Triangle path transit functions, betweenness and pseudo-modular graphs

The geodesic and induced path transit functions are the two well-studied interval functions in graphs. Two important transit functions related to the geodesic and induced path functions are the triangle path transit functions which consist of all vertices on all u,v-shortest (induced) paths or all vertices adjacent to two adjacent vertices on all u,v-shortest (induced) paths, for any two vertices u and v in a connected graph G. In this paper we study the two triangle path transit functions, namely the I^Δ and J^Δ on G. We discuss the betweenness axioms, for both triangle path transit functions. Also we present a characterization of pseudo-modular graphs using the transit function I^Δ by forbidden subgraphs.     

Minimum monopoly in regular and tree graphs

In this paper we consider a graph optimization problem called minimum monopoly problem, in which it is required to find a minimum cardinality set S⊆V, such that, for each u∈V, |N[u]∩S|?|N[u]|/2 in a given graph G=(V,E). We show that this optimization problem does not have a polynomial-time approximation scheme for k-regular graphs (k?5), unless P=NP. We show this by establishing two L-reductions (an approximation preserving reduction) from minimum dominating set problem for k-regular graphs to minimum monopoly problem for 2k-regular graphs and to minimum monopoly problem for (2k-1)-regular graphs, where k?3. We also show that, for tree graphs, a minimum monopoly set can be computed in linear time.     

Minimal rankings and the arank number of a path

Given a graph G, a function f:V(G)→{1,2,…,k} is a k-ranking of G if f(u)=f(v) implies every u-v path contains a vertex w such that f(w)>f(u). A k-ranking is minimal if the reduction of any label greater than 1 violates the described ranking property. The arank number of a graph, denoted ψ_r(G), is the largest k such that G has a minimal k-ranking. We present new results involving minimal k-rankings of paths. In particular, we determine ψ_r(P_n), a problem posed by Laskar and Pillone in 2000.     

A sufficient condition for pancyclability of graphs

Let G be a graph of order n and S be a vertex set of q vertices. We call G,S-pancyclable, if for every integer i with 3≤i≤q there exists a cycle C in G such that |V(C)∩S|=i. For any two nonadjacent vertices u,v of S, we say that u,v are of distance two in S, denoted by d_S(u,v)=2, if there is a path P in G connecting u and v such that |V(P)∩S|≤3. In this paper, we will prove that if G is 2-connected and for all pairs of vertices u,v of S with d_S(u,v)=2, , then there is a cycle in G containing all the vertices of S. Furthermore, if for all pairs of vertices u,v of S with d_S(u,v)=2, , then G is S-pancyclable unless the subgraph induced by S is in a class of special graphs. This generalizes a result of Fan [G. Fan, New sufficient conditions for cycles in graphs, J. Combin. Theory B 37 (1984) 221-227] for the case when S=V(G).     

3-Factor-criticality in domination critical graphs

A graph G is said to be k-γ-critical if the size of any minimum dominating set of vertices is k, but if any edge is added to G the resulting graph can be dominated with k-1 vertices. The structure of k-γ-critical graphs remains far from completely understood when k?3.A graph G is factor-critical if G-v has a perfect matching for every vertex v∈V(G) and is bicritical if G-u-v has a perfect matching for every pair of distinct vertices u,v∈V(G). More generally, a graph is said to be k-factor-critical if G-S has a perfect matching for every set S of k vertices in G. In three previous papers [N. Ananchuen, M.D. Plummer, Some results related to the toughness of 3-domination-critical graphs, Discrete Math. 272 (2003) 5-15; N. Ananchuen, M.D. Plummer, Matching properties in domination critical graphs, Discrete Math. 277 (2004) 1-13; N. Ananchuen, M.D. Plummer, Some results related to the toughness of 3-domination-critical graphs. II. Utilitas Math. 70 (2006) 11-32], we explored the toughness of 3-γ-critical graphs and some of their matching properties. In particular, we obtained some properties which are sufficient for a 3-γ-critical graph to be factor-critical and, respectively, bicritical. In the present work, we obtain similar results for k-factor-critical graphs when k=3.     

