In this paper we will deal with the balance properties of the infinite binary words associated to β-integers when β is a quadratic simple Pisot number. Those words are the fixed points of the morphisms of the type $\varphi(A)=A^pB$, $\varphi(B)=A^q$ for $p\in\mathbb N$, $q\in\mathbb N$, $p\geq q$, where $\beta=\frac{p+\sqrt{p^2+4q}}{2}$. We will prove that such word is t-balanced with $t=1+\left[(p-1)/(p+1-q)\right]$. Finally, in the case that p < q it is known [B. Adamczewski, Theoret. Comput. Sci.273 (2002) 197–224] that the fixed point of the substitution $\varphi(A)=A^pB$, $\varphi(B)=A^q$ is not m-balanced for any m. We exhibit an infinite sequence of pairs of words with the unbalance property.

A parallel communicating automata system consists of several automata working independently in parallel and communicating with each other by request with the aim of recognizing a word. Rather surprisingly, returning parallel communicating finite automata systems are equivalent to the non-returning variants. We show this result by proving the equivalence of both with multihead finite automata. Some open problems are finally formulated.

For polyominoes coded by their boundary word, we describe a quadratic O(n2) algorithm in the boundary length n which improves the naive O(n4) algorithm. Techniques used emanate from algorithmics, discrete geometry and combinatorics on words.

As already 2-monotone R-automata accept NP-complete languages, we introduce a restricted variant of j-monotonicity for restarting automata, called sequential j-monotonicity. For restarting automata without auxiliary symbols, this restricted variant still yields infinite hierarchies. However, for restarting automata with auxiliary symbols, all degrees of sequential monotonicity collapse to the first level, implying that RLWW-automata that are sequentially monotone of degree j for any j ≥ 1 only accept context-free languages.

This paper analyses the complexity of model checking fixpoint logic with Chop – an extension of the modal μ-calculus with a sequential composition operator. It uses two known game-based characterisations to derive the following results: the combined model checking complexity as well as the data complexity of FLC are EXPTIME-complete. This is already the case for its alternation-free fragment. The expression complexity of FLC is trivially P-hard and limited from above by the complexity of solving a parity game, i.e. in UP ∩ co-UP. For any fragment of fixed alternation depth, in particular alternation- free formulas it is P-complete.

The specification of the data structures used in EAT, a software system for symbolic computation in algebraic topology, is based on an operation that defines a link among different specification frameworks like hidden algebras and coalgebras. In this paper, this operation is extended using the notion of institution, giving rise to three institution encodings. These morphisms define a commutative diagram which shows three possible views of the same construction, placing it in an equational algebraic institution, in a hidden institution or in a coalgebraic institution. Moreover, these morphisms can be used to obtain a new description of the final objects of the categories of algebras in these frameworks, which are suitable abstract models for the EAT data structures. Thus, our main contribution is a formalization allowing us to encode a family of data structures by means of a single algebra (which can be described as a coproduct on the image of the institution morphisms). With this aim, new particular definitions of hidden and coalgebraic institutions are presented.

Suppose ƒ : X* → X* is a morphism and u,v ∈ X*. For every nonnegative integer n, let zn be the longest common prefix of ƒn(u) and ƒn(v), and let un,vn ∈ X* be words such that ƒn(u) = znun and ƒn(v) = znvn. We prove that there is a positive integer q such that for any positive integer p, the prefixes of un (resp. vn) of length p form an ultimately periodic sequence having period q. Further, there is a value of q which works for all words u,v ∈ X*.

Various static analyses of functional programming languages that permit infinite data structures make use of set constants like Top, Inf, and Bot, denoting all terms, all lists not eventually ending in Nil, and all non-terminating programs, respectively. We use a set language that permits union, constructors and recursive definition of set constants with a greatest fixpoint semantics in the set of all, also infinite, computable trees, where all term constructors are non-strict. This paper proves decidability, in particular DEXPTIME-completeness, of inclusion of co-inductively defined sets by using algorithms and results from tree automata and set constraints. The test for set inclusion is required by certain strictness analysis algorithms in lazy functional programming languages and could also be the basis for further set-based analyses.