State-complexity hierarchies of uniform languages of alphabet-size length

We study the state complexity of certain simple languages. If A$A$ is an alphabet of k$k$ letters, then a k$k$-language   is a nonempty set of words of length k$k$, that is, a uniform language of length k$k$. We show that the minimal state complexity of a k$k$-language is k+2$k+2$, and the maximal, (k^k−1−1)/(k−1)+2^k+1$(k^{k-1}-1)/(k-1)+2^k+1$. We prove constructively that, for every i$i$ between the minimal and maximal bounds, there is a language of state complexity i$i$. We introduce a class of automata accepting sets of words that are permutations of A$A$; these languages define a complete hierarchy of complexities between k²−k+3$k^2-k+3$ and 2^k+1$2^k+1$. The languages of another class of automata, based on k$k$-ary trees, define a complete hierarchy of complexities between 2^k+1$2^k+1$ and (k^k−1−1)/(k−1)+2^k+1$(k^{k-1}-1)/(k-1)+2^k+1$. This provides new examples of uniform languages of maximal complexity.     

Simulating one-reversal multicounter machines by partially blind multihead finite automata

This work is concerned with simulating nondeterministic one-reversal multicounter automata (NCMs) by nondeterministic partially blind multihead finite automata (NFAs). We show that any one-reversal NCM with k$k$ counters can be simulated by a partially blind NFA with k$k$ blind heads. This provides a nearly complete categorization of the computational power of partially blind automata, showing that the power of a (k+1)$(k+1)$-NFA lies between that of a k$k$-NCM and a (k+1)$(k+1)$-NCM.     

Paths and trails in edge-colored graphs

This paper deals with the existence and search for properly edge-colored paths/trails between two, not necessarily distinct, vertices s$s$ and t$t$ in an edge-colored graph from an algorithmic perspective. First we show that several versions of the s−t$s-t$ path/trail problem have polynomial solutions including the shortest path/trail case. We give polynomial algorithms for finding a longest properly edge-colored path/trail between s$s$ and t$t$ for a particular class of graphs and characterize edge-colored graphs without properly edge-colored closed trails. Next, we prove that deciding whether there exist k$k$ pairwise vertex/edge disjoint properly edge-colored s−t$s-t$ paths/trails in a c$c$-edge-colored graph G^c$G^c$ is NP-complete even for k=2$k=2$ and c=Ω(n²)$c=\Omega \left(n^2\right)$, where n$n$ denotes the number of vertices in G^c$G^c$. Moreover, we prove that these problems remain NP-complete for c$c$-edge-colored graphs containing no properly edge-colored cycles and c=Ω(n)$c=\Omega \left(n\right)$. We obtain some approximation results for those maximization problems together with polynomial results for some particular classes of edge-colored graphs.     

Efficient pebbling for list traversal synopses with application to program rollback

We show how to support efficient back traversal in a unidirectional list, using small memory and with essentially no slowdown in forward steps. Using O(lgn)$O(lgn)$ memory for a list of size n$n$, the i$i$’th back-step from the farthest point reached so far takes O(lgi)$O(lgi)$ time in the worst case, while the overhead per forward step is at most ?$?$ for arbitrary small constant ?>0$?>0$. An arbitrary sequence of forward and back steps is allowed. A full trade-off between memory usage and time per back-step is presented: k$k$ vs. kn^1/k$k{n}^{1/k}$ and vice versa. Our algorithms are based on a novel pebbling technique which moves pebbles on a virtual binary, or n^1/k$n^{1/k}$-ary, tree that can only be traversed in a pre-order fashion.     

Claw finding algorithms using quantum walk

The claw finding problem has been studied in terms of query complexity as one of the problems closely connected to cryptography. Given two functions, f$f$ and g$g$, with domain sizes N$N$ and M$M$(N≤M)$(N\le M)$, respectively, and the same range, the goal of the problem is to find x$x$ and y$y$ such that f(x)=g(y)$f\left(x\right)=g\left(y\right)$. This problem has been considered in both quantum and classical settings in terms of query complexity. This paper describes an optimal algorithm that uses quantum walk to solve this problem. Our algorithm can be slightly modified to solve the more general problem of finding a tuple consisting of elements in the two function domains that has a prespecified property. It can also be generalized to find a claw of k$k$ functions for any constant integer k>1$k>1$, where the domain sizes of the functions may be different.     

An approximation algorithm to the k-Steiner Forest problem

Given a graph G$G$, an integer k$k$, and a demand set D={(_s1,_t1),…,(_sl,_tl)}$D=\{(s_1,t_1),\dots ,(s_l,t_l)\}$, the k$k$-Steiner Forest problem finds a forest in graph G$G$ to connect at least k$k$ demands in D$D$ such that the cost of the forest is minimized. This problem was proposed by Hajiaghayi and Jain in SODA’06. Thereafter, using a Lagrangian relaxation technique, Segev et al. gave the first approximation algorithm to this problem in ESA’06, with performance ratio O(n^2/3logl)$O(n^{2/3}logl)$. We give a simpler and faster approximation algorithm to this problem with performance ratio O(n^2/3logk)$O(n^{2/3}logk)$ via greedy approach, improving the previously best known ratio in the literature.     

Minimum leaf out-branching and related problems

Given a digraph D$D$, the Minimum Leaf Out-Branching problem (MinLOB) is the problem of finding in D$D$ an out-branching with the minimum possible number of leaves, i.e., vertices of out-degree 0. We prove that MinLOB is polynomial-time solvable for acyclic digraphs. In general, MinLOB is NP-hard and we consider three parameterizations of MinLOB. We prove that two of them are NP-complete for every value of the parameter, but the third one is fixed-parameter tractable (FPT). The FPT parameterization is as follows: given a digraph D$D$ of order n$n$ and a positive integral parameter k$k$, check whether D$D$ contains an out-branching with at most n−k$n-k$ leaves (and find such an out-branching if it exists). We find a problem kernel of order O(k²)$O\left(k^2\right)$ and construct an algorithm of running time O(2^O(klogk)+n⁶)$O(2^{O(klogk)}+n^6)$, which is an ‘additive’ FPT algorithm. We also consider transformations from two related problems, the minimum path covering and the maximum internal out-tree problems into MinLOB, which imply that some parameterizations of the two problems are FPT as well.     

Spanners for bounded tree-length graphs

This paper concerns construction of additive stretched spanners with few edges for n$n$-vertex graphs having a tree-decomposition into bags of diameter at most δ$\delta$, i.e., the tree-length δ$\delta$ graphs. For such graphs we construct additive 2δ$2\delta$-spanners with O(δn+nlogn)$O(\delta n+nlogn)$ edges, and additive 4δ$4\delta$-spanners with O(δn)$O\left(\delta n\right)$ edges. This provides new upper bounds for chordal graphs for which δ=1$\delta =1$. We also show a lower bound, and prove that there are graphs of tree-length δ$\delta$ for which every multiplicative δ$\delta$-spanner (and thus every additive (δ−1)$(\delta -1)$-spanner) requires Ω(n^1+1/Θ(δ))$\Omega \left(n^{1+1/\Theta \left(\delta \right)}\right)$ edges.     

Divergence bounded computable real numbers

A real x$x$ is called h$h$-bounded computable  , for some function h:N→N$h:\mathbb{N}\to \mathbb{N}$, if there is a computable sequence (_xs)$(x_s)$ of rational numbers which converges to x$x$ such that, for any n∈N$n\in \mathbb{N}$, at most h(n)$h(n)$ non-overlapping pairs of its members are separated by a distance larger than 2^-n$2^{-n}$. In this paper we discuss properties of h$h$-bounded computable reals for various functions h$h$. We will show a simple sufficient condition for a class of functions h$h$ such that the corresponding h$h$-bounded computable reals form an algebraic field. A hierarchy theorem for h$h$-bounded computable reals is also shown. Besides we compare semi-computability and weak computability with the h$h$-bounded computability for special functions h$h$.     

