The Skip Quadtree: A Simple Dynamic Data Structure for Multidimensional Data

We present a new multi-dimensional data structure, which we call the skip quadtree (for point data in R^2) or the skip octree (for point data in R^d, with constant d>2). Our data structure combines the best features of two well-known data structures, in that it has the well-defined "box"-shaped regions of region quadtrees and the logarithmic-height search and update hierarchical structure of skip lists. Indeed, the bottom level of our structure is exactly a region quadtree (or octree for higher dimensional data). We describe efficient algorithms for inserting and deleting points in a skip quadtree, as well as fast methods for performing point location and approximate range queries.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures. A preliminary version of this paper appeared in the 21st ACM Symp. Comp. Geom., Pisa, 2005, pp. 296-30

Subnanosecond Fluctuations in Low-Barrier Nanomagnets

Fast magnetic fluctuations due to thermal torques have useful technological functionality ranging from cryptography to probabilistic computing. The characteristic time of fluctuations in typical uniaxial anisotropy magnets studied so far is bounded from below by the well-known energy relaxation mechanism. This time scales as $\alpha^{-1}$, where $\alpha$ parameterizes the strength of dissipative processes. Here, we theoretically analyze the fluctuating dynamics in easy-plane and antiferromagnetically coupled nanomagnets. We find in such magnets, the dynamics are strongly influenced by fluctuating intrinsic fields, which give rise to an additional dephasing-type mechanism for washing out correlations. In particular, we establish two time scales for characterizing fluctuations (i) the average time for a nanomagnet to reverse|which for the experimentally relevant regime of low damping is governed primarily by dephasing and becomes independent of $\alpha$, (ii) the time scale for memory loss of a single nanomagnet|which scales as $\alpha^{-1/3}$ and is governed by a combination of energy dissipation and dephasing mechanism. For typical experimentally accessible values of intrinsic fields, the resultant thermal-fluctuation rate is increased by multiple orders of magnitude when compared with the bound set solely by the energy relaxation mechanism in uniaxial magnets. This could lead to higher operating speeds of emerging devices exploiting magnetic fluctuations

DNA-Packing Portal and Capsid-Associated Tegument Complexes in the Tumor Herpesvirus KSHV.

Assembly of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) begins at a bacteriophage-like portal complex that nucleates formation of an icosahedral capsid with capsid-associated tegument complexes (CATCs) and facilitates translocation of an ∼150-kb dsDNA genome, followed by acquisition of a pleomorphic tegument and envelope. Because of deviation from icosahedral symmetry, KSHV portal and tegument structures have largely been obscured in previous studies. Using symmetry-relaxed cryo-EM, we determined the in situ structure of the KSHV portal and its interactions with surrounding capsid proteins, CATCs, and the terminal end of KSHV's dsDNA genome. Our atomic models of the portal and capsid/CATC, together with visualization of CATCs' variable occupancy and alternate orientation of CATC-interacting vertex triplexes, suggest a mechanism whereby the portal orchestrates procapsid formation and asymmetric long-range determination of CATC attachment during DNA packaging prior to pleomorphic tegumentation/envelopment. Structure-based mutageneses confirm that a triplex deep binding groove for CATCs is a hotspot that holds promise for antiviral development

Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Default Local Processing in Individuals with High Autistic Traits Does Not Come at the Expense of Global Attention.

Atypical sensory perception is one of the most ubiquitous symptoms of autism, including a tendency towards a local-processing bias. We investigated whether local-processing biases were associated with global-processing impairments on a global/local attentional-scope paradigm in conjunction with a composite-face task. Behavioural results were related to individuals\u27 levels of autistic traits, specifically the Attention to Detail subscale of the Autism Quotient, and the Sensory Profile Questionnaire. Individuals showing high rates of Attention to Detail were more susceptible to global attentional-scope manipulations, suggesting that local-processing biases associated with Attention to Detail do not come at the cost of a global-processing deficit, but reflect a difference in default global versus local bias. This relationship operated at the attentional/perceptual level, but not response criterion

Probing the use of long lived intra-ligand π-π * excited states for photocatalytic systems: a study of the photophysics and photochemistry of [ReCl(CO)3(dppz-(CH3)2)]

We report the excited state photophysics and photochemistry of [ReCl(CO)3(dppz-(CH3)2)] (dppz-(CH3)2 = 11,12-dimethyl-dipyrido[3,2-a:2’,3’-c]phenazine) in CH3CN using timeresolved infrared (TRIR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Excitation of the 1MLCT (metal-to-ligand charge transfer) band of [ReCl(CO)3(dppz-(CH3)2)] populates a 3MLCT excited state which rapidly interconverts on a timescale < 1 ns to a long lived IL (intra-ligand) π-π* excited state with a lifetime of 190 (± 5) ns. In the presence of an electron donor (NEt3), the IL excited state of [ReCl(CO)3(dppz-(CH3)2)] can be reductively quenched to [ReCl(CO)3(dppz-(CH3)2)]− with the radical in the latter localised on the distal phenazine (phz) portion of the dppz ligand. The phz based electron in [ReCl(CO)3(dppz-(CH3)2)]− has minimal interaction with the rhenium metal centre which increases the stability of the photosensitiser in its reduced form. In non-dried, non-degassed CH3CN (1 M NEt3), [ReCl(CO)3(dppz-(CH3)2)]− shows no significant change in the carbonyl region of the IR spectrum for at least 2 hours during continuous photolysis. In addition, we investigate the use of [ReCl(CO)3(dppz-(CH3)2)]− to reduce the previously studied catalyst [NiFe2], with facile electron transfer from [ReCl(CO)3(dppz-(CH3)2)]− to form [NiFe2]–