Pub Date : 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.dam.2025.12.060
Nadejda Drenska
deBruijn graphs are widely used in genomics and computer science. In this paper we present a novel approach to finding weights on edges of doubly weighted deBruijn graphs. Given any fixed set of weights on vertices, we use a repeated two-person zero-sum game to find weights on edges so that every cycle on the deBruijn graph has the same average weight, providing explicit formulas. This approach uses minimax optimal strategies of the players. Once the weights on the edges are determined, we observe that they correspond to solving a set of linear equations with as many equations as there are cycles. This is very surprising, because there are many more cycles than unknowns. Moreover we analyze other, related games on graphs.
{"title":"Games on deBruijn graphs and cycle means","authors":"Nadejda Drenska","doi":"10.1016/j.dam.2025.12.060","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dam.2025.12.060","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>deBruijn graphs are widely used in genomics and computer science. In this paper we present a novel approach to finding weights on edges of doubly weighted deBruijn graphs. Given any fixed set of weights on vertices, we use a repeated two-person zero-sum game to find weights on edges so that every cycle on the deBruijn graph has the same average weight, providing explicit formulas. This approach uses minimax optimal strategies of the players. Once the weights on the edges are determined, we observe that they correspond to solving a set of linear equations with as many equations as there are cycles. This is very surprising, because there are many more cycles than unknowns. Moreover we analyze other, related games on graphs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50573,"journal":{"name":"Discrete Applied Mathematics","volume":"385 ","pages":"Pages 100-108"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146039499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.014
Rachel Galindo, Jessica McDonald , Songling Shan
We give a uniform and self-contained proof that if is a connected graph with and , then contains either or an odd hole where every vertex has degree at least in . This was previously proved in series of two papers by Chen, Lan, Lin, and Zhou, who used the Strong Perfect Graph Theorem for the cases .
{"title":"Cliques and high odd holes in graphs with chromatic number equal to maximum degree","authors":"Rachel Galindo, Jessica McDonald , Songling Shan","doi":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We give a uniform and self-contained proof that if <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> is a connected graph with <span><math><mrow><mi>χ</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>=</mo><mi>Δ</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> and <span><math><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>≠</mo><mover><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>C</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>7</mn></mrow></msub></mrow><mo>¯</mo></mover></mrow></math></span>, then <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> contains either <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>Δ</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></msub></math></span> or an odd hole where every vertex has degree at least <span><math><mrow><mi>Δ</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></math></span> in <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span>. This was previously proved in series of two papers by Chen, Lan, Lin, and Zhou, who used the Strong Perfect Graph Theorem for the cases <span><math><mrow><mi>Δ</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>=</mo><mn>4</mn><mo>,</mo><mn>5</mn><mo>,</mo><mn>6</mn></mrow></math></span>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50573,"journal":{"name":"Discrete Applied Mathematics","volume":"383 ","pages":"Pages 383-386"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
For a non-decreasing sequence of positive integers , the -packing chromatic number of a graph is denoted by . In this paper, -critical graphs are introduced as the graphs such that for each proper subgraph of . Several families of -critical graphs are constructed, and 2- and 3-colorable -critical graphs are presented for all packing sequences , while 4-colorable -critical graphs are found for most of . Cycles which are -critical are characterized under different conditions. It is proved that for any graph and any edge , the inequality holds. Moreover, in several important cases, this bound can be improved to . The sharpness of the bounds is also discussed. Along the way an earlier result on -vertex-critical graphs is supplemented.
