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VOL. 25, NO. 39
SEPT. 29, 1978
DURHAM, N.C.
Sponsored by Wakeman Award
Conference to explore neurobiology frontiers
A «ripnft^ir rr»r»foronr'Ck r^C " d_i.i i_ xmi i. . •
A national scientific conference on
nerve function and regeneration of the
nervous system will be held here next
Thursday, Oct. 5. ^
The day-long session, titled "Frontiers
of Neurobiology," is sponsored by the
Wakeman Award, an international award
administered by Duke and presented
every two years to one or more research
ers chosen by other scientists in recogni
tion of their work in the neurosciences.
Two recipients have been chosen for
the 1978 Wakeman Award and they will
be announced at a black tie dinner the
night before the conference in the Searle
Center for Continuing Education in the
Health Sciences.
"Frontiers of Neurobiology" will con
centrate its morning session on how the
eye and its nerves identify visual cues —
the size and shape of objects, color and
motion — and how this information is
translated by the brain into recognizable
images.
Morning speakers and their subjects
will be:
9 a.m. — Dr. Robert H. Wurts of the
Laboratory of Neurobiology, National
Institute of Mental Health (LN-NIMH),
in Bethesda, Md., "Vision during eye
movements: single cell and psychophysi
cal comparisons."
9:40 a.m. — Dr. Stephen G. Lisberger
of LN-NIMH, "Visual tracking and the
single flocculus Purkinje cell."
10:40 a.m. — Dr. Peter L. Strick of the
Research Service at the Syracuse (N.Y.)
VA Hospital, "Multiple representations
in the motor cortex and cerebellum:
Mechanisms for differential input-output
control."
11:20 a.m. — Dr. Edward B. Evarts of
LN-NIMH, "Interaction of peripheral
inputs and central programs in primate
motor cortex during volitional move
ments."
The afternoon session will center on
regeneration of the nervous system
following injury. The special focus of
interest of the Wakeman Award is
research to correct injuries which result
(Continued on page 2)
Marathoners shouldn’t run into problems
r\7 n lA/s 11 j ~ Cl.— 1 1 II 1 A
iOMtO VtCK I CO • MtHM SKMTlM GOODS •CHMIll OF COHMIKI
By David Williamson
The Durham First Marathon to be held
Sunday may never threaten the Bostoh
Marathon as the nation's premier
footrace, but it will surpass the New
England event as far as protecting the
runners is concerned.
That's the opinion of Dr. William C.
Hall, associate professor of anatomy at
Duke and a veteran distance runner who
has competed in Boston twice and in so
many other races that he has lost track of
the total.
In the last year alone, Hall has run in
three competitions where participants
have been struck by automobiles. Tables
bearing cups of water for thirsty athletes
often have been obscured by crowds of
spectators.
And once, he recalled, he had to run
down the median of a four-lane highway
bearing heavy traffic and cut between the
vehicles to make a turn.
Safety first
'At some of these places, you feel like
you're risking your life running, and the
medical facilities are generally
inadequate," he said.
"From what I've heard about
preparations for the Durham marathon,
it should be as safe as or safer than any
other race in the country."
At the request • of the Durham
Chamber of Commerce, Dr. R. Sander
Williams has assumed responsibility for
planning and staffing medical facilities for
the marathon. He is a fellow in cardiology
at Duke who works with the university's
preventive approach to cardiology
(DUPAC), a supervised exercise program
designed primarily for patients with heart
disease, hypertension or diabetes.
Prevention major goal
Williams said that unlike most other
marathons where the runners never
cover the same ground twice, the
Durham race will consist of an 8.7 mile
loop to be run three times.
Three first aid tents will be established
along the route so that runners are never
(Continued on page 4)
FROM THE FOLKS WHO BROUGHT YOU PARKING GARAGE I, HERE’S NO. 2 — The brand new
Parking Garage II, across Erwin Road from Duke Hospital North and across Fulton Street from
the VA Hospital, will lay itself opea to tire tracks and dripping oil beginning Monday when the
long-awaited five-decker officially opens. It has space for approximately 1,620 vehicles, and 500 of
those spaces will be sold to people wanting to rent monthly parking spots. Harry Gentry, manager
of medical transportation, parking and facilities, said applications for monthly parking may be
completed at his office. Room 314, Bell Building. The fee is $12.50 a month. Spaces will be sold to
both Duke and VA personnel, and nearly 200 of the 500 rental spaces had been applied for this
week. Transportation needs between the garage and the present hospital will be studied during
the first couple of weeks. Gentry said, before deciding whether the current Duke-VA bus service
is adequate. That service runs every 20minutesfrom 9a.m.-4 p.m., alternating between the circle
behind the medical center and the circle in front of the hospital. When the Personnel Rapid Transit
(PRT) system is completed, it will run from Duke South, through Duke North and under Erwin
Road to the parking garage. In this scene, Erwin Road runs toward the west in the left of the
picture and the VA Hospital peeks over the top of the garage. fPholo hu Fader Herring)