On the complexity of the multicut problem in bounded tree-width graphs and digraphs

Given an edge- or vertex-weighted graph or digraph and a list of source-sink pairs, the minimum multicut problem consists in selecting a minimum weight set of edges or vertices whose removal leaves no path from each source to the corresponding sink. This is a classical NP-hard problem, and we show that the edge version becomes tractable in bounded tree-width graphs if the number of source-sink pairs is fixed, but remains NP-hard in directed acyclic graphs and APX-hard in bounded tree-width and bounded degree unweighted digraphs. The vertex version, although tractable in trees, is proved to be NP-hard in unweighted cacti of bounded degree and bounded path-width.     

A distance-labelling problem for hypercubes

Let i₁≥i₂≥i₃≥1 be integers. An L(i₁,i₂,i₃)-labelling of a graph G=(V,E) is a mapping ?:V→{0,1,2,…} such that |?(u)−?(v)|≥i_t for any u,v∈V with d(u,v)=t, t=1,2,3, where d(u,v) is the distance in G between u and v. The integer ?(v) is called the label assigned to v under ?, and the difference between the largest and the smallest labels is called the span of ?. The problem of finding the minimum span, λ_i1,i2,i3(G), over all L(i₁,i₂,i₃)-labellings of G arose from channel assignment in cellular communication systems, and the related problem of finding the minimum number of labels used in an L(i₁,i₂,i₃)-labelling was originated from recent studies on the scalability of optical networks. In this paper we study the L(i₁,i₂,i₃)-labelling problem for hypercubes Q_d (d≥3) and obtain upper and lower bounds on λ_i1,i2,i3(Q_d) for any (i₁,i₂,i₃).     

An extremal problem on non-full colorable graphs

For a given graph G of order n, a k-L(2,1)-labelling is defined as a function f:V(G)→{0,1,2,…k} such that |f(u)-f(v)|?2 when d_G(u,v)=1 and |f(u)-f(v)|?1 when d_G(u,v)=2. The L(2,1)-labelling number of G, denoted by λ(G), is the smallest number k such that G has a k-L(2,1)-labelling. The hole index ρ(G) of G is the minimum number of integers not used in a λ(G)-L(2,1)-labelling of G. We say G is full-colorable if ρ(G)=0; otherwise, it will be called non-full colorable. In this paper, we consider the graphs with λ(G)=2m and ρ(G)=m, where m is a positive integer. Our main work generalized a result by Fishburn and Roberts [No-hole L(2,1)-colorings, Discrete Appl. Math. 130 (2003) 513-519].     

The multiple originator broadcasting problem in graphs

Given a graph G and a vertex subset S of V(G), the broadcasting time with respect toS, denoted by b(G,S), is the minimum broadcasting time when using S as the broadcasting set. And the k-broadcasting number, denoted by b_k(G), is defined by b_k(G)=min{b(G,S)|S⊆V(G),|S|=k}.Given a graph G and two vertex subsets S, S^′ of V(G), define , d(S,S^′)=min{d(u,v)|u∈S, v∈S^′}, and for all v∈V(G). For all k, 1?k?|V(G)|, the k-radius of G, denoted by r_k(G), is defined as r_k(G)=min{d(G,S)|S⊆V(G), |S|=k}.In this paper, we study the relation between the k-radius and the k-broadcasting numbers of graphs. We also give the 2-radius and the 2-broadcasting numbers of the grid graphs, and the k-broadcasting numbers of the complete n-partite graphs and the hypercubes.     

Locating the peaks of least-energy solutions to a quasilinear elliptic Neumann problem, Part II

We continue our work (Y. Li, C. Zhao, Locating the peaks of least-energy solutions to a quasilinear elliptic Neumann problem, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 336 (2007) 1368-1383) to study the shape of least-energy solutions to the quasilinear problem ε^mΔ_mu−u^m−1+f(u)=0 with homogeneous Neumann boundary condition. In this paper we focus on the case 1<m<2 as a complement to our previous work on the case m≥2. We use an intrinsic variation method to show that as the case m≥2, when ε→0⁺, the global maximum point P_ε of least-energy solutions goes to a point on the boundary ∂Ω at a rate of o(ε) and this point on the boundary approaches a global maximum point of mean curvature of ∂Ω.     