Tag systems and Collatz-like functions

Tag systems were invented by Emil Leon Post and proven recursively unsolvable by Marvin Minsky. These production systems have proved to be very useful in constructing small universal (Turing complete) systems for several different classes of computational systems, including Turing machines, and are thus important instruments for studying limits or boundaries of solvability and unsolvability. Although there are some results on tag systems and their limits of solvability and unsolvability, there are hardly any that consider both   the shift number v$v$ and the number of symbols μ$\mu$. This paper aims to contribute to research on limits of solvability and unsolvability for tag systems, taking into account these two parameters. The main result is the reduction of the 3n+1$3n+1$-problem to a surprisingly small tag system. It indicates that the present unsolvability line–defined in terms of μ$\mu$ and v$v$–for tag systems might be significantly decreased.     

Minimum cost source location problem with local 3-vertex-connectivity requirements

Let G=(V,E)$G=(V,E)$ be a simple undirected graph with a set V$V$ of vertices and a set E$E$ of edges. Each vertex v∈V$v\in V$ has a demand d(v)∈_Z+$d\left(v\right)\in Z_{+}$ and a cost c(v)∈_R+$c\left(v\right)\in R_{+}$, where _Z+$Z_{+}$ and _R+$R_{+}$ denote the set of nonnegative integers and the set of nonnegative reals, respectively. The source location problem with vertex-connectivity requirements in a given graph G$G$ requires finding a set S$S$ of vertices minimizing _∑v∈Sc(v)${\sum }_{v\in S}c\left(v\right)$ such that there are at least d(v)$d\left(v\right)$ pairwise vertex-disjoint paths from S$S$ to v$v$ for each vertex v∈V−S$v\in V-S$. It is known that if there exists a vertex v∈V$v\in V$ with d(v)≥4$d\left(v\right)\ge 4$, then the problem is NP-hard even in the case where every vertex has a uniform cost. In this paper, we show that the problem can be solved in O(|V|⁴log²|V|)$O\left({\left|V\right|}^4{log}^2\left|V\right|\right)$ time if d(v)≤3$d\left(v\right)\le 3$ holds for each vertex v∈V$v\in V$.     

Algorithms for near solutions to polynomial equations

Let F(x,y)$F(x,y)$ be a polynomial over a field K$K$ and m$m$ a nonnegative integer. We call a polynomial g$g$ over K$K$ an m$m$-near solution of F(x,y)$F(x,y)$ if there exists a c∈K$c\in K$ such that F(x,g)=cx^m$F(x,g)=c{x}^m$, and the number c$c$ is called an m$m$-value of F(x,y)$F(x,y)$ corresponding to g$g$. In particular, c$c$ can be 0. Hence, by viewing F(x,y)=0$F(x,y)=0$ as a polynomial equation over K[x]$K\left[x\right]$ with variable y$y$, every solution of the equation F(x,y)=0$F(x,y)=0$ in K[x]$K\left[x\right]$ is also an m$m$-near solution. We provide an algorithm that gives all m$m$-near solutions of a given polynomial F(x,y)$F(x,y)$ over K$K$, and this algorithm is polynomial time reducible to solving one variable equations over K$K$. We introduce approximate solutions to analyze the algorithm. We also give some interesting properties of approximate solutions.     

