[請大家先看一下下面這些報導：--因為本篇結構有點複雜，所以我講的話都會放在中括弧裡，其他的新聞、評論與說明也都有特別加以描述--]
[首先，這是一篇登載在中文的「電子工程專輯雙週刊」的新聞，網址是：
http://www.eettaiwan.com/ART_8800490724_617723_NT_7674309b.HTM，主要內容是翻譯同一家媒體的英國網站新聞：]
無線通訊導致自閉症兒童增加？ 研究有待證實
上網時間 : 2007年11月27日
人們原本擔心手機可能致癌，最近坊間還出現Wi-Fi可能導致暈眩等病症的說法；現在又有科學家提出警告，指無線網路可能會導致兒童自閉症(autism)案例增加。
以上警告是由美國學者Tamara Mariea和George Carlo合著的臨床醫學報告所提出。Mariea為專長自閉症研究的臨床醫學專家；Carlo則是長期研究電子輻射危害的學者，曾於1990年代主導了一項有關行動電話對人體健康之為害的研究計畫。而這兩位學者的報告，是透過在2005~2006年間，對數名自閉症兒童所進行的測試與觀察而來。
根據Carlo所成立的科學與公共政策學會(Science and Public Policy Institute)不久前發表的一份新聞稿指出，研究人員將受測的自閉症兒童安排在一個消除了來自手機、Wi-Fi等電磁波來源的環境中，並觀察他們的頭髮、尿液以及排泄物的重金屬含量，期間長達數週至數月之久；後來發現在這個無通訊訊號環境中的兒童，體內的重金屬量會逐漸減少。
其中最重的金屬例如汞(mercury)與鈾(uranium)，會最後被代謝清除。而在這些受測兒童中，有不少因為體內的重金屬量減少，其自閉症的症狀也跟著改善。對此Mariea補充指出，該研究結果為他們提供了線索，可解開部份自閉症研究文獻中，指解毒作用 (detoxification)可改善症狀的謎團，而研究結果也令人滿意。
Carlo則表示，將上述研究結果與其他有關逆細胞膜反應(adverse cell-membrane responses)，以及正常細胞生理機制瓦解(disruptions of normal cell physiology)的研究連結，電磁波顯然導致了重金屬在細胞中的停留，因此減緩了新陳代謝，並加速症狀的產生。
兩位作者指出，自閉症案例隨著1990年代行動電話與Wi-Fi的陸續普及與使用而增加；不過他們也強調，病例的增加也有可能是因為對自閉症的醫療檢測效率提高。但Carlo仍認為，自閉症案例增加有很大一部分與環境因素有關。他表示其研究數據已為自閉症和無線技術之間的關聯，提供了合理的佐證。
無論如何，此一研究有待更充分的證據來支持，畢竟自閉症兒童與未經證實的電磁波傷害有關這樣的指控，實在是太過敏感的話題，期待有更深入的研究來證明兩者之間究竟是否有連帶關係。
[然後這是該新聞的原文資料，網址是：
http://eetimes.eu/uk/203102992]
Wireless and autism -- where is the link?
John Walko
EE Times Europe
11/19/2007 1:45 PM
LONDON — We have had scares about cellular phones and cancer and more recently suggestions that Wi-Fi causes all kinds of nausea and illnesses. Now a couple of scientists are warning that wireless networks may be responsible for accelerating the rise of autism in children.
The fears are outlined in a scientific study published this week in the ”peer-reviewed” Australasian Journal of Clinical Environmental Medicine.
The paper was co-authored by Tamara Mariea, a clinical nutritionist based in Nashville, Tennessee, specializing in treating autism and George Carlo, described as an ”expert on the dangers of electromagnetic radiation (EMR)”, who headed ”the world’s largest research program on mobile phone health hazards in the 1990s.”
A quick look on Google reveals Dr Carlo is also a long term and prominent supporter of organizations pushing the idea that wireless communications of all flavors can cause ill health and long term damage, and not just to children.
Their work revealed the autism-wireless technology connection following a series of tests on autistic children monitored during 2005 and 2006.
