Resolving distance variations by single-molecule FRET and EPR spectroscopy using rotamer libraries.

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy are complementary techniques for quantifying distances in the nanometer range. Both approaches are commonly employed for probing the conformations and conformational changes of biological macromolecules based on site-directed fluorescent or paramagnetic labeling. FRET can be applied in solution at ambient temperature and thus provides direct access to dynamics, especially if used at the single-molecule level, whereas EPR requires immobilization or work at cryogenic temperatures but provides data that can be more reliably used to extract distance distributions.

Do Atomic Veterans have excess cancer? New results correcting for the healthy soldier bias.

Reanalysis of the National Research Council report on Mortality of Nuclear Weapons Test Participants, released June 4, 1985, shows 62% excess cancer among soldiers involved in nuclear weapons testing in 1957 codenamed PLUMBBOB, who had exposures to fallout of 300 mrem or more. Although the "healthy soldier bias" was discussed in the original report and a method of correcting for it was described, false negative results were reported because no correction was actually made. Correcting for the healthy soldier bias reveals excess digestive, respiratory, leukemia, and other cancers in PLUMBBOB participants whose reported doses were over 300 mrem.