121 research outputs found
Noncooperative algorithms in self-assembly
We show the first non-trivial positive algorithmic results (i.e. programs
whose output is larger than their size), in a model of self-assembly that has
so far resisted many attempts of formal analysis or programming: the planar
non-cooperative variant of Winfree's abstract Tile Assembly Model.
This model has been the center of several open problems and conjectures in
the last fifteen years, and the first fully general results on its
computational power were only proven recently (SODA 2014). These results, as
well as ours, exemplify the intricate connections between computation and
geometry that can occur in self-assembly.
In this model, tiles can stick to an existing assembly as soon as one of
their sides matches the existing assembly. This feature contrasts with the
general cooperative model, where it can be required that tiles match on
\emph{several} of their sides in order to bind.
In order to describe our algorithms, we also introduce a generalization of
regular expressions called Baggins expressions. Finally, we compare this model
to other automata-theoretic models.Comment: A few bug fixes and typo correction
Three osculating walkers
We consider three directed walkers on the square lattice, which move
simultaneously at each tick of a clock and never cross. Their trajectories form
a non-crossing configuration of walks. This configuration is said to be
osculating if the walkers never share an edge, and vicious (or:
non-intersecting) if they never meet. We give a closed form expression for the
generating function of osculating configurations starting from prescribed
points. This generating function turns out to be algebraic. We also relate the
enumeration of osculating configurations with prescribed starting and ending
points to the (better understood) enumeration of non-intersecting
configurations. Our method is based on a step by step decomposition of
osculating configurations, and on the solution of the functional equation
provided by this decomposition
On the functions counting walks with small steps in the quarter plane
Models of spatially homogeneous walks in the quarter plane
with steps taken from a subset of the set of jumps to the eight
nearest neighbors are considered. The generating function of the numbers of such walks starting at the origin and
ending at after steps is studied. For all
non-singular models of walks, the functions and are continued as multi-valued functions on having
infinitely many meromorphic branches, of which the set of poles is identified.
The nature of these functions is derived from this result: namely, for all the
51 walks which admit a certain infinite group of birational transformations of
, the interval of variation of splits into
two dense subsets such that the functions and are shown to be holonomic for any from the one of them and
non-holonomic for any from the other. This entails the non-holonomy of
, and therefore proves a conjecture of
Bousquet-M\'elou and Mishna.Comment: 40 pages, 17 figure
Exact enumeration of Hamiltonian circuits, walks, and chains in two and three dimensions
We present an algorithm for enumerating exactly the number of Hamiltonian
chains on regular lattices in low dimensions. By definition, these are sets of
k disjoint paths whose union visits each lattice vertex exactly once. The
well-known Hamiltonian circuits and walks appear as the special cases k=0 and
k=1 respectively. In two dimensions, we enumerate chains on L x L square
lattices up to L=12, walks up to L=17, and circuits up to L=20. Some results
for three dimensions are also given. Using our data we extract several
quantities of physical interest
Planar maps and continued fractions
We present an unexpected connection between two map enumeration problems. The
first one consists in counting planar maps with a boundary of prescribed
length. The second one consists in counting planar maps with two points at a
prescribed distance. We show that, in the general class of maps with controlled
face degrees, the solution for both problems is actually encoded into the same
quantity, respectively via its power series expansion and its continued
fraction expansion. We then use known techniques for tackling the first problem
in order to solve the second. This novel viewpoint provides a constructive
approach for computing the so-called distance-dependent two-point function of
general planar maps. We prove and extend some previously predicted exact
formulas, which we identify in terms of particular Schur functions.Comment: 47 pages, 17 figures, final version (very minor changes since v2
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a therapeutic dose of unfractionated heparin (200 U/kg) administered subcutaneously or intravenously to healthy dogs