A parameterized view on matroid optimization problems

Matroid theory gives us powerful techniques for understanding combinatorial optimization problems and for designing polynomial-time algorithms. However, several natural matroid problems, such as 3-matroid intersection, are NP-hard. Here we investigate these problems from the parameterized complexity point of view: instead of the trivial n^O(k)$n^{O\left(k\right)}$ time brute force algorithm for finding a k$k$-element solution, we try to give algorithms with uniformly polynomial (i.e., f(k)⋅n^O(1)$f\left(k\right)\cdot n^{O\left(1\right)}$) running time. The main result is that if the ground set of a represented linear matroid is partitioned into blocks of size ?$?$, then we can determine in randomized time f(k,?)⋅n^O(1)$f(k,?)\cdot n^{O\left(1\right)}$ whether there is an independent set that is the union of k$k$ blocks. As a consequence, algorithms with similar running time are obtained for other problems such as finding a k$k$-element set in the intersection of ?$?$ matroids, or finding k$k$ terminals in a network such that each of them can be connected simultaneously to the source by ?$?$ disjoint paths.     

Approximately optimal trees for group key management with batch updates

We investigate the group key management problem for broadcasting applications. Previous work showed that, in handling key updates, batch rekeying can be more cost effective than individual rekeying. One model for batch rekeying is to assume that every user has probability p$p$ of being replaced by a new user during a batch period with the total number of users unchanged. Under this model, it was recently shown that an optimal key tree can be constructed in linear time when p$p$ is a constant and in O(n⁴)$O\left(n^4\right)$ time when p→0$p\to 0$. In this paper, we investigate more efficient algorithms for the case p→0$p\to 0$, i.e., when membership changes are sparse. We design an O(n)$O\left(n\right)$ heuristic algorithm for the sparse case and show that it produces a nearly 2-approximation to the optimal key tree. Simulation results show that its performance is even better in practice. We also design a refined heuristic algorithm and show that it achieves an approximation ratio of 1+?$1+?$ for any fixed ?>0$?>0$ and n$n$, as p→0$p\to 0$. Finally, we give another approximation algorithm for any p∈(0,0.693)$p\in (0,0.693)$ which is shown to be quite good by our simulations.     

Bounding the radii of balls meeting every connected component of semi-algebraic sets

We prove an explicit bound on the radius of a ball centered at the origin which is guaranteed to contain all bounded connected components of a semi-algebraic set S⊂R^k$S\subset {\mathbb{R}}^k$ defined by a weak sign condition involving s$s$ polynomials in Z[_X1,…,_Xk]$\mathbb{Z}[X_1,\dots ,X_k]$ having degrees at most d$d$, and whose coefficients have bitsizes at most τ$\tau$. Our bound is an explicit function of s,d,k$s,d,k$ and τ$\tau$, and does not contain any undetermined constants. We also prove a similar bound on the radius of a ball guaranteed to intersect every connected component of S$S$ (including the unbounded components). While asymptotic bounds of the form 2^τdO(k)$2^{\tau d^{O\left(k\right)}}$ on these quantities were known before, some applications require bounds which are explicit and which hold for all values of s,d,k$s,d,k$ and τ$\tau$. The bounds proved in this paper are of this nature.     

Transposition invariant words

We define an operation called transposition on words of fixed length. This operation arises naturally when the letters of a word are considered as entries of a matrix. Words that are invariant with respect to transposition are of special interest. It turns out that transposition invariant words have a simple interpretation by means of elementary group theory. This leads us to investigate some properties of the ring of integers modulo n$n$ and primitive roots. In particular, we show that there are infinitely many prime numbers p$p$ with a primitive root dividing p+1$p+1$ and infinitely many prime numbers p$p$ without a primitive root dividing p+1$p+1$. We also consider the orbit of a word under transposition.     

Drawing slicing graphs with face areas

We consider orthogonal drawings of a plane graph G$G$ with specified face areas. For a natural number k$k$, a k$k$-gonal drawing of G$G$ is an orthogonal drawing such that the boundary of G$G$ is drawn as a rectangle and each inner face is drawn as a polygon with at most k$k$ corners whose area is equal to the specified value. In this paper, we show that every slicing graph G$G$ with a slicing tree T$T$ and a set of specified face areas admits a 10-gonal drawing D$D$ such that the boundary of each slicing subgraph that appears in T$T$ is also drawn as a polygon with at most 10 corners. Such a drawing D$D$ can be found in linear time.