对于非递减的正整数序列S=(s1,s2,…),图G的S填充色数用χS(G)表示。本文将χS临界图作为图G引入,对G的每个固有子图H都构造了χS(H)<χS(G)。构造了几类χS临界图,对所有填充序列S都给出了2色和3色的χS临界图,对大多数S循环都得到了4色的χS临界图,并在不同条件下对其进行了χS临界表征。证明了对于任意图G和任意边e∈e (G),不等式χS(G−e)≥χS(G)/2成立。此外,在一些重要的情况下,这个界限可以改进为χS(G−e)≥(χS(G)+1)/2。讨论了边界的清晰度。在此过程中,对先前关于χ s -顶点临界图的结果进行了补充。
{"title":"S-packing chromatic critical graphs","authors":"Gülnaz Boruzanlı Ekinci , Csilla Bujtás , Didem Gözüpek , Sandi Klavžar","doi":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For a non-decreasing sequence of positive integers <span><math><mrow><mi>S</mi><mo>=</mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><msub><mrow><mi>s</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>1</mn></mrow></msub><mo>,</mo><msub><mrow><mi>s</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub><mo>,</mo><mo>…</mo><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>, the <span><math><mi>S</mi></math></span>-packing chromatic number of a graph <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> is denoted by <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>. In this paper, <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>-critical graphs are introduced as the graphs <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> such that <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>H</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo><</mo><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> for each proper subgraph <span><math><mi>H</mi></math></span> of <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span>. Several families of <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>-critical graphs are constructed, and 2- and 3-colorable <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>-critical graphs are presented for all packing sequences <span><math><mi>S</mi></math></span>, while 4-colorable <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>-critical graphs are found for most of <span><math><mi>S</mi></math></span>. Cycles which are <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>-critical are characterized under different conditions. It is proved that for any graph <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> and any edge <span><math><mrow><mi>e</mi><mo>∈</mo><mi>E</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>, the inequality <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>e</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>≥</mo><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span> holds. Moreover, in several important cases, this bound can be improved to <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>e</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>≥</mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span>. The sharpness of the bounds is also discussed. Along the way an earlier result on <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow></msub></math></span>-vertex-critical graphs is supplemented.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50573,"journal":{"name":"Discrete Applied Mathematics","volume":"385 ","pages":"Pages 77-85"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146039497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.023
Hui Gao
In this paper, we solve a conjecture by Szigeti in [Matroid-rooted packing of arborescences], which characterizes mixed hypergraphs for which there exists an orientation of such that for every subpartition of , where is an integer-valued, intersecting supermodular function on and a submodular function on . As a corollary, another conjecture in the same paper is confirmed, which characterizes mixed hypergraphs admitting a packing of mixed hyperarborescences such that their roots form a basis in a given matroid, each vertex belongs to exactly of them and is the root of at least and at most of them.
{"title":"Covering a supermodular-like function in a mixed hypergraph","authors":"Hui Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.023","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this paper, we solve a conjecture by Szigeti in [Matroid-rooted packing of arborescences], which characterizes mixed hypergraphs <span><math><mrow><mi>F</mi><mo>=</mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>E</mi><mo>∪</mo><mi>A</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> for which there exists an orientation <span><math><mover><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><mo>⃗</mo></mover></math></span> of <span><math><mi>E</mi></math></span> such that <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>e</mi></mrow><mrow><mover><mrow><mi>E</mi></mrow><mo>⃗</mo></mover><mo>∪</mo><mi>A</mi></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>P</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>≥</mo><msub><mrow><mo>∑</mo></mrow><mrow><mi>X</mi><mo>∈</mo><mi>P</mi></mrow></msub><mi>h</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>X</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>−</mo><mi>b</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mo>∪</mo><mi>P</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> for every subpartition <span><math><mi>P</mi></math></span> of <span><math><mi>V</mi></math></span>, where <span><math><mi>h</mi></math></span> is an integer-valued, intersecting supermodular function on <span><math><mi>V</mi></math></span> and <span><math><mi>b</mi></math></span> a submodular function on <span><math><mi>V</mi></math></span>. As a corollary, another conjecture in the same paper is confirmed, which characterizes mixed hypergraphs admitting a packing of mixed hyperarborescences such that their roots form a basis in a given matroid, each vertex <span><math><mi>v</mi></math></span> belongs to exactly <span><math><mi>k</mi></math></span> of them and is the root of at least <span><math><mrow><mi>f</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>v</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> and at most <span><math><mrow><mi>g</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>v</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> of them.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50573,"journal":{"name":"Discrete Applied Mathematics","volume":"385 ","pages":"Pages 72-76"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146039494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.018