Objectives: To evaluate the effects of 200 U/kg of sodium unfractionated heparin (UFH) on coagulation times in dogs after IV and SC administration and to compare these effects with plasma heparin concentrations assessed by its anti Xa activity. Methods: 200 U/kg of UFH were administered Intravenously (IV) and Subcutaneously (SC) to five healthy adult Beagle dogs with a wash out period of at least 3 days. Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT), Prothrombin Time (PT) and plasma anti-factor Xa (aXa) activity were determined in serial blood samples. Results: After IV injection, PT remained unchanged except for a slight increase in one dog; APTT was not measurable (> 60 s) for 45 to 90 min, then decreased regularly and returned to baseline values between 150 and 240 min. High plasma heparin concentrations were observed (C max = 4.64±1.4 aXa U/mL) and decreased according to a slightly concave-convex pattern on a semi-logarithmic curve but returned to baseline slightly more slowly (t240 to t300 min). After SC administration, APTT was moderately prolonged (mean±SD prolongation: 1.55±0.28 x APTT t0, range [1.35-2.01]) between 1 and 4 hours after administration. Plasma anti-factor Xa activity reached a maximum of 0.56±0.20 aXa U/mL, range: [0.42 - 0.9] after 132±26.8 min and this lasted for 102±26.8 min. Heparin concentrations were grossly correlated to APTT; prolongation of APTT of 120 to 160% corresponded to plasma heparin concentrations range of 0.3-0.7 aXa U/mL, considered as the therapeutic range in human medicine. Conclusions: As in human, pharmacokinetic of UFH in dogs is non linear. Administration of 200 U/kg of UFH SC in healthy dogs results in sustained plasma heparin concentrations in accordance with human recommendations for thrombosis treatment or prevention, without excessively increased bleeding risks. In these conditions, APTT can be used as a surrogate to assess plasma heparin concentrations. This has to be confirmed in diseased animals
Integrability of graph combinatorics via random walks and heaps of dimers
We investigate the integrability of the discrete non-linear equation
governing the dependence on geodesic distance of planar graphs with inner
vertices of even valences. This equation follows from a bijection between
graphs and blossom trees and is expressed in terms of generating functions for
random walks. We construct explicitly an infinite set of conserved quantities
for this equation, also involving suitable combinations of random walk
generating functions. The proof of their conservation, i.e. their eventual
independence on the geodesic distance, relies on the connection between random
walks and heaps of dimers. The values of the conserved quantities are
identified with generating functions for graphs with fixed numbers of external
legs. Alternative equivalent choices for the set of conserved quantities are
also discussed and some applications are presented.Comment: 38 pages, 15 figures, uses epsf, lanlmac and hyperbasic
Scaling of the atmosphere of self-avoiding walks
The number of free sites next to the end of a self-avoiding walk is known as
the atmosphere. The average atmosphere can be related to the number of
configurations. Here we study the distribution of atmospheres as a function of
length and how the number of walks of fixed atmosphere scale. Certain bounds on
these numbers can be proved. We use Monte Carlo estimates to verify our
conjectures. Of particular interest are walks that have zero atmosphere, which
are known as trapped. We demonstrate that these walks scale in the same way as
the full set of self-avoiding walks, barring an overall constant factor
Lattice Point Generating Functions and Symmetric Cones
We show that a recent identity of Beck-Gessel-Lee-Savage on the generating
function of symmetrically contrained compositions of integers generalizes
naturally to a family of convex polyhedral cones that are invariant under the
action of a finite reflection group. We obtain general expressions for the
multivariate generating functions of such cones, and work out the specific
cases of a symmetry group of type A (previously known) and types B and D (new).
We obtain several applications of the special cases in type B, including
identities involving permutation statistics and lecture hall partitions.Comment: 19 page
Series expansions of the percolation probability on the directed triangular lattice
We have derived long series expansions of the percolation probability for
site, bond and site-bond percolation on the directed triangular lattice. For
the bond problem we have extended the series from order 12 to 51 and for the
site problem from order 12 to 35. For the site-bond problem, which has not been
studied before, we have derived the series to order 32. Our estimates of the
critical exponent are in full agreement with results for similar
problems on the square lattice, confirming expectations of universality. For
the critical probability and exponent we find in the site case: and ; in the bond case:
and ; and in the site-bond
case: and . In
addition we have obtained accurate estimates for the critical amplitudes. In
all cases we find that the leading correction to scaling term is analytic,
i.e., the confluent exponent .Comment: 26 pages, LaTeX. To appear in J. Phys.
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