On island sequences of labelings with a condition at distance two

An L(2,1)-labeling of a graph G is a function f from the vertex set of G to the set of nonnegative integers such that |f(x)−f(y)|≥2 if d(x,y)=1, and |f(x)−f(y)|≥1 if d(x,y)=2, where d(x,y) denotes the distance between the pair of vertices x,y. The lambda number of G, denoted λ(G), is the minimum range of labels used over all L(2,1)-labelings of G. An L(2,1)-labeling of G which achieves the range λ(G) is referred to as a λ-labeling. A hole of an L(2,1)-labeling is an unused integer within the range of integers used. The hole index of G, denoted ρ(G), is the minimum number of holes taken over all its λ-labelings. An island of a given λ-labeling of G with ρ(G) holes is a maximal set of consecutive integers used by the labeling. Georges and Mauro [J.P. Georges, D.W. Mauro, On the structure of graphs with non-surjective L(2,1)-labelings, SIAM J. Discrete Math. 19 (2005) 208-223] inquired about the existence of a connected graph G with ρ(G)≥1 possessing two λ-labelings with different ordered sequences of island cardinalities. This paper provides an infinite family of such graphs together with their lambda numbers and hole indices. Key to our discussion is the determination of the path covering number of certain 2-sparse graphs, that is, graphs containing no pair of adjacent vertices of degree greater than 2.     

Identifying codes and locating-dominating sets on paths and cycles

Let G=(V,E) be a graph and let r≥1 be an integer. For a set D⊆V, define N_r[x]={y∈V:d(x,y)≤r} and D_r(x)=N_r[x]∩D, where d(x,y) denotes the number of edges in any shortest path between x and y. D is known as an r-identifying code (r-locating-dominating set, respectively), if for all vertices x∈V (x∈V?D, respectively), D_r(x) are all nonempty and different. Roberts and Roberts [D.L. Roberts, F.S. Roberts, Locating sensors in paths and cycles: the case of 2-identifying codes, European Journal of Combinatorics 29 (2008) 72-82] provided complete results for the paths and cycles when r=2. In this paper, we provide results for a remaining open case in cycles and complete results in paths for r-identifying codes; we also give complete results for 2-locating-dominating sets in cycles, which completes the results of Bertrand et al. [N. Bertrand, I. Charon, O. Hudry, A. Lobstein, Identifying and locating-dominating codes on chains and cycles, European Journal of Combinatorics 25 (2004) 969-987].     

Local regularity theorems for the stationary thermistor problem with oscillating degeneracy

In this paper we present some regularity results for solutions to the system −Δu=σ(u)²|∇φ|, div(σ(u)∇φ)=0 in the case where σ(u) is allowed to oscillate between 0 and a positive number as u→∞. In particular, we show that u is locally bounded if σ(u) is bounded below by a suitable exponential function.     

An improved randomized approximation algorithm for maximum triangle packing

This paper deals with the maximum triangle packing problem. For this problem, Hassin and Rubinstein gave a randomized polynomial-time approximation algorithm that achieves an expected ratio of for any constant ?>0. By modifying their algorithm, we obtain a new randomized polynomial-time approximation algorithm for the problem which achieves an expected ratio of 0.5257(1−?) for any constant ?>0.     

On a generalization of the Evans Conjecture

The Evans Conjecture states that a partial Latin square of order n with at most n-1 entries can be completed. In this paper we generalize the Evans Conjecture by showing that a partial r-multi Latin square of order n with at most n-1 entries can be completed. Using this generalization, we confirm a case of a conjecture of Häggkvist.     

Facility location problems: A parameterized view

Facility location problems have been investigated in the Operations Research literature from a variety of algorithmic perspectives, including those of approximation algorithms, heuristics, and linear programming. We introduce the study of these problems from the point of view of parameterized algorithms and complexity. Some applications of algorithms for these problems in the processing of semistructured documents and in computational biology are also described.     

Solution techniques for the Large Set Covering Problem

Given a finite set E and a family F={E₁,…,E_m} of subsets of E such that F covers E, the famous unicost set covering problem (USCP) is to determine the smallest possible subset of F that also covers E. We study in this paper a variant, called the Large Set Covering Problem (LSCP), which differs from the USCP in that E and the subsets E_i are not given in extension because they are very large sets that are possibly infinite. We propose three exact algorithms for solving the LSCP. Two of them determine minimal covers, while the third one produces minimum covers. Heuristic versions of these algorithms are also proposed and analysed. We then give several procedures for the computation of a lower bound on the minimum size of a cover. We finally present algorithms for finding the largest possible subset of F that does not cover E. We also show that a particular case of the LSCP is to determine irreducible infeasible sets in inconsistent constraint satisfaction problems. All concepts presented in the paper are illustrated on the k-colouring problem which is formulated as a constraint satisfaction problem.     

Independence polynomials of k-tree related graphs

An independent set of a graph G is a set of pairwise non-adjacent vertices. Let α(G) denote the cardinality of a maximum independent set and f_s(G) for 0≤s≤α(G) denote the number of independent sets of s vertices. The independence polynomial defined first by Gutman and Harary has been the focus of considerable research recently. Wingard bounded the coefficients f_s(T) for trees T with n vertices: for s≥2. We generalize this result to bounds for a very large class of graphs, maximal k-degenerate graphs, a class which includes all k-trees. Additionally, we characterize all instances where our bounds are achieved, and determine exactly the independence polynomials of several classes of k-tree related graphs. Our main theorems generalize several related results known before.     