Weixing Zheng , Shuming Zhou , Lulu Yang
<div><div>The rapid expansion of multiprocessor systems in modern computing platforms has posed new challenges to ensure system reliability and fault resilience under complex and large-scale failure scenarios. Classical connectivity and diagnosability are two key parameters to evaluate the reliability and self-diagnostic capability of multiprocessor systems. As generalizations of traditional connectivity and diagnosability, <span><math><mi>g</mi></math></span>-extra connectivity and <span><math><mi>r</mi></math></span>-component connectivity, together with their corresponding diagnosabilities, offer a more refined characterization of fault tolerability. In this paper, we determine the fault tolerability of Cayley graphs <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> generated by transposition unicyclic graphs with a triangle. We show that the <span><math><mi>g</mi></math></span>-extra connectivity of <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> is <span><math><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mi>n</mi><mo>−</mo><mfrac><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></mfrac></mrow></math></span> for <span><math><mrow><mn>2</mn><mo>≤</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>≤</mo><mo>|</mo><mi>M</mi><mo>|</mo><mo>+</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span>, where <span><math><mi>M</mi></math></span> is the maximum matching of the generating graph of <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> with the removal of a 3-cycle. Furthermore, we show that the <span><math><mi>g</mi></math></span>-extra diagnosability of <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> under both PMC and MM* models is uniformly <span><math><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mi>n</mi><mo>−</mo><mfrac><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></mfrac><mo>+</mo><mi>g</mi></mrow></math></span>. In addition, we prove that the <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>r</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>-component connectivity of <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> is <span><math><mrow><mi>r</mi><mi>n</mi><mo>−</mo><mfrac><mrow><mi>r</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>r</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></mfrac></mrow></math></span>, and <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>r</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>-component diagnosability of <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></
{"title":"Fault tolerability of Cayley graphs generated by transposition unicyclic graphs with a triangle","authors":"Weixing Zheng , Shuming Zhou , Lulu Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid expansion of multiprocessor systems in modern computing platforms has posed new challenges to ensure system reliability and fault resilience under complex and large-scale failure scenarios. Classical connectivity and diagnosability are two key parameters to evaluate the reliability and self-diagnostic capability of multiprocessor systems. As generalizations of traditional connectivity and diagnosability, <span><math><mi>g</mi></math></span>-extra connectivity and <span><math><mi>r</mi></math></span>-component connectivity, together with their corresponding diagnosabilities, offer a more refined characterization of fault tolerability. In this paper, we determine the fault tolerability of Cayley graphs <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> generated by transposition unicyclic graphs with a triangle. We show that the <span><math><mi>g</mi></math></span>-extra connectivity of <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> is <span><math><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mi>n</mi><mo>−</mo><mfrac><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></mfrac></mrow></math></span> for <span><math><mrow><mn>2</mn><mo>≤</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>≤</mo><mo>|</mo><mi>M</mi><mo>|</mo><mo>+</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span>, where <span><math><mi>M</mi></math></span> is the maximum matching of the generating graph of <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> with the removal of a 3-cycle. Furthermore, we show that the <span><math><mi>g</mi></math></span>-extra diagnosability of <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> under both PMC and MM* models is uniformly <span><math><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mi>n</mi><mo>−</mo><mfrac><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></mfrac><mo>+</mo><mi>g</mi></mrow></math></span>. In addition, we prove that the <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>r</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>-component connectivity of <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> is <span><math><mrow><mi>r</mi><mi>n</mi><mo>−</mo><mfrac><mrow><mi>r</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>r</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></mfrac></mrow></math></span>, and <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>r</mi><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>-component diagnosability of <span><math><mrow><mi>U</mi><msub><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></","PeriodicalId":50573,"journal":{"name":"Discrete Applied Mathematics","volume":"384 ","pages":"Pages 372-385"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.015
