We investigate universal algebra over the category Nom of nominal sets. Using the fact that Nom is a full reflective subcategory of a monadic category, we obtain an HSP-like theorem for algebras over nominal sets. We isolate a ‘uniform’ fragment of our equational logic, which corresponds to the nominal logics present in the literature. We give semantically invariant translations of theories for nominal algebra and NEL into ‘uniform’ theories, and systematically prove HSP theorems for models of these theories.

Pólya showed in his 1921 paper that the generating function of the return probability for a two-dimensional random walk can be written in terms of an elliptic integral. In this paper we present a similar expression for a one-dimensional quantum walk.

We present a realisability model for a call-by-value, higher-order programming language with parametric polymorphism, general first-class references, and recursive types. The main novelty is a relational interpretation of open types that include general reference types. The interpretation uses a new approach to modelling references.

The universe of semantic types consists of world-indexed families of logical relations over a universal predomain. In order to model general reference types, worlds are finite maps from locations to semantic types: this introduces a circularity between semantic types and worlds that precludes a direct definition of either. Our solution is to solve a recursive equation in an appropriate category of metric spaces. In effect, types are interpreted using a Kripke logical relation over a recursively defined set of worlds.

We illustrate how the model can be used to prove simple equivalences between different implementations of imperative abstract data types.

Haplotypes are more useful in complex disease gene mapping than single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, haplotypes are difficult to obtain directly using biological experiments, which has prompted research into efficient computational methods for determining haplotypes. The individual haplotyping problem called Minimum Letter Flip (MLF) is a computational problem that, given a set of aligned DNA sequence fragment data of an individual, induces the corresponding haplotypes by flipping minimum SNPs. There has been no practical exact algorithm for solving the problem. Due to technical limits in DNA sequencing experiments, the maximum length of a fragment sequenced directly is about 1kb. In consequence, with a genome-average SNP density of 1.84 SNPs per 1 kb of DNA sequence, the maximum number k1 of SNP sites that a fragment covers is usually small. Moreover, in order to save time and money, the maximum number k2 of fragments that cover an SNP site is usually no more than 19. Building on these fragment data properties, the current paper introduces a new parameterised algorithm with running time O(nk22k2 + mlogm + mk1), where m is the number of fragments and n is the number of SNP sites. In practical biological applications, the algorithm solves the MLF problem efficiently even if m and n are large.

In this paper, we consider a discrete-time quantum walk on the N-cycle governed by the condition that at every time step of the walk, the option persists, with probability p, of exercising a projective measurement on the coin degree of freedom. For a bipartite quantum system of this kind, we prove that the von Neumann entropy of the total density operator converges to its maximum value. Thus, when influenced by decoherence, the mutual information between the two subsystems corresponding to the space of the coin and the space of the walker must eventually diminish to zero. Put plainly, any level of decoherence greater than zero forces the system to become completely ‘disentangled’ eventually.

In this paper, we investigate the axiomatic semantics of the projection temporal logic programming language MSVL. To this end, we employ Propositional Projection Temporal Logic (PPTL) as an assertion language to specify the desired properties. We give a set of state axioms and state inference rules. In order to deduce a program over an interval, we also formalise a set of rules in terms of a Hoare logic-like triple. These rules enable us to deduce a program into its normal form and from the current state to the next one. They also enable us to verify properties over intervals. In this way, an axiom system for proving the correctness of MSVL programs is established. The axiom system is proved to be sound and relatively complete with respect to an operational model of MSVL, and give an example showing how the axiom system works. Finally, we employ a recently developed prototype verifier based on PVS as an example of semi-automatic verification using MSVL.

In this paper we develop novel quantum algorithms based on Quantum Multi-Object Search (QMOS) for convex hulls and general object intersection reporting, with applications to computer graphics. These algorithms are developed and described using standard concepts from computer science by encapsulating the physics of quantum computation within black-box subroutines.

The logical and algebraic approaches are regarded as two of the dominant methodologies for the development of reactive and concurrent systems. It is well known that the logic approach is more abstract, but lacks compositionality; while the algebraic approach is inherently compositional, but lacks abstractness. However, connecting the two approaches is a major challenge in computer science, and many efforts have been directed to resolving the problem. Linking the algebraic approach to the logical approach has been satisfactorily resolved through the notion of characteristic formulae. But very limited success has been achieved so far in the other direction, as most of the established results have been developed only with respect to a simple semantics, which has usually been strong bisimulation. However, in practice, an observational semantics like weak bisimulation, which is much more complicated, is thought to be more useful. In this paper, we investigate how to connect the logical and algebraic approaches with respect to the observational preorder, which is a generalisation of weak bisimulation that takes divergence into account. We show the following results. First, we prove that the non-deterministic operator of process algebra can be defined in modal and temporal logics (such as the μ-calculus and the Fixpoint Logic with Chop) with respect to the observational preorder (in fact, the kernel of its precongruence). In this way, we can apply the logical approach to the design of a complex system in a compositional way. Second, we present two algorithms for constructing the characteristic formulae for a context-free process up to the preorder and its precongruence, respectively. The effect of this is that all the reductions for processes that are usually done in an algebraic setting can be handled in a logical setting.

Computational indistinguishability is a notion in complexity-theoretic cryptography and is used to define many security criteria. However, in traditional cryptography, proving computational indistinguishability is usually informal and becomes error-prone when cryptographic constructions are complex. This paper presents a formal proof system based on an extension of Hofmann's SLR language, which can capture probabilistic polynomial-time computations through typing and is sufficient for expressing cryptographic constructions. In particular, we define rules that directly justify the computational indistinguishability between programs, and then prove that these rules are sound with respect to the set-theoretic semantics, and thus the standard definition of security. We also show that it is applicable in cryptography by verifying, in our proof system, Goldreich and Micali's construction of a pseudorandom generator, and the equivalence between next-bit unpredictability and pseudorandomness.

The notion of divergence information of an ensemble of probability distributions was introduced by Jain, Radhakrishnan and Sen in Jain et al. (2002; 2009) in the context of the ‘substate theorem’. Since then, divergence has been recognised as a more natural measure of information in several situations in both quantum and classical communication.

We construct ensembles of probability distributions for which divergence information may be significantly smaller than the more standard Holevo information. As a result, we establish that bounds previously shown for Holevo information are weaker than similar ones shown for divergence information.