Total Rainbow Connection Number and Complementary Graph

A vertex-colored graph G is rainbow vertex connected if any two distinct vertices are connected by a path whose internal vertices have distinct colors. The rainbow vertex connection number of G, denoted by rvc(G), is the smallest number of colors that are needed in order to make G rainbow vertex connected. In this paper, we prove that for a connected graph G, if \({{\rm diam}(\overline{G}) \geq 3}\), then \({{\rm rvc}(G) \leq 2}\), and this bound is tight. Next, we obtain that for a triangle-free graph \({\overline{G}}\) with \({{\rm diam}(\overline{G}) = 2}\), if G is connected, then \({{\rm rvc}(G) \leq 2}\), and this bound is tight. A total-colored path is total rainbow if its edges and internal vertices have distinct colors. A total-colored graph G is total rainbow connected if any two distinct vertices are connected by some total rainbow path. The total rainbow connection number of G, denoted by trc(G), is the smallest number of colors required to color the edges and vertices of G in order to make G total rainbow connected. In this paper, we prove that for a triangle-free graph \({\overline{G}}\) with \({{\rm diam}(\overline{G}) = 3}\), if G is connected, then trc\({(G) \leq 5}\), and this bound is tight. Next, a Nordhaus–Gaddum-type result for the total rainbow connection number is provided. We show that if G and \({\overline{G}}\) are both connected, then \({6 \leq {\rm trc} (G) + {\rm trc}(\overline{G}) \leq 4n - 6.}\) Examples are given to show that the lower bound is tight for \({n \geq 7}\) and n = 5. Tight lower bounds are also given for n = 4, 6.     

The limit case of a domination property

The domination number γ(G) of a connected graph G of order n is bounded below by(n+2-e(G))/ 3 , where (G) denotes the maximum number of leaves in any spanning tree of G. We show that (n+2-e(G))/ 3 = γ(G) if and only if there exists a tree T ∈ T ( G) ∩ R such that n1(T ) = e(G), where n1(T ) denotes the number of leaves of T1, R denotes the family of all trees in which the distance between any two distinct leaves is congruent to 2 modulo 3, and T (G) denotes the set composed by the spanning trees of G. As a consequence of the study, we show that if (n+2-e(G))/ 3 = γ(G), then there exists a minimum dominating set in G whose induced subgraph is an independent set. Finally, we characterize all unicyclic graphs G for which equality (n+2-e(G))/ 3= γ(G) holds and we show that the length of the unique cycle of any unicyclic graph G with (n+2-e(G))/ 3= γ(G) belongs to {4} ∪ {3 , 6, 9, . . . }.     

The Rainbow Connection Number of the Power Graph of a Finite Group

This paper studies the rainbow connection number of the power graph \(\Gamma _G\) of a finite group G. We determine the rainbow connection number of \(\Gamma _G\) if G has maximal involutions or is nilpotent, and show that the rainbow connection number of \(\Gamma _G\) is at most three if G has no maximal involutions. The rainbow connection numbers of power graphs of some nonnilpotent groups are also given.     

Approximation algorithms for constructing spanning K-trees using stock pieces of bounded length

Given a weighted graph G on \(n + 1\) vertices, a spanning K-tree \(T_K\) of G is defined to be a spanning tree T of G together with K distinct edges of G that are not edges of T. The objective of the minimum-cost spanning K-tree problem is to choose a subset of edges to form a spanning K-tree with the minimum weight. In this paper, we consider the constructing spanning K-tree problem that is a generalization of the minimum-cost spanning K-tree problem. We are required to construct a spanning K-tree \(T_K\) whose \(n+K\) edges are assembled from some stock pieces of bounded length L. Let \(c_0\) be the sale price of each stock piece of length L and \(k(T_K)\) the number of minimum stock pieces to construct the \(n+K\) edges in \(T_K\). For each edge e in G, let c(e) be the construction cost of that edge e. Our new objective is to minimize the total cost of constructing a spanning K-tree \(T_K\), i.e., \(\min _{T_K}\{\sum _{e\in T_K} c(e)+ k(T_K)\cdot c_0\}\). The main results obtained in this paper are as follows. (1) A 2-approximation algorithm to solve the constructing spanning K-tree problem. (2) A \(\frac{3}{2}\)-approximation algorithm to solve the special case for constant construction cost of edges. (3) An APTAS for this special case.     

Rainbow Connection Number and Independence Number of a Graph

A path in an edge-colored graph is called rainbow if any two edges of the path have distinct colors. An edge-colored graph is called rainbow connected if there exists a rainbow path between every two vertices of the graph. For a connected graph G, the minimum number of colors that are needed to make G rainbow connected is called the rainbow connection number of G, denoted by rc(G). In this paper, we investigate the relation between the rainbow connection number and the independence number of a graph. We show that if G is a connected graph without pendant vertices, then \(\mathrm{rc}(G)\le 2\alpha (G)-1\). An example is given showing that the upper bound \(2\alpha (G)-1\) is equal to the diameter of G, and so the upper bound is sharp since the diameter of G is a lower bound of \(\mathrm{rc}(G)\).     

