-TD are described, i.

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According to European Directive 2013/35/EU, exposure limit values for protection against sensory and health effects are met if external electric or magnetic fields are below corresponding low and high action levels for head, trunk and limb exposure, respectively. In order to verify this assumption even for more realistic exposure situations deviating from strictly uniform fields, systematic numerical computations using anatomical body models exposed to worst-case magnetic field gradients in different body regions are conducted. Applying magnetic fields according to low action level to the head and high action level to trunk and limbs at the same time results in slightly increased in situ electric field strengths in central nervous system tissues, compared to uniform exposure at the low action level.

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A non-binding guide to practical implementation of European Directive 2013/35/EU concerning the limitation of occupational exposure against electromagnetic fields has been published recently. With regard to exposure assessment this guide proposes practically applicable assessment methods for non-uniform and non-sinusoidal environmental electric and magnetic fields, respectively. For non-sinusoidal magnetic fields in the low frequency range this guide proposes a time domain assessment (TDA) method, claimed to reduce the overestimation of exposure inherent to other assessment methods while being based on fundamental physiological principles regarding nerve stimulation.

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The reference levels and maximum permissible exposure values for magnetic fields that are currently used have been derived from basic restrictions under the assumption of upright standing body models in a standard posture, i.e. with arms laterally down and without contact with metallic objects.

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A modern wireless intra-ocular pressure monitoring system, based on 13.56 MHz inductively coupled data transmission, was dosimetrically analyzed with respect to the specific absorption rate (SAR) induced inside the head and the eye due to the electromagnetic field exposure caused by the reader antenna of the transmission system. The analysis was based on numerical finite difference time domain computations using a high resolution anatomical eye model integrated in a modern commercially available anatomical model of a male head.

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