Space-Efficient Parallel Algorithms for Combinatorial Search Problems

We present space-efficient parallel strategies for two fundamental combinatorial search problems, namely, backtrack search and branch-and-bound, both involving the visit of an $n$-node tree of height $h$ under the assumption that a node can be accessed only through its father or its children. For both problems we propose efficient algorithms that run on a $p$-processor distributed-memory machine. For backtrack search, we give a deterministic algorithm running in $O(n/p+h\log p)$ time, and a Las Vegas algorithm requiring optimal $O(n/p+h)$ time, with high probability. Building on the backtrack search algorithm, we also derive a Las Vegas algorithm for branch-and-bound which runs in $O((n/p+h\log p \log n)h\log^2 n)$ time, with high probability. A remarkable feature of our algorithms is the use of only constant space per processor, which constitutes a significant improvement upon previous algorithms whose space requirements per processor depend on the (possibly huge) tree to be explored.Comment: Extended version of the paper in the Proc. of 38th International Symposium on Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science (MFCS

Electronic structure and carrier transfer in B-DNA monomer polymers and dimer polymers: Stationary and time-dependent aspects of wire model vs. extended ladder model

We employ two Tight-Binding (TB) approaches to study the electronic structure and hole or electron transfer in B-DNA monomer polymers and dimer polymers made up of $N$ monomers (base pairs): (I) at the base-pair level, using the on-site energies of base pairs and the hopping integrals between successive base pairs, i.e., a wire model and (II) at the single-base level, using the on-site energies of the bases and the hopping integrals between neighboring bases, i.e., an \textit{extended} ladder model since we also include diagonal hoppings. We solve a system of $MD$ ("matrix dimension") coupled equations [(I) $MD$ = $N$, (II) $MD$ = $2N$] for the time-independent problem, and a system of $MD$ coupled $1^\text{st}$ order differential equations for the time-dependent problem. We study the HOMO and the LUMO eigenspectra, the occupation probabilities, the Density of States (DOS) and the HOMO-LUMO gap as well as the mean over time probabilities to find the carrier at each site [(I) base pair or (II) base)], the Fourier spectra, which reflect the frequency content of charge transfer (CT) and the pure mean transfer rates from a certain site to another. The two TB approaches give coherent, complementary aspects of electronic properties and charge transfer in B-DNA monomer polymers and dimer polymers.Comment: 20 pages, 23 figure

Loss of antigen-presenting molecules (MHC class I and TAP-1) in lung cancer.

Presentation of endogenous antigenic peptides to cytotoxic T lymphocytes is mediated by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. For the stable assembly of MHC class I complex it is necessary that the antigenic peptide is transported by the MHC-encoded transporters TAP-1 and TAP-2 into a pre-Golgi region. T-cell-mediated host-vs-tumour response might therefore depend on the presence of these molecules on tumour cells. The presence of MHC class I antigens and TAP-1 was studied in a series of 93 resection specimens of non-small-cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) by immunohistochemical methods using antibodies against the assembled class I molecule, beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m), heavy-chain A locus, A2 allele and TAP-1 protein. Eighty-six patients were included in the survival analysis. Total loss of class I molecule was observed in 38% of the cases and was usually accompanied by loss of beta 2-m and of heavy chain A locus. Selective loss of A locus was seen in 8.3% and of A2 allele in 27% of the cases. TAP-1 loss was always combined with beta 2-m and/or heavy chain A locus loss. No correlation was found between the expressional status of any of the above molecules, including the selective A2 allelic loss and histological type, degree of differentiation, tumoral stage, nodal stage and survival. Our findings suggest that loss of antigen-presenting molecules (including both MHC class I alleles and TAP-1) is a frequent event in lung cancer. However, the immunophenotypic profile of MHC class I and TAP-1 seems to be unrelated in vivo to the phenotype, growth or survival of NSCLC

bcl-2 in normal human breast and carcinoma, association with oestrogen receptor-positive, epidermal growth factor receptor-negative tumours and in situ cancer.

The role of bcl-2 expression in solid tumours is as yet undefined. It was, therefore, the purpose of this study to investigate expression of bcl-2 protein in 111 human breast carcinomas using immunohistochemistry and the monoclonal antibody bcl-2 124. Expression was then compared with the established indicators of prognosis and biological behaviour in malignant breast disease. No relationship could be observed between bcl-2 and node status, tumour size, differentiation, type or age at excision. However, a strong positive relationship was seen between bcl-2 and oestrogen receptor (ER), with 70 of 88 (80%) bcl-2-positive tumours being ER positive also, compared with seven of 23 (30%) bcl-2-negative tumours being ER positive (P < 0.0001). The converse was found when bcl-2 was compared with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). A strong negative relationship was observed, with 26 of 88 (30%) bcl-2-positive tumours being EGFR positive, compared with 16 of 23 (70%) bcl-2-negative tumours being EGFR positive (P = 0.001), raising the possibility that bcl-2 is an ER-regulated gene. An inverse relationship was also found between bcl-2 and the oncogenes c-erbB-2 and p53. Thus, loss of bcl-2 expression in breast cancer is associated with a range of molecular markers of poor prognosis and may define part of an ER-negative, EGFR-positive phenotype

Strategyproof Mechanisms for Additively Separable Hedonic Games and Fractional Hedonic Games

Additively separable hedonic games and fractional hedonic games have received considerable attention. They are coalition forming games of selfish agents based on their mutual preferences. Most of the work in the literature characterizes the existence and structure of stable outcomes (i.e., partitions in coalitions), assuming that preferences are given. However, there is little discussion on this assumption. In fact, agents receive different utilities if they belong to different partitions, and thus it is natural for them to declare their preferences strategically in order to maximize their benefit. In this paper we consider strategyproof mechanisms for additively separable hedonic games and fractional hedonic games, that is, partitioning methods without payments such that utility maximizing agents have no incentive to lie about their true preferences. We focus on social welfare maximization and provide several lower and upper bounds on the performance achievable by strategyproof mechanisms for general and specific additive functions. In most of the cases we provide tight or asymptotically tight results. All our mechanisms are simple and can be computed in polynomial time. Moreover, all the lower bounds are unconditional, that is, they do not rely on any computational or complexity assumptions

45th International Colloquium on Automata, Languages, and Programming, ICALP 2018

Front Matter, Table of Contents, Preface, Conference Organizatio

Fractional Path Coloring in Bounded Degree Trees with Applications

OPTx-editorial-board=yes, OPTx-proceedings=yes, OPTx-international-audience=yesInternational audienceThis paper studies the natural linear programming relaxation of the path coloring problem. We prove constructively that finding an optimal fractional path coloring is Fixed Parameter Tractable (FPT), with the degree of the tree as parameter: the fractional coloring of paths in a bounded degree trees can be done in a time which is linear in the size of the tree, quadratic in the load of the set of paths, while exponential in the degree of the tree. We give an algorithm based on the generation of an efficient polynomial size linear program. Our algorithm is able to explore in polynomial time the exponential number of different fractional colorings, thanks to the notion of trace of a coloring that we introduce. We further give an upper bound on the cost of such a coloring in binary trees and extend this algorithm to bounded degree graphs with bounded treewidth. Finally, we also show some relationships between the integral and fractional problems, and derive a (1 + 5/3e) ~= 1.61 approximation algorithm for the path coloring problem in bounded degree trees, improving on existing results. This classic combinatorial problem finds applications in the minimization of the number of wavelengths in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical networks