Relaxed Locally Identifying Coloring of Graphs

A locally identifying coloring (lid-coloring) of a graph is a proper vertex-coloring such that the sets of colors appearing in the closed neighborhoods of any pair of adjacent vertices having distinct neighborhoods are distinct. Our goal is to study a relaxed locally identifying coloring (rlid-coloring) of a graph that is similar to locally identifying coloring for which the coloring is not necessarily proper. We denote by \(\chi _{rlid}(G)\) the minimum number of colors used in a relaxed locally identifying coloring of a graph G. In this paper, we prove that the problem of deciding that \(\chi _{rlid}(G)=3\) for a 2-degenerate planar graph G is NP-complete and for a bipartite graph G is polynomial. We give several bounds of \(\chi _{rlid}(G)\) for different families of graphs and construct new graphs for which these bounds are tight. We also compare this parameter with the minimum number of colors used in a locally identifying coloring of a graph G (\(\chi _{lid}(G)\)), the size of a minimum identifying code of G (\(\gamma _{id}(G)\)) and the chromatic number of G (\(\chi (G)\)).     

Some infinite families of Ramsey ($${\varvec{P}}_\mathbf{3},{\varvec{P}}_{{\varvec{n}}}$$)-minimal trees

For any given two graphs G and H, the notation \(F\rightarrow \) (G, H) means that for any red–blue coloring of all the edges of F will create either a red subgraph isomorphic to G or a blue subgraph isomorphic to H. A graph F is a Ramsey (G, H)-minimal graph if \(F\rightarrow \) (G, H) but \(F-e\nrightarrow (G,H)\), for every \(e \in E(F)\). The class of all Ramsey (G, H)-minimal graphs is denoted by \(\mathcal {R}(G,H)\). In this paper, we construct some infinite families of trees belonging to \(\mathcal {R}(P_3,P_n)\), for \(n=8\) and 9. In particular, we give an algorithm to obtain an infinite family of trees belonging to \(\mathcal {R}(P_3,P_n)\), for \(n\ge 10\).     

Generalizing a theorem of Gagola and Lewis characterizing nilpotent groups

Gagola and Lewis proved that a finite group G is nilpotent if and only if \(\chi (1)^2\) divides |G :  \(\mathrm{Ker}\) \(\chi |\) for all irreducible characters \(\chi \) of G. In this paper, we prove the following generalization that a finite group G is nilpotent if and only if \(\chi (1)^2\) divides |G :  \(\mathrm{Ker}\) \(\chi |\) for all monolithic characters \(\chi \) of G.     

On the centralizer and the commutator subgroup of an automorphism

Let φ be an automorphism of a group G. In this paper, we study the influence of its centralizer \({C_G(\varphi)}\) on its commutator subgroup \({[G,\varphi]}\) when G is polycyclic or metabelian. For instance, when G is metabelian and φ fixed-point-free of prime order p, we prove that \({[G,\varphi]}\) is nilpotent of class ≤ p. Also, when G is polycyclic and φ of order 2, we show that if \({C_G(\varphi)}\) is finite, then so are \({G/[G,\varphi]}\) and \({[G,\varphi]'}\) .     

Graphs with small total rainbow connection number

A total-colored path is total rainbow if its edges and internal vertices have distinct colors. A total-colored graph G is total rainbow connected if any two distinct vertices are connected by some total rainbow path. The total rainbow connection number of G, denoted by trc(G), is the smallest number of colors required to color the edges and vertices of G in order to make G total rainbow connected. In this paper, we investigate graphs with small total rainbow connection number. First, for a connected graph G, we prove that \({\text{trc(G) = 3 if}}\left( {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}{n - 1} \\2\end{array}} \right) + 1 \leqslant \left| {{\text{E(G)}}} \right| \leqslant \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}n \\2\end{array}} \right) - 1\), and \({\text{trc(G)}} \leqslant {\text{6 if }}\left| {{\text{E(G)}}} \right| \geqslant \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}{n - 2} \\2\end{array}} \right) + 2\). Next, we investigate the total rainbow connection numbers of graphs G with |V(G)| = n, diam(G) ≥ 2, and clique number ω(G) = n ? s for 1 ≤ s ≤ 3. In this paper, we find Theorem 3 of [Discuss. Math. Graph Theory, 2011, 31(2): 313–320] is not completely correct, and we provide a complete result for this theorem.     

On eigenvalues of Seidel matrices and Haemers’ conjecture

For a graph G, let S(G) be the Seidel matrix of G and \({\theta }_1(G),\ldots ,{\theta }_n(G)\) be the eigenvalues of S(G). The Seidel energy of G is defined as \(|{\theta }_1(G)|+\cdots +|{\theta }_n(G)|\). Willem Haemers conjectured that the Seidel energy of any graph with n vertices is at least \(2n-2\), the Seidel energy of the complete graph with n vertices. Motivated by this conjecture, we prove that for any \(\alpha \) with \(0<\alpha <2,|{\theta }_1(G)|^\alpha +\cdots +|{\theta }_n(G)|^\alpha \geqslant (n-1)^\alpha +n-1\) if and only if \(|\hbox {det}\,S(G)|\geqslant n-1\). This, in particular, implies the Haemers’ conjecture for all graphs G with \(|\hbox {det}\,S(G)|\geqslant n-1\). A computation on the fraction of graphs with \(|\hbox {det}\,S(G)|<n-1\) is reported. Motivated by that, we conjecture that almost all graphs G of order n satisfy \(|\hbox {det}\,S(G)|\geqslant n-1\). In connection with this conjecture, we note that almost all graphs of order n have a Seidel energy of order \(\Theta (n^{3/2})\). Finally, we prove that self-complementary graphs G of order \(n\equiv 1\pmod 4\) have \(\det S(G)=0\).     

On Modular Edge-Graceful Graphs

Let G be a connected graph of order \({n\ge 3}\) and size m and \({f:E(G)\to \mathbb{Z}_n}\) an edge labeling of G. Define a vertex labeling \({f': V(G)\to \mathbb{Z}_n}\) by \({f'(v)= \sum_{u\in N(v)}f(uv)}\) where the sum is computed in \({\mathbb{Z}_n}\) . If f′ is one-to-one, then f is called a modular edge-graceful labeling and G is a modular edge-graceful graph. A graph G is modular edge-graceful if G contains a modular edge-graceful spanning tree. Several classes of modular edge-graceful trees are determined. For a tree T of order n where \({n\not\equiv 2 \pmod 4}\) , it is shown that if T contains at most two even vertices or the set of even vertices of T induces a path, then T is modular edge-graceful. It is also shown that every tree of order n where \({n\not\equiv 2\pmod 4}\) having diameter at most 5 is modular edge-graceful.     

Monochromatic Sinks in <Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>-Arc Colored Tournaments

Let T be a tournament on n vertices whose arcs are colored with k colors. A 3-cycle whose arcs are colored with three distinct colors is called a rainbow triangle. A rainbow triangle dominated by any nonempty set of vertices is called a dominated rainbow triangle. We prove that when \(n\ge 5\), if T does not contain a dominated rainbow triangle and all 4- and 5-cycles of T are near-monochromatic, then T has a monochromatic sink. We also prove that when \(n\ge 4\), if T does not contain a dominated rainbow triangle and all 4-cycles are monochromatic, then T has a monochromatic sink. A semi-cycle is a digraph C that either is a cycle or contains an arc xy such that \(C-xy+yx\) is a cycle. We prove that if \(n\ge 4\) and all 4-semi-cycles of T are near-monochromatic, then T has a monochromatic sink. We also show if \(n\ge 5\) and all 5-semi-cycles of T are near-monochromatic, then T has a monochromatic sink.     

2-Domination number of generalized Petersen graphs

Let \(G=(V,E)\) be a graph. A subset \(S\subseteq V\) is a k-dominating set of G if each vertex in \(V-S\) is adjacent to at least k vertices in S. The k-domination number of G is the cardinality of the smallest k-dominating set of G. In this paper, we shall prove that the 2-domination number of generalized Petersen graphs \(P(5k+1, 2)\) and \(P(5k+2, 2)\), for \(k>0\), is \(4k+2\) and \(4k+3\), respectively. This proves two conjectures due to Cheng (Ph.D. thesis, National Chiao Tung University, 2013). Moreover, we determine the exact 2-domination number of generalized Petersen graphs P(2k, k) and \(P(5k+4,3)\). Furthermore, we give a good lower and upper bounds on the 2-domination number of generalized Petersen graphs \(P(5k+1, 3), P(5k+2,3)\) and \(P(5k+3, 3).\)     

On a class of finite capable <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-groups

A group G is called capable if there is a group H such that \({G \cong H/Z(H)}\) is isomorphic to the group of inner automorphisms of H. We consider the situation that G is a finite capable p-group for some prime p. Suppose G has rank \({d(G) \ge 2}\) and Frattini class \({c \ge 1}\), which by definition is the length of a shortest central series of G with all factors being elementary abelian. There is up to isomorphism a unique largest p-group \({G_d^c}\) with rank d and Frattini class c, and G is an epimorphic image of \({G_d^c}\). We prove that this \({G_d^c}\) is capable; more precisely, we have \({G_d^c \cong G_d^{c+1}/Z(G_d^{c+1})}\).     