On distance-3 matchings and induced matchings

For a finite undirected graph G=(V,E) and positive integer k≥1, an edge set M⊆E is a distance-k matching if the pairwise distance of edges in M is at least k in G. For k=1, this gives the usual notion of matching in graphs, and for general k≥1, distance-k matchings were called k-separated matchings by Stockmeyer and Vazirani. The special case k=2 has been studied under the names induced matching (i.e., a matching which forms an induced subgraph in G) by Cameron and strong matching by Golumbic and Laskar in various papers.Finding a maximum induced matching is NP-complete even on very restricted bipartite graphs and on claw-free graphs but it can be done efficiently on various classes of graphs such as chordal graphs, based on the fact that an induced matching in G corresponds to an independent vertex set in the square L(G)² of the line graph L(G) of G which, by a result of Cameron, is chordal for any chordal graph G.We show that, unlike for k=2, for a chordal graph G, L(G)³ is not necessarily chordal, and finding a maximum distance-3 matching, and more generally, finding a maximum distance-(2k+1) matching for k≥1, remains NP-complete on chordal graphs. For strongly chordal graphs and interval graphs, however, the maximum distance-k matching problem can be solved in polynomial time for every k≥1. Moreover, we obtain various new results for maximum induced matchings on subclasses of claw-free graphs.     

The induced path function, monotonicity and betweenness

The geodesic interval function I of a connected graph allows an axiomatic characterization involving axioms on the function only, without any reference to distance, as was shown by Nebeský [20]. Surprisingly, Nebeský [23] showed that, if no further restrictions are imposed, the induced path function J of a connected graph G does not allow such an axiomatic characterization. Here J(u,v) consists of the set of vertices lying on the induced paths between u and v. This function is a special instance of a transit function. In this paper we address the question what kind of restrictions could be imposed to obtain axiomatic characterizations of J. The function J satisfies betweenness if w∈J(u,v), with w≠u, implies u∉J(w,v) and x∈J(u,v) implies J(u,x)⊆J(u,v). It is monotone if x,y∈J(u,v) implies J(x,y)⊆J(u,v). In the case where we restrict ourselves to functions J that satisfy betweenness, or monotonicity, we are able to provide such axiomatic characterizations of J by transit axioms only. The graphs involved can all be characterized by forbidden subgraphs.     

Mutually Independent Hamiltonian Connectivity of (n, k)-Star Graphs

A graph G is hamiltonian connected if there exists a hamiltonian path joining any two distinct nodes of G. Two hamiltonian paths and of G from u to v are independent if u = u ₁ = v ₁, v = u _v(G) = v _v(G) , and u _i ≠ v _i for every 1 < i < v(G). A set of hamiltonian paths, {P ₁, P ₂, . . . , P _k }, of G from u to v are mutually independent if any two different hamiltonian paths are independent from u to v. A graph is k mutually independent hamiltonian connected if for any two distinct nodes u and v, there are k mutually independent hamiltonian paths from u to v. The mutually independent hamiltonian connectivity of a graph G, IHP(G), is the maximum integer k such that G is k mutually independent hamiltonian connected. Let n and k be any two distinct positive integers with n–k ≥ 2. We use S _n,k to denote the (n, k)-star graph. In this paper, we prove that IHP(S _n,k ) = n–2 except for S _4,2 such that IHP(S _4,2) = 1.      

Variations of Y-dominating functions on graphs

Let Y be a subset of real numbers. A Y-dominating function of a graph G=(V,E) is a function f:V→Y such that for all vertices v∈V, where N_G[v]={v}∪{u|(u,v)∈E}. Let for any subset S of V and let f(V) be the weight of f. The Y-domination problem is to find a Y-dominating function of minimum weight for a graph G=(V,E). In this paper, we study the variations of Y-domination such as {k}-domination, k-tuple domination, signed domination, and minus domination for some classes of graphs. We give formulas to compute the {k}-domination, k-tuple domination, signed domination, and minus domination numbers of paths, cycles, n-fans, n-wheels, n-pans, and n-suns. Besides, we present a unified approach to these four problems on strongly chordal graphs. Notice that trees, block graphs, interval graphs, and directed path graphs are subclasses of strongly chordal graphs. This paper also gives complexity results for the problems on doubly chordal graphs, dually chordal graphs, bipartite planar graphs, chordal bipartite graphs, and planar graphs.     

