Chip-firing via open covers

We investigate chip-firing with respect to open covers of discrete graphs and metric graphs. For the case of metric graphs we show that given an open cover and a sink q, stabilization of a divisor D is unique and that there is a distinguished configuration equivalent to D, which we call the critical configuration. Also, we show that given a double cover of the metric graph by stars, which is the continuous analogue of the sandpile model, the critical configurations are in bijection with reduced divisors. Passing to the discrete case, we interpret open covers of a graph as simplicial complexes on the vertex and observe that chip-firing with respect to a simplicial complex is equivalent to the model introduced by Paoletti [G. Paoletti. July 11 2007: Master in Physics at University of Milan, defending thesis “Abelian sandpile models and sampling of trees and forests”; supervisor: Prof. S. Caracciolo. http://pcteserver.mi.infn.it/caraccio/index.html]. We generalize this setup for directed graphs using weighted simplicial complexes on the vertex set and show that the fundamental results extend. In the undirected case we present a generalization of the Cori-Le Borgne algorithm for chip-firing models via open covers, giving an explicit bijection between the critical configurations and the spanning trees of a graph.(http://www.elsevier.com/locate/endm)     

Obstructions to chordal circular-arc graphs of small independence number

A blocking quadruple (BQ) is a quadruple of vertices of a graph such that any two vertices of the quadruple either miss (have no neighbours on) some path connecting the remaining two vertices of the quadruple, or are connected by some path missed by the remaining two vertices. This is akin to the notion of asteroidal triple used in the classical characterization of interval graphs by Lekkerkerker and Boland [Klee, V., What are the intersection graphs of arcs in a circle?, American Mathematical Monthly 76 (1976), pp. 810–813.].In this note, we first observe that blocking quadruples are obstructions for circular-arc graphs. We then focus on chordal graphs, and study the relationship between the structure of chordal graphs and the presence/absence of blocking quadruples.Our contribution is two-fold. Firstly, we provide a forbidden induced subgraph characterization of chordal graphs without blocking quadruples. In particular, we observe that all the forbidden subgraphs are variants of the subgraphs forbidden for interval graphs [Klee, V., What are the intersection graphs of arcs in a circle?, American Mathematical Monthly 76 (1976), pp. 810–813.]. Secondly, we show that the absence of blocking quadruples is sufficient to guarantee that a chordal graph with no independent set of size five is a circular-arc graph. In our proof we use a novel geometric approach, constructing a circular-arc representation by traversing around a carefully chosen clique tree.     

Hierarchical Model-Based Clustering for Large Datasets

In recent years, hierarchical model-based clustering has provided promising results in a variety of applications. However, its use with large datasets has been hindered by a time and memory complexity that are at least quadratic in the number of observations. To overcome this difficulty, this article proposes to start the hierarchical agglomeration from an efficient classification of the data in many classes rather than from the usual set of singleton clusters. This initial partition is derived from a subgraph of the minimum spanning tree associated with the data. To this end, we develop graphical tools that assess the presence of clusters in the data and uncover observations difficult to classify. We use this approach to analyze two large, real datasets: a multiband MRI image of the human brain and data on global precipitation climatology. We use the real datasets to discuss ways of integrating the spatial information in the clustering analysis. We focus on two-stage methods, in which a second stage of processing using established methods is applied to the output from the algorithm presented in this article, viewed as a first stage.     

改进的生成树遗传算法及其在物流配送成本优化中的应用

针对物流配送成本优化问题的特点,建立了数学模型,并对基本的生成树遗传算法进行了改进,同时详细阐述了改进的生成树编码的遗传算法在物流配送成本优化问题中的运用等关键技术.最后根据此算法设计了一个物流配送优化系统,解决了一个物流配送成本优化问题,效果良好.此系统对于中小型物流公司设计最优物流策略和降低物流成本有着很大的应用前景.     

A vertex incremental approach for maintaining chordality

For a chordal graph G=(V,E), we study the problem of whether a new vertex u∉V and a given set of edges between u and vertices in V can be added to G so that the resulting graph remains chordal. We show how to resolve this efficiently, and at the same time, if the answer is no, specify a maximal subset of the proposed edges that can be added along with u, or conversely, a minimal set of extra edges that can be added in addition to the given set, so that the resulting graph is chordal. In order to do this, we give a new characterization of chordal graphs and, for each potential new edge uv, a characterization of the set of edges incident to u that also must be added to G along with uv. We propose a data structure that can compute and add each such set in O(n) time. Based on these results, we present an algorithm that computes both a minimal triangulation and a maximal chordal subgraph of an arbitrary input graph in O(nm) time, using a totally new vertex incremental approach. In contrast to previous algorithms, our process is on-line in that each new vertex is added without reconsidering any choice made at previous steps, and without requiring any knowledge of the vertices that might be added subsequently.     

Truth-telling and Nash equilibria in minimum cost spanning tree models

In this paper we consider the minimum cost spanning tree model. We assume that a central planner aims at implementing a minimum cost spanning tree not knowing the true link costs. The central planner sets up a game where agents announce link costs, a tree is chosen and costs are allocated according to the rules of the game. We characterize ways of allocating costs such that true announcements constitute Nash equilibria both in case of full and incomplete information. In particular, we find that the Shapley rule based on the irreducible cost matrix is consistent with truthful announcements while a series of other well-known rules (such as the Bird-rule, Serial Equal Split, and the Proportional rule) are not.     

Diameter of random spanning trees in a given graph

Motivated by the observation that the sparse tree‐like subgraphs in a small world graph have large diameter, we analyze random spanning trees in a given host graph. We show that the diameter of a random spanning tree of a given host graph G is between and with high probability., where c and c′ depend on the spectral gap of G and the ratio of the moments of the degree sequence. For the special case of regular graphs, this result improves the previous lower bound by Aldous by a factor of logn. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 69: 223–240, 2012     

Maximum Δ‐edge‐colorable subgraphs of class II graphs

A graph G is class II, if its chromatic index is at least Δ + 1. Let H be a maximum Δ‐edge‐colorable subgraph of G. The paper proves best possible lower bounds for |E(H)|/|E(G)|, and structural properties of maximum Δ‐edge‐colorable subgraphs. It is shown that every set of vertex‐disjoint cycles of a class II graph with Δ≥3 can be extended to a maximum Δ‐edge‐colorable subgraph. Simple graphs have a maximum Δ‐edge‐colorable subgraph such that the complement is a matching. Furthermore, a maximum Δ‐edge‐colorable subgraph of a simple graph is always class I. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory