On the weak 2-coloring number of planar graphs

For a graph $G=(V,E)$, a total ordering L on V, and a vertex $v\in V$, let ${\mathrm{Wcol}}_2[G,L,v]$ be the set of vertices $w\in V$ for which there is a path from v to w whose length is 0, 1 or 2 and whose L-least vertex is w. The weak 2-coloring number ${\mathrm{wcol}}_2(G)$ of G is the least k such that there is a total ordering L on V with $|{\mathrm{Wcol}}_2[G,L,v]|\le k$ for all vertices $v\in V$. We improve the known upper bound on the weak 2-coloring number of planar graphs from 28 to 23. As the weak 2-coloring number is the best known upper bound on the star list chromatic number of planar graphs, this bound is also improved.     

An improvement to the Hilton-Zhao vertex-splitting conjecture

For a simple graph G, denote by n, $\mathrm{\Delta }(G)$, and ${\chi }^{\prime }(G)$ its order, maximum degree, and chromatic index, respectively. A graph G is edge-chromatic critical if ${\chi }^{\prime }(G)=\mathrm{\Delta }(G)+1$ and ${\chi }^{\prime }(H)<{\chi }^{\prime }(G)$ for every proper subgraph H of G. Let G be an n-vertex connected regular class 1 graph, and let $G^{?}$ be obtained from G by splitting one vertex of G into two vertices. Hilton and Zhao in 1997 conjectured that $G^{?}$ must be edge-chromatic critical if $\mathrm{\Delta }(G)>n/3$, and they verified this when $\mathrm{\Delta }(G)\ge \frac{n}{2}(\sqrt{7}?1)\approx 0.82n$. In this paper, we prove it for $\mathrm{\Delta }(G)\ge 0.75n$.     

Endomorphisms and cores of quadratic forms graphs in odd characteristic

A graph G is called a pseudo-core if every endomorphism of G is either an automorphism or a colouring. A graph G is a core if every endomorphism of G is an automorphism. Let ${\mathbb{F}}_q$ be the finite field with q elements where q is a power of an odd prime number. The quadratic forms graph, denoted by $\mathrm{Quad}(n,q)$ where $n\ge 2$, has all quadratic forms on ${\mathbb{F}}_q^n$ as vertices and two vertices f and g are adjacent whenever $\mathrm{rk}(f-g)=1$ or 2. We prove that every $\mathrm{Quad}(n,q)$ is a pseudo-core. Further, when n is even, $\mathrm{Quad}(n,q)$ is a core. When n is odd, $\mathrm{Quad}(n,q)$ is not a core. On the other hand, we completely determine the independence number of $\mathrm{Quad}(n,q)$.