A survey of stratified domination in graphs

A graph G is 2-stratified if its vertex set is partitioned into two nonempty classes (each of which is a stratum or a color class). We color the vertices in one color class red and the other color class blue. Let F be a 2-stratified graph with one fixed blue vertex v specified. We say that F is rooted at v. The F-domination number of a graph G is the minimum number of red vertices of G in a red-blue coloring of the vertices of G such that for every blue vertex v of G, there is a copy of F in G rooted at v. In this paper, we survey recent results on the F-domination number for various 2-stratified graphs F.     

Maximal independent sets in minimum colorings

Every graph G contains a minimum vertex-coloring with the property that at least one color class of the coloring is a maximal independent set (equivalently, a dominating set) in G. Among all such minimum vertex-colorings of the vertices of G, a coloring with the maximum number of color classes that are dominating sets in G is called a dominating-χ-coloring of G. The number of color classes that are dominating sets in a dominating-χ-coloring of G is defined to be the dominating-χ-color number of G. In this paper, we continue to investigate the dominating-χ-color number of a graph first defined and studied in [1].     

The profile of the Cartesian product of graphs

Given a graph G, a proper labelingf of G is a one-to-one function from V(G) onto {1,2,…,|V(G)|}. For a proper labeling f of G, the profile widthw_f(v) of a vertex v is the minimum value of f(v)−f(x), where x belongs to the closed neighborhood of v. The profile of a proper labelingfofG, denoted by P_f(G), is the sum of all the w_f(v), where v∈V(G). The profile ofG is the minimum value of P_f(G), where f runs over all proper labeling of G. In this paper, we show that if the vertices of a graph G can be ordered to satisfy a special neighborhood property, then so can the graph G×Q_n. This can be used to determine the profile of Q_n and K_m×Q_n.     

Finding monotone paths in edge-ordered graphs

An edge-ordering of a graph G=(V,E) is a one-to-one function f from E to a subset of the set of positive integers. A path P in G is called an f-ascent if f increases along the edge sequence of P. The heighth(f) of f is the maximum length of an f-ascent in G.In this paper we deal with computational problems concerning finding ascents in graphs. We prove that for a given edge-ordering f of a graph G the problem of determining the value of h(f) is NP-hard. In particular, the problem of deciding whether there is an f-ascent containing all the vertices of G is NP-complete. We also study several variants of this problem, discuss randomized and deterministic approaches and provide an algorithm for the finding of ascents of order at least k in graphs of order n in running time O(4^kn^O(1)).     

Labeling graphs with two distance constraints

Given a graph G and integers p,q,d₁ and d₂, with p>q, d₂>d₁?1, an L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling of G is a function f:V(G)→{0,1,2,…,n} such that |f(u)−f(v)|?p if d_G(u,v)?d₁ and |f(u)−f(v)|?q if d_G(u,v)?d₂. A k-L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling is an L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling f such that max_v∈V(G)f(v)?k. The L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling number ofG, denoted by , is the smallest number k such that G has a k-L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling. In this paper, we give upper bounds and lower bounds of the L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling number for general graphs and some special graphs. We also discuss the L(d₁,d₂;p,q)-labeling number of G, when G is a path, a power of a path, or Cartesian product of two paths.     

On the spectral characterization of some unicyclic graphs

Let H(n;q,n₁,n₂) be a graph with n vertices containing a cycle C_q and two hanging paths P_n1 and P_n2 attached at the same vertex of the cycle. In this paper, we prove that except for the A-cospectral graphs H(12;6,1,5) and H(12;8,2,2), no two non-isomorphic graphs of the form H(n;q,n₁,n₂) are A-cospectral. It is proved that all graphs H(n;q,n₁,n₂) are determined by their L-spectra. And all graphs H(n;q,n₁,n₂) are proved to be determined by their Q-spectra, except for graphs with a being a positive even number and with b≥4 being an even number. Moreover, the Q-cospectral graphs with these two exceptions are given.     