Dilson Lucas Pereira , Dilson Almeida Guimarães , Alexandre Salles da Cunha , Abilio Lucena
In this paper, we investigate the Chordless Cycle Problem (CCP), that asks for a maximum cardinality set of vertices whose induced subgraph is a cycle for a given connected undirected graph. In order to solve the CCP exactly, we propose an enhanced Lagrangian Relaxation Algorithm (LRA) and a Branch-and-bound algorithm, BBLAGSDP, that relies on the LRA. Enhancements come mostly from the fact that the matrix of Lagrangian multipliers attached to the semidefinite programming (SDP) constraint involved in our relaxation for the CCP is not only positive semidefinite, but also symmetric. For this reason, we are allowed to replace by its factorization , reformulate its accompanying Lagrangian Dual Problem (LDP) in terms of and, finally, avoid the need for computing an eigendecomposition of , that would otherwise be the most expensive step required for solving the LDP. On the one hand, our LRA approximates very well the exact SDP bounds, computed by a convex optimization solver from the literature. And it does so in significantly smaller computational times. On the other hand, our SDP bounds are also much stronger than the previously available Linear Programming (LP) bounds. Computational experiments conduced with 458 instances indicate that BBLAGSDP is by far the best performing algorithm, among the five exact methods we compare here, as the density of the input graph increases.
{"title":"Semidefinite programming bounds and a Branch-and-bound algorithm for the Chordless Cycle Problem","authors":"Dilson Lucas Pereira , Dilson Almeida Guimarães , Alexandre Salles da Cunha , Abilio Lucena","doi":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this paper, we investigate the Chordless Cycle Problem (CCP), that asks for a maximum cardinality set of vertices whose induced subgraph is a cycle for a given connected undirected graph. In order to solve the CCP exactly, we propose an enhanced Lagrangian Relaxation Algorithm (LRA) and a Branch-and-bound algorithm, <span>BBLAGSDP</span>, that relies on the LRA. Enhancements come mostly from the fact that the matrix <span><math><mi>Λ</mi></math></span> of Lagrangian multipliers attached to the semidefinite programming (SDP) constraint involved in our relaxation for the CCP is not only positive semidefinite, but also symmetric. For this reason, we are allowed to replace <span><math><mi>Λ</mi></math></span> by its factorization <span><math><mrow><mi>Λ</mi><mo>=</mo><mi>Γ</mi><msup><mrow><mi>Γ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>T</mi></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span>, reformulate its accompanying Lagrangian Dual Problem (LDP) in terms of <span><math><mi>Γ</mi></math></span> and, finally, avoid the need for computing an eigendecomposition of <span><math><mi>Λ</mi></math></span>, that would otherwise be the most expensive step required for solving the LDP. On the one hand, our LRA approximates very well the exact SDP bounds, computed by a convex optimization solver from the literature. And it does so in significantly smaller computational times. On the other hand, our SDP bounds are also much stronger than the previously available Linear Programming (LP) bounds. Computational experiments conduced with 458 instances indicate that <span>BBLAGSDP</span> is by far the best performing algorithm, among the five exact methods we compare here, as the density of the input graph increases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50573,"journal":{"name":"Discrete Applied Mathematics","volume":"383 ","pages":"Pages 387-408"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.022
Ajinkya Gaikwad, Soumen Maity
A defensive alliance in an undirected graph is a non-empty set such that every vertex has at least as many neighbours (including itself) in as it has in . In this paper, we consider the notion of global minimality. A defensive alliance is called a globally minimal defensive alliance if no proper subset of is a defensive alliance. Given an undirected graph and a positive integer , we study Globally Minimal Defensive Alliance, where the goal is to check whether has a globally minimal defensive alliance of size at least . This problem is NP-hard but its parameterized complexity has remained open until now. The goal of this paper is to provide new insight into the complexity of Globally Minimal Defensive Alliance, parameterized by the structure of the input graph. We show that the problem is fixed-parameter tractable (FPT) when parameterized by the neighbourhood diversity of the input graph. The result for neighbourhood diversity implies that the problem is FPT parameterized by vertex cover number also. We prove that the problem parameterized by the vertex cover number of the input graph does not admit a polynomial compression unless coNP NP/poly. Furthermore, we show that the problem is W[1]-hard parameterized by a wide range of fairly restrictive structural parameters such as the feedback vertex set number, pathwidth, treewidth and treedepth. Finally, we prove that, given a vertex , deciding whether has a globally minimal defensive alliance of any size that contains is NP-complete.