Uniquely Tree-saturated Graphs

Let H be a graph. A graph G is uniquely H-saturated if G contains no subgraph isomorphic to H, but for every edge e in the complement of G (i.e., for each “nonedge” of G), \(G+e\) contains exactly one subgraph isomorphic to H. The double star \(D_{s,t}\) is the graph formed by beginning with \(K_2\) and adding \(s+t\) new vertices, making s of these adjacent to one endpoint of the \(K_2\) and the other t adjacent to the other endpoint; \(D_{s,s}\) is a balanced double star. Our main result is that the trees T for which there exist an infinite number of uniquely T-saturated graphs are precisely the balanced double stars. In addition we completely characterize uniquely tree-saturated graphs in the case where the tree is a star \(K_{1,t} = D_{0, t-1}\). We show that if T is a double star, then there exists a nontrivial uniquely T-saturated graph. We conjecture that the converse holds; we verify this conjecture for all trees of order at most 6. We conclude by giving some open problems.     

On the density of images of the power maps in Lie groups

Let G be a connected Lie group. In this paper, we study the density of the images of individual power maps \(P_k:G\rightarrow G:g\mapsto g^k\). We give criteria for the density of \(P_k(G)\) in terms of regular elements, as well as Cartan subgroups. In fact, we prove that if \(\mathrm{Reg}(G)\) is the set of regular elements of G, then \(P_k(G)\cap \mathrm{Reg}(G)\) is closed in \(\mathrm{Reg}(G)\). On the other hand, the weak exponentiality of G turns out to be equivalent to the density of all the power maps \(P_k\). In linear Lie groups, weak exponentiality reduces to the density of \(P_2(G)\). We also prove that the density of the image of \(P_k\) for G implies the same for any connected full rank subgroup.     

Subgraph Transversal of Graphs

Given graphs F and G, denote by \({\tau_F}(G)\) the cardinality of a smallest subset \(T {\subseteq}V(G)\) that meets every maximal F-free subgraph of G. Erdös, Gallai and Tuza [9] considered the question of bounding \(\tau_{\overline{K_2}}(G)\) by a constant fraction of |G|. In this paper, we will give a complete answer to the following question: for which F, is τ _F (G) bounded by a constant fraction of |G|?In addition, for those graphs F for which \({\tau_F}(G)\) is not bounded by any fraction of |G|, we prove that \(\tau_F(G)\le|G|-\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{|G|}+\frac{1}{2}\), provided F is not K _k or \(\overline{K_k}\).     

Depth,Stanley depth,and regularity of ideals associated to graphs

Let \({\mathbb{K}}\) be a field and \({S=\mathbb{K}[x_1,\dots,x_n]}\) be the polynomial ring in n variables over \({\mathbb{K}}\). Let G be a graph with n vertices. Assume that \({I=I(G)}\) is the edge ideal of G and \({J=J(G)}\) is its cover ideal. We prove that \({{\rm sdepth}(J)\geq n-\nu_{o}(G)}\) and \({{\rm sdepth}(S/J)\geq n-\nu_{o}(G)-1}\), where \({\nu_{o}(G)}\) is the ordered matching number of G. We also prove the inequalities \({{\rmsdepth}(J^k)\geq {\rm depth}(J^k)}\) and \({{\rm sdepth}(S/J^k)\geq {\rmdepth}(S/J^k)}\), for every integer \({k\gg 0}\), when G is a bipartite graph. Moreover, we provide an elementary proof for the known inequality reg\({(S/I)\leq \nu_{o}(G)}\).     

Solution to a Problem on Hamiltonicity of Graphs Under Ore- and Fan-Type Heavy Subgraph Conditions

A graph G is called claw-o-heavy if every induced claw (\(K_{1,3}\)) of G has two end-vertices with degree sum at least |V(G)|. For a given graph S,  G is called S-f-heavy if for every induced subgraph H of G isomorphic to S and every pair of vertices \(u,v\in V(H)\) with \(d_H(u,v)=2,\) there holds \(\max \{d(u),d(v)\}\ge |V(G)|/2.\) In this paper, we prove that every 2-connected claw-o-heavy and \(Z_3\)-f-heavy graph is hamiltonian (with two exceptional graphs), where \(Z_3\) is the graph obtained by identifying one end-vertex of \(P_4\) (a path with 4 vertices) with one vertex of a triangle. This result gives a positive answer to a problem proposed Ning and Zhang (Discrete Math 313:1715–1725, 2013), and also implies two previous theorems of Faudree et al. and Chen et al., respectively.