Spanning trails containing given edges

A graph G is Eulerian-connected if for any u and v in V(G), G has a spanning (u,v)-trail. A graph G is edge-Eulerian-connected if for any e^′ and e^″ in E(G), G has a spanning (e^′,e^″)-trail. For an integer r?0, a graph is called r-Eulerian-connected if for any X⊆E(G) with |X|?r, and for any , G has a spanning (u,v)-trail T such that X⊆E(T). The r-edge-Eulerian-connectivity of a graph can be defined similarly. Let θ(r) be the minimum value of k such that every k-edge-connected graph is r-Eulerian-connected. Catlin proved that θ(0)=4. We shall show that θ(r)=4 for 0?r?2, and θ(r)=r+1 for r?3. Results on r-edge-Eulerian connectivity are also discussed.     

Degree conditions for group connectivity

Let G be a 2-edge-connected simple graph on n≥13 vertices and A an (additive) abelian group with |A|≥4. In this paper, we prove that if for every uv∉E(G), max{d(u),d(v)}≥n/4, then either G is A-connected or G can be reduced to one of K_2,3,C₄ and C₅ by repeatedly contracting proper A-connected subgraphs, where C_k is a cycle of length k. We also show that the bound n≥13 is the best possible.     

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].     

Linear-time certifying algorithms for near-graphical sequences

A sequence 〈d₁,d₂,…,d_n〉 of non-negative integers is graphical if it is the degree sequence of some graph, that is, there exists a graph G on n vertices whose ith vertex has degree d_i, for 1≤i≤n. The notion of a graphical sequence has a natural reformulation and generalization in terms of factors of complete graphs.If H=(V,E) is a graph and g and f are integer-valued functions on the vertex set V, then a (g,f)-factor of H is a subgraph G=(V,F) of H whose degree at each vertex v∈V lies in the interval [g(v),f(v)]. Thus, a (0,1)-factor is just a matching of H and a (1, 1)-factor is a perfect matching of H. If H is complete then a (g,f)-factor realizes a degree sequence that is consistent with the sequence of intervals 〈[g(v₁),f(v₁)],[g(v₂),f(v₂)],…,[g(v_n),f(v_n)]〉.Graphical sequences have been extensively studied and admit several elegant characterizations. We are interested in extending these characterizations to non-graphical sequences by introducing a natural measure of “near-graphical”. We do this in the context of minimally deficient (g,f)-factors of complete graphs. Our main result is a simple linear-time greedy algorithm for constructing minimally deficient (g,f)-factors in complete graphs that generalizes the method of Hakimi and Havel (for constructing (f,f)-factors in complete graphs, when possible). It has the added advantage of producing a certificate of minimum deficiency (through a generalization of the Erdös-Gallai characterization of (f,f)-factors in complete graphs) at no additional cost.     

Maximum transversal in partial Latin squares and rainbow matchings

In a partial Latin square P a set of distinct entries, such that no two of which are in the same row or column is called a transversal. By the size of a transversal T, we mean the number of its entries. We define a duplex to be a partial Latin square of order n containing 2n entries such that exactly two entries lie in each row and column and each of n symbols occurs exactly twice. We show that determining the maximum size of a transversal in a given duplex is an NP-complete problem. This problem relates to independent sets in certain subfamilies of cubic graphs. Generalizing the concept of transversals in edge coloring of graphs we are led to introduce the concept of rainbow matching. We show that if each color appears at most twice then it is a polynomial time problem to know whether there exists a rainbow matching of size at least ⌊n/2⌋-t for each fixed t, where n is the order of the graph. As an application we show that for any fixed t, there is a polynomial time algorithm which decides whether α(G)?n-t, for any graph G on 2n vertices containing a perfect matching. At the end we mention some other applications of rainbow matching.