Rumor spreading on random regular graphs and expanders

Broadcasting algorithms are important building blocks of distributed systems. In this work we investigate the typical performance of the classical and well‐studied push model. Assume that initially one node in a given network holds some piece of information. In each round, every one of the informed nodes chooses independently a neighbor uniformly at random and transmits the message to it. In this paper we consider random networks where each vertex has degree d ≥ 3, i.e., the underlying graph is drawn uniformly at random from the set of all d ‐regular graphs with n vertices. We show that with probability 1 ‐ o(1) the push model broadcasts the message to all nodes within (1 + o(1))C_d lnn rounds, where Particularly, we can characterize precisely the effect of the node degree to the typical broadcast time of the push model. Moreover, we consider pseudo‐random regular networks, where we assume that the degree of each node is very large. There we show that the broadcast time is (1 + o(1))Clnn with probability 1 ‐ o(1), where \begin{align*}C = \lim_{d\to\infty}C_d = \frac{1}{\ln2} + 1\end{align*}. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2013     

Hamilton decompositions of regular expanders: A proof of Kelly’s conjecture for large tournaments

A long-standing conjecture of Kelly states that every regular tournament on n$n$ vertices can be decomposed into (n−1)/2$(n-1)/2$ edge-disjoint Hamilton cycles. We prove this conjecture for large n$n$. In fact, we prove a far more general result, based on our recent concept of robust expansion and a new method for decomposing graphs. We show that every sufficiently large regular digraph G$G$ on n$n$ vertices whose degree is linear in n$n$ and which is a robust outexpander has a decomposition into edge-disjoint Hamilton cycles. This enables us to obtain numerous further results, e.g. as a special case we confirm a conjecture of Erd?s on packing Hamilton cycles in random tournaments. As corollaries to the main result, we also obtain several results on packing Hamilton cycles in undirected graphs, giving e.g. the best known result on a conjecture of Nash-Williams. We also apply our result to solve a problem on the domination ratio of the Asymmetric Travelling Salesman problem, which was raised e.g. by Glover and Punnen as well as Alon, Gutin and Krivelevich.     

Asymptotics in percolation on high‐girth expanders

We consider supercritical bond percolation on a family of high‐girth ‐regular expanders. The previous study of Alon, Benjamini and Stacey established that its critical probability for the appearance of a linear‐sized (“giant”) component is . Our main result recovers the sharp asymptotics of the size and degree distribution of the vertices in the giant and its 2‐core at any . It was further shown in the previous study that the second largest component, at any , has size at most for some . We show that, unlike the situation in the classical Erd?s‐Rényi random graph, the second largest component in bond percolation on a regular expander, even with an arbitrarily large girth, can have size for arbitrarily close to 1. Moreover, as a by‐product of that construction, we answer negatively a question of Benjamini on the relation between the diameter of a component in percolation on expanders and the existence of a giant component. Finally, we establish other typical features of the giant component, for example, the existence of a linear path.     

In vitro assessment of MRI issues at 3-Tesla for a breast tissue expander with a remote port

Objectives

A patient with a breast tissue expander may require a diagnostic assessment using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To ensure patient safety, this type of implant must undergo in vitro MRI testing using proper techniques. Therefore, this investigation evaluated MRI issues (i.e., magnetic field interactions, heating, and artifacts) at 3-Tesla for a breast tissue expander with a remote port.

Methods

A breast tissue expander with a remote port (Integra Breast Tissue Expander, Model 3612-06 with Standard Remote Port, PMT Corporation, Chanhassen, MN) underwent evaluation for magnetic field interactions (translational attraction and torque), MRI-related heating, and artifacts using standardized techniques. Heating was evaluated by placing the implant in a gelled-saline-filled phantom and MRI was performed using a transmit/receive RF body coil at an MR system reported, whole body averaged specific absorption rate of 2.9-W/kg. Artifacts were characterized using T1-weighted and GRE pulse sequences.

Results

Magnetic field interactions were not substantial and, thus, will not pose a hazard to a patient in a 3-Tesla or less MRI environment. The highest temperature rise was 1.7 °C, which is physiologically inconsequential. Artifacts were large in relation to the remote port and metal connector of the implant but will only present problems if the MR imaging area of interest is where these components are located.

Conclusions

A patient with this breast tissue expander with a remote port may safely undergo MRI at 3-Tesla or less under the conditions used for this investigation. These findings are the first reported at 3-Tesla for a tissue expander.     

Small 3-Manifolds of Large Genus

In this paper we prove the Cheeger inequality for infinite weighted graphs endowed with 'corresponding' measure. This measure has already been developed in the study of tree lattices. Our graphs have finite volumes. A similar theory has already been developed for manifolds of finite volumes.     

Expansion properties of random Cayley graphs and vertex transitive graphs via matrix martingales

The Alon–Roichman theorem states that for every ε> 0 there is a constant c(ε), such that the Cayley graph of a finite group G with respect to c(ε)log ∣G∣ elements of G, chosen independently and uniformly at random, has expected second largest eigenvalue less than ε. In particular, such a graph is an expander with high probability. Landau and Russell, and independently Loh and Schulman, improved the bounds of the theorem. Following Landau and Russell we give a new proof of the result, improving the bounds even further. When considered for a general group G, our bounds are in a sense best possible. We also give a generalization of the Alon–Roichman theorem to random coset graphs. Our proof uses a Hoeffding‐type result for operator valued random variables, which we believe can be of independent interest. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2008     

Tight products and graph expansion

In this article, we study a new product of graphs called tight product. A graph H is said to be a tight product of two (undirected multi) graphs G₁ and G₂, if V(H) = V(G₁) × V(G₂) and both projection maps V(H)→V(G₁) and V(H)→V(G₂) are covering maps. It is not a priori clear when two given graphs have a tight product (in fact, it is NP‐hard to decide). We investigate the conditions under which this is possible. This perspective yields a new characterization of class‐1 (2k+ 1)‐regular graphs. We also obtain a new model of random d‐regular graphs whose second eigenvalue is almost surely at most O(d^3/4). This construction resembles random graph lifts, but requires fewer random bits. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory     

Spectra of lifted Ramanujan graphs

A random n-lift of a base-graph G is its cover graph H on the vertices [n]×V(G), where for each edge uv in G there is an independent uniform bijection π, and H has all edges of the form (i,u),(π(i),v). A main motivation for studying lifts is understanding Ramanujan graphs, and namely whether typical covers of such a graph are also Ramanujan.Let G be a graph with largest eigenvalue λ₁ and let ρ be the spectral radius of its universal cover. Friedman (2003) [12] proved that every “new” eigenvalue of a random lift of G is with high probability, and conjectured a bound of ρ+o(1), which would be tight by results of Lubotzky and Greenberg (1995) [15]. Linial and Puder (2010) [17] improved Friedman?s bound to . For d-regular graphs, where λ₁=d and , this translates to a bound of O(d2/3), compared to the conjectured .Here we analyze the spectrum of a random n-lift of a d-regular graph whose nontrivial eigenvalues are all at most λ in absolute value. We show that with high probability the absolute value of every nontrivial eigenvalue of the lift is . This result is tight up to a logarithmic factor, and for λ?d2/3−ε it substantially improves the above upper bounds of Friedman and of Linial and Puder. In particular, it implies that a typical n-lift of a Ramanujan graph is nearly Ramanujan.