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The Cornell Daily Sun (https://cornellsun.com/2003/09/05/give-athletes-a-break/)

September 5, 2003

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Give Athletes a Break

By wpengine | September 5, 2003

I suppose this column is somewhat of a disclaimer. Before I launch off into another year of analyzing, praising and — more often than not — criticizing Cornell sports, I feel something needs to be said.

A sports journalist (and I’m using this term loosely for myself) must deal with the cold, hard facts of a team he or she (where are you Amanda Angel?) is covering. This usually puts a writer at the strict will of the win-loss column. The equation is simple: When your team wins, it receives good press and if it doesn’t, well

New Method to Examine Proteins

By wpengine September 8, 2003

Michelle D. Wang and Steven J. Koch of Cornell’s department of physics published an article this past July in the journal Physical Review Letters that mapped out a new and innovative method for examining the proteins in living cells that interact with DNA. As genetics has taken its place on the forefront of scientific technology, this new finding proves especially significant: it is these molecules that allow the information stored on the DNA strands to be translated for use within an organism. The article, titled “Dynamic Force Spectroscopy of Protein-DNA Interactions by Unzipping DNA”, explains the process of this new technique, which combines two previously known techniques, called dynamic force spectroscopy and unzipping force analysis of protein association, or UFAPA. The process itself is much less overwhelming than the scientific terminology used to describe it. An unzipping fork moves along a DNA molecule to separate the two strands of its double-helix structure as is necessary for retrieving its encoded information. As it does so, it comes across those proteins attached to the DNA itself: exactly what Wang and Koch are interested in. When the unzipping fork reaches these points, “a dramatic increase in the tension in the DNA, followed by a sudden tension reduction, is detected,” says the article. Analysis of this can then reveal information about many factors involving DNA-protein interaction. The result is the ability to distinguish “protein-DNA binding complexes on a site-specific, single-molecule basis,” the report says, meaning that it allows the proteins to be studied with great particularity. Wang, a Cornell assistant professor of physics, had been working on the technique for almost three years, but says the research is only in the “laboratory-development stage” at this point. She was assisted by Koch, a former physics graduate student who is now a researcher at Sandia National Laboratories, while performing the research. The two biophysicists explained in their paper that the current methods for examining protein-DNA interactions were very limited in the factors of the relationship they were able to explore. “The new single-molecule method provides specialized advantages and in some cases will enable measurements that thus far have been inaccessible,” the report claims. This new technique opens many doors in the future of genetics research, Wang and Koch explained. One application is its potential role in the current work towards understanding the genome. “This could be used for restriction mapping, the first critical step in genomic sequencing, and for actual sequencing where the sequence of DNA is determined with a large number of restriction enzymes,” Wang told the Cornell Chronicle. Wang also commented, “pharmaceutical companies could use UFAPA to screen libraries of small molecules for affinity to DNA.” Other applications even include discovering and identifying new DNA binding proteins. Archived article by Amy Green
Polo Supports Philanthropy

By wpengine September 8, 2003

The most unlikely of Cornell grads just became a supermodel. Carolyn Leuner ’02, a kindergarten teacher in the South Bronx, is to appear in Ralph Lauren’s new G.I.V.E. jeans ad campaign. Polo Jeans began promoting its new line in August, featuring 21 young community activists in its advertisements. Leuner was one of those chosen, picked for her work at P.S. 31 with Teach for America. The message of G.I.V.E. asks consumers to “get involved, volunteer, exceed,” according to the Polo Jeans website. A portion of all proceeds from the jeans will be given to an array of community, arts, health and education-based charities, in addition to a lump sum for those organizations associated with the models. Nicole Caruso, an account executive at PMK/HBH, is in charge of the advertising campaign. Polo Ralph Lauren hired the public relations firm to target a young audience. With television commercials running on MTV and print advertisements featured in fashion magazines, the campaign is attempting to reach high school and college-age students. “The whole point … is to get young people thinking about volunteering,” Caruso said. Most of the featured activists are in their 20’s, so Caruso believes the target audience can relate to these volunteers. Leuner does not see herself as a model, but she could not pass up Polo’s offer to help Teach for America. “They’re endorsing me rather than me endorsing them,” Leuner said of the clothing company. Polo Jeans donated $10,000 to Teach for America for Leuner’s participation. Money will go to teacher training, curriculum development and classroom supplies that schools cannot otherwise afford. Participation Leuner decided to participate in the advertising campaign because it was “an effort to celebrate people who work to fix what they see isn’t right.” Leuner, who graduated with a double major in English and government, became interested in civil rights and inequality studies after spending a semester at the Cornell-in-Washington program. An internship with the Department of Justice “sparked my passion and desire to change things for minorities,” Leuner said. When Leuner’s two-year commitment with Teach for America ends, she plans on going to law school or teaching at an inner city charter school. She described her current institution as “a very hostile school” but sees her classroom as “a safe environment.” “[I] really want to change the educational system as a whole,” she said. The East Harlem School at Exodus House, a private school for minorities, is another organization to which funds from the G.I.V.E. jeans are being donated. Teacher Rebecca Schanberg, the first G.I.V.E. model featured, appeared in the August issue of Glamour. Philippa Zainoeddin, director of development at the school, said that Ralph Lauren has a “fantastic relationship” with the East Harlem School and the other beneficiaries of G.I.V.E. Zainoeddin said that Polo allows its employees to “find a passion and pursue it in their work time” by getting involved and not just by writing annual checks. There are 39 charities that will benefit from G.I.V.E. jeans. The organizations for which the featured activists work will get five percent of the net proceeds; another five percent will be divided among the other charities. Consumers can vote online at polojeans.com for which organization they want their money to help. In addition to Teach for America and the East Harlem School, proceeds will also go to Action Without Borders, a large umbrella organization which connects over 30,000 charities; Rock the Vote, a youth-focused political awareness group and Gilda’s Club, a cancer support group. Archived article by Melissa Korn