Mariea and Carlo have previously raised concerns about such potential links, but few other researchers have studied the topic.
According to a press release Monday (Nov. 19) from the Washington, DC-based Science and Public Policy Institute, which was founded by Dr Carlo: The autistic children followed specific detoxification protocols in an environment that was mitigated with regard to sources of EMR including mobile phones and Wi-Fi. Heavy metal excretions were monitored from hair, urine and feces over periods ranging from several weeks to several months. The researchers found that with protocols administered in the mitigated environment, heavy metals were cleared from the children’s bodies in a pattern dependent on time and molecular weight. The heaviest metals, such as mercury and uranium, cleared last. In many of the children, the decrease in metals was concomitant with symptom amelioration.
Tamara Mariea, said: ”These findings give us very important clues to solving some of the enigmas we see in the autism literature regarding the efficacy of detoxification. And, we are extremely pleased with the results we are now seeing in these children. Our protocols are working.”
Dr. Carlo added: ”These findings tie in with other studies showing adverse cell-membrane responses and disruptions of normal cell physiology. The EMR apparently causes the metals to be trapped in cells, slowing clearance and accelerating the onset of symptoms.”
The authors point out that the rise in cases of autism is paralleled by the huge growth in mobile phone and Wi-Fi usage since the late 1990’s. They hasten to add that ”some” of the increase in autism can be ascribed to more efficient diagnosis of the disorder.
But the bottom line, Dr Carlo insists, is that a rise of this magnitude ”must have a major environmental cause. Our data offer a reasonable mechanistic explanation for a connection between autism and wireless technology”.
We wait to see some corroborative evidence for any of this. In the meantime, since both autism and exposure to the so far unproven harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation in children are incredibly sensitive subjects, let’s hope some more in depth studies prove that there is no such link.
[OK，暫時先看到這裡。這則新聞裡對於這兩個「研究者」的來歷都加上了括弧，表示對他們宣稱的所謂「療效」是有所質疑的。可是在網路上不管怎麼找，我就是找不到這篇報導中所指的那篇「學術論文」的全文--甚或只是摘要，甚至連Australasian Journal of Clinical Environmental Medicine這家雜誌我都找不到。而且不只是我，住在倫敦的一個人也做過一樣的事，他在他的部落格上說也是找不到這家雜誌，對這個「突破性」的「解毒」研究結論也是多所揶揄：]
Monday 19 November 2007, 12:18 PM
Wi-Fi causes autism! Or not.
Posted by David Meyer
News just in from those sensitive folks over at the Science and Public Policy Institute in Pennsylvania. Yep, as we were warned earlier this year, Tamara Mariea (a ”certified clinical nutritionist”), and the redoubtable Dr George Carlo (see here for more on this ”expert on the dangers of electromagnetic radiation”) have finally published their ”groundbreaking scientific study” showing that Wi-Fi causes autism.
From their press release:
”The autistic children followed specific detoxification protocols in an environment that was mitigated with regard to sources of EMR including mobile phones and WiFi 3. Heavy metal excretions were monitored from hair, urine and feces over periods ranging from several weeks to several months. The researchers found that with protocols administered in the mitigated environment, heavy metals were cleared from the children’s bodies in a pattern dependent on time and molecular weight. The heaviest metals, such as mercury and uranium, cleared last. In many of the children, the decrease in metals was concomitant with symptom amelioration.
Tamara Mariea, said: ”These findings give us very important clues to solving some of the enigmas we see in the autism literature regarding the efficacy of detoxification. And, we are extremely pleased with the results we are now seeing in these children. Our protocols are working.”
Dr. Carlo said, ”These findings tie in with other studies showing adverse cell-membrane responses and disruptions of normal cell physiology. The EMR apparently causes the metals to be trapped in cells, slowing clearance and accelerating the onset of symptoms... Our data offer a reasonable mechanistic explanation for a connection between autism and wireless technology.”
Apparently this groundbreaking paper was ”published this week in the peer-reviewed Australasian Journal of Clinical Environmental Medicine”. Now, I’m no Ben Goldacre, but I do know how to use Google, and I can see no evidence of any ”Australasian Journal of Clinical Environmental Medicine”. Correct me if I’m wrong. Someone? Anyone?