Improving the performance of standard solvers for quadratic 0-1 programs by a tight convex reformulation: The QCR method

Let be a 0-1 quadratic program which consists in minimizing a quadratic function subject to linear equality constraints. In this paper, we present QCR, a general method to reformulate into an equivalent 0-1 program with a convex quadratic objective function. The reformulated problem can then be efficiently solved by a classical branch-and-bound algorithm, based on continuous relaxation. This idea is already present in the literature and used in standard solvers such as CPLEX. Our objective in this work was to find a convex reformulation whose continuous relaxation bound is, moreover, as tight as possible. From this point of view, we show that QCR is optimal in a certain sense. State-of-the-art reformulation methods mainly operate a perturbation of the diagonal terms and are valid for any {0,1} vector. The innovation of QCR comes from the fact that the reformulation also uses the equality constraints and is valid on the feasible solution domain only. Hence, the superiority of QCR holds by construction. However, reformulation by QCR requires the solution of a semidefinite program which can be costly from the running time point of view. We carry out a computational experience on three different combinatorial optimization problems showing that the costly computational time of reformulation by QCR can however result in a drastically more efficient branch-and-bound phase. Moreover, our new approach is competitive with very specific methods applied to particular optimization problems.     

Common fixed point results for two new classes of hybrid pairs in symmetric spaces

Some common fixed point theorems due to Abbas and Khan [M. Abbas, A.R. Khan, Common fixed points of generalized contractive hybrid pairs in symmetric spaces, Fixed Point Theor. Appl. 2009 (2009) 11, Article ID 869407, doi:10.1155/2009/869407], and Abbas and Rhoades [M. Abbas, B.E. Rhoades, Common fixed point theorems for hybrid pairs of occasionally weakly compatible mappings defined on symmetric spaces, Pan. Amer. Math. J. 18 (1) (2008) 55-62] are proved for two new classes of hybrid pair of mappings which contain occasionally weakly compatible hybrid pairs as a proper subclass. Consequently, some results proved by Hussain et al. [N. Hussain, M.A. Khamsi, A. Latif, Common fixed points for JH-operators and occasionally weakly biased pairs under relaxed conditions, Nonlinear Anal. 74 (2011) 2133-2140], Bhatt et al. [A. Bhatt, et al., Common fixed point theorems for occasionally weakly compatible mappings under relaxed conditions, Nonlinear Anal. 73 (2010) 176-182] and many others are extended to hybrid pair of mappings. Examples are also presented to support the concepts defined in the paper.     

The generalized nonlinear initial-boundary Riemann problem for linearly degenerate quasilinear hyperbolic systems of conservation laws

This work is a continuation of our previous work, in the present paper we study the generalized nonlinear initial-boundary Riemann problem with small BV data for linearly degenerate quasilinear hyperbolic systems of conservation laws with nonlinear boundary conditions in a half space . We prove the global existence and uniqueness of piecewise C¹ solution containing only contact discontinuities to a class of the generalized nonlinear initial-boundary Riemann problem, which can be regarded as a small BV perturbation of the corresponding nonlinear initial-boundary Riemann problem, for general n×n linearly degenerate quasilinear hyperbolic system of conservation laws; moreover, this solution has a global structure similar to the one of the self-similar solution to the corresponding nonlinear initial-boundary Riemann problem. Some applications to quasilinear hyperbolic systems of conservation laws arising in the string theory and high energy physics are also given.     

Ramsey numbers for a disjoint union of good graphs

We give the Ramsey number for a disjoint union of some G-good graphs versus a graph G generalizing the results of Stahl (1975) [5] and Baskoro et al. (2006) [1] and the previous result of the author Bielak (2009) [2]. Moreover, a family of G-good graphs with s(G)>1 is presented.     

Precoloring extension on unit interval graphs

In the precoloring extension problem a graph is given with some of the vertices having preassigned colors and it has to be decided whether this coloring can be extended to a proper k-coloring of the graph. Answering an open question of Hujter and Tuza [Precoloring extension. III. Classes of perfect graphs, Combin. Probab. Comput. 5 (1) (1996) 35-56], we show that the precoloring extension problem is NP-complete on unit interval graphs.     

Note on the m-step competition numbers of paths and cycles

Since Cohen introduced the competition graph in 1968, the competition graph has been studied widely and many variations of it have been discussed. In 2000, Cho, Kim and Nam defined and studied the m-step competition graph and computed the 2-step competition numbers of paths and cycles. Recently, Ho gave bounds for the m-step competition numbers of paths and cycles. In this paper we continue to study the m-step competition numbers of paths and cycles, partially improve the results of Ho on the upper bounds of the m-step competition numbers of paths and cycles, and show that a conjecture posed by Ho is not true.