Track Core Research Articles

Computer generated track and field scoring tables

An investigation is made into the subject of scoring tables for track and field with emphasis on the application of computers to calculate and output the tables. The resulting scoring tables represent an attempt to describe the effective quality of performance for track and field events. This paper is published in three parts. The first portion reviewed the historical development of scoring tables. This part concerns the theoretical foundation and development of a mathematical model. A set of underlying principles and construction guidelines are established as a basis for all scoring tables. In order to satisfy the goals, a model which includes an exponential term is developed. The concept of a zero offset is introduced as a boundary value for the low-level performances. The final part concerns an evaluation of the model and an analysis of the point scores for different events.

Effect of linear energy transfer on the radiation-induced inactivation of dilute aqueous ribonuclease solutions

The radiation-induced inactivation of dilute aqueous solutions of ribonuclease has been measured for radiations having a wide variation of LET. The results show that the radiation sensitivity of RNase falls as LET increases in the same way as the free radical yields decrease. However, there appears to be an additional decrease in sensitivity which is associated with the large size of the enzyme molecule. The results obtained with the 105 MeV 14N5+ ion are consistant with the concept of Mozumder, Chatterjee and Magee, that above a threshold velocity the track core diameter of heavy ions increases with increasing velocity.

Computer Analysis of Champion Athletic Performance

Abstract Information processing technology has become an integral part of most research activities. Champion athletic performance has also received the attention of computer analysis. After presenting reasons why computers are utilized to analyze athletic performance and the types of systems which have been developed, 3 example applications are given. The first concerns the computer model of the average velocity vs distance “running curve.” The second describes the development of computer generated track and field scoring tables, and the last application outlines how a computer can generate training schedules for track runners. Finally, it is pointed out that although information processing may be an aid to the improvement of athletic performance, the human competitor — not the machine—accomplishes the performance.

Further Data on DNA Strand Breakage by Various Radiation Qualities

SummaryThin films of dry DNA (∼ 30 per cent water content) from T7 bacteriophage were irradiated by charged particles with track segment LET∞ values up to 255 keV/µm. Mean numbers of single- and double-strand breaks per molecule were determined by boundary sedimentation in an analytical ultracentrifuge. For both types of break, the number per unit dose increased only slightly up to about LET∞ = 100 keV/µm, but more rapidly beyond that point; the ratio of the numbers of the two types of breaks did not change systematically throughout the whole range of LET∞. The data have been analysed to deduce the separate contributions of the primary track cores and the delta-rays to total dose and to total single- or double-strand breakage. Breakage by the primary cores per unit dose from cores begins to increase markedly above a core LET100 around 50 keV/µm. The increase could be explained by effective cooperation between two or more events of small size occurring together at high LET but which would be rather ineffec...

The inactivation of an enzyme (carboxypeptidase) by X- and α -radiation

The inactivation of aqueous solutions of pure crystalline carboxypeptidase by X-radiation and α -radiation has been studied. It is concluded that in each case the enzyme molecules are inactivated by collision with a labile product resulting from the ionization of the water. The X-ray ionic yield is approximately constant and equal to about 0·18 enzyme molecules inactivated per ion pair of water at all enzyme concentrations between about 2 x 10 -4 and 2 x 10 -1 g. enzyme/ml. At lower concentrations a smaller X-ray ionic yield was observed. At an enzyme concentration of 3 x 10 -5 g./ml. the results are not affected by the absence of dissolved oxygen. The α -ray ionic yield is only about one-twentieth of the X-ray ionic yield, that is, ~ 0·01 molecules of enzyme inactivated per ion pair of water and appears to increase about twofold over the concentration range 5 x 10 -6 to 5 x 10 -3 g. enzyme/ml. An attempt is made to correlate the X-ray and α -ray ionic yields with what is known concerning the spatial distribution of the ions. It is concluded that the extremely high concentration of positive ions which forms the core of the α -ray track probably plays a very significant role in the general radiochemistry of α -radiation. The small inactivation of carboxypeptidase brought about by exposure to α -rays could be ascribed to the secondary electrons ( δ -rays) which travel clear of the α -ray track and it is not certain that any inactivation of enzyme is brought about by the primary α -ray ionization.