Why do I get the feeling that we have so been here before?
[我的評論：
雖然資訊不足，沒有讀到那個「學術著作」的全文，但光憑媒體的描述，我不覺得這個研究有在peer-reviewed（同儕審查）的醫學雜誌發表的可能性。
首先，最根本的科學問題就是：這個研究沒有對照組。另外，就我個人的生物醫學知識來看，也沒有證據說一般生活在無明顯污染的環境中的人會有機會暴露於足以造成中樞神經系統傷害的重金屬裡，然而自閉症卻是不分貧富貴賤、東南西北都有病例，而且還是先進國家發生率比較高（其實主要是因為高度發展的國家才有醫療資源資源去診斷並教育自閉兒，當然被發現並診斷的機率高得多）。到目前為止（我查到今年一月底的學術資料庫，一共是大約三四十年來的研究），還沒有確切證據指出一般環境中的水銀暴露（例如食用海產魚類）與兒童的生長發育有相關，甚至有的研究指出因為疫苗中含水銀所造成的微量水銀暴露可以顯著降低自閉症的發生：Ng DK, Chan CH, Soo MT, Lee RS. Low-level chronic mercury exposure in children and adolescents: meta-analysis. Pediatr Int. 2007 Feb;49(1):80-7.。食用海魚是最普遍的低劑量水銀暴露來源，然而我們卻沒發現食用較多海魚的人口群中有比較高自閉症發生率（我有參與其中的東非島國：西歇爾群島兒童長期世代研究）。其實就算是我們在自閉症患者身上發現較高的水銀含量，這仍然是缺乏因果時序上的相關性的（「因」應該要在「果」發生之前就已經存在）。反而吸菸對於兒童發展的各方面為害罪證確鑿，大家反而不會恐慌，真是奇怪！
所以我的結論是：就算是有一些分子生物學的證據指出高劑量的電磁波可能會影響細胞膜的一些特定功能，也並不就等於它是導致自閉症發生的原因。自閉症是個高度複雜的疾病，絕非單一因子所造成的，也絕非一兩個不世出的天才用一個研究就可以找到治癒的良方的，這世界從來就是不完美的。當然也有可能未來的科學發展，可以讓我們找到特殊的一群人對電磁波有不一樣的感受性（susceptibility），以致於有可能會造成某些疾病，但那都還是未知數。科學是個有機體，是可以公開接受質疑而不斷成長發展的。科學界裡只有老師，沒有權威無與倫比、高度不可挑戰的「師父」。
我知道這是個高度爭議的公眾健康問題，找這個題材來討論，不管講什麼，都會有人覺得我角度偏頗，有知識份子的傲慢，我就像捅了馬蜂窩一樣，會被叮得滿頭包。當然你可能會覺得「每次」接觸了「電磁波」（正式的名稱應該是「非游離輻射」）之後就會覺得「不舒服」，然而症狀卻是人言言殊。這個爭論跟統獨一樣，也註定是要不斷延續下去，沒有終止的一天。不過你要瞭解的是：人是逃離不了電磁波的，所有的電器都會產生電磁波，就算你在全世界最偏僻的太平洋中央的珊瑚環礁上生活，天空中還是充滿了不同波長與強度的各式電磁波，大自然中的放電現象（打雷）、甚至太陽逸出的輻射粒子跟大氣摩擦，都有電磁波產生。在荒島上生活，你晚上沒電視可以看，只好看看星星、講講希臘神話故事；不好意思喔，還有很多你看不見的「星星」（白矮星，已經死掉了的恆星）也是不斷地在放出強烈的電磁波（不過很遙遠就是了）。在宇宙間，你根本無處可逃。
不過我倒是可以確定：台灣上空的電磁波實在太多了，大家每天忙著用各式大小電器接收並傳送電磁波，然後被媒體裡工作的那些少數的幾百個人操縱、玩弄，而他們的原始動機卻並非是有充分考慮到公眾利益的，這種電磁波導致的病才是嚴重啊！]
