Cross-sections for the inactivation of enzymes and viruses by energetic heavy ions

The calculation of the cross-sections for the inactivation of enzymes and viruses has been made, assuming these to be 1-hit detectors. The calculation makes use of a power-law empirical formula for the radial distribution of dose about the path of an energetic heavy ion. The calculation is made by assuming that the probability of inactivating a molecular target by irradiation with a given dose of delta rays is equal to the probability of inactivating it with the same dose of gamma-rays. The cross-section is found by adjusting the assumed value of the D37 dose of gamma-rays until an optimal fit of the calculation to the measured cross-sections is obtained. The average value and standard deviation of the ratios of the calculated results to the experimental ones of all 72 cross-sections is 0.96+-0.11, while the average ratio of the experimental value to the fitted value of the gamma-ray D37 dose is 1.07+-0.18