{"title":"Globally minimal defensive alliances: A parameterized perspective","authors":"Ajinkya Gaikwad, Soumen Maity","doi":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.022","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.022","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A <em>defensive alliance</em> in an undirected graph <span><math><mrow><mi>G</mi><mo>=</mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>V</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>E</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> is a non-empty set <span><math><mrow><mi>S</mi><mo>⊆</mo><mi>V</mi></mrow></math></span> such that every vertex <span><math><mrow><mi>v</mi><mo>∈</mo><mi>S</mi></mrow></math></span> has at least as many neighbours (including itself) in <span><math><mi>S</mi></math></span> as it has in <span><math><mrow><mi>V</mi><mo>∖</mo><mi>S</mi></mrow></math></span>. In this paper, we consider the notion of global minimality. A defensive alliance <span><math><mi>S</mi></math></span> is called a <em>globally minimal defensive alliance</em> if no proper subset of <span><math><mi>S</mi></math></span> is a defensive alliance. Given an undirected graph <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> and a positive integer <span><math><mi>k</mi></math></span>, we study <span>Globally Minimal Defensive Alliance</span>, where the goal is to check whether <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> has a globally minimal defensive alliance of size at least <span><math><mi>k</mi></math></span>. This problem is NP-hard but its parameterized complexity has remained open until now. The goal of this paper is to provide new insight into the complexity of <span>Globally Minimal Defensive Alliance</span>, parameterized by the structure of the input graph. We show that the problem is fixed-parameter tractable (FPT) when parameterized by the neighbourhood diversity of the input graph. The result for neighbourhood diversity implies that the problem is FPT parameterized by vertex cover number also. We prove that the problem parameterized by the vertex cover number of the input graph does not admit a polynomial compression unless coNP <span><math><mo>⊆</mo></math></span> NP/poly. Furthermore, we show that the problem is W[1]-hard parameterized by a wide range of fairly restrictive structural parameters such as the feedback vertex set number, pathwidth, treewidth and treedepth. Finally, we prove that, given a vertex <span><math><mrow><mi>r</mi><mo>∈</mo><mi>V</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>, deciding whether <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> has a globally minimal defensive alliance of any size that contains <span><math><mi>r</mi></math></span> is NP-complete.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50573,"journal":{"name":"Discrete Applied Mathematics","volume":"385 ","pages":"Pages 86-99"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146039498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In a spy network, when a particular spy is threatened, all associated partners in the surrounding vicinity may also be at risk. To better evaluate the reliability and security of the spy network, particularly in the context of the underground resistance movement, some early scholars introduced the concept of neighbor connectivity. This notion has recently been extended to assess the stability of interconnection networks, particularly in light of multi-processor or distributed computing systems. The topology of a network is typically modeled as a simple undirected graph. The neighbor connectivity of a graph , denoted as (resp. the edge neighbor connectivity, denoted as ), is defined as the minimum number of vertices (resp. edges) whose removal, along with their closed neighborhood, results in becoming disconnected, empty, or complete (resp. trivial). Bubble-sort star graphs possess several favorable properties, including bipartiteness, fault tolerance, and vertex transitivity, making them attractive as network structures. In this paper, we establish that for and for .
{"title":"Neighbor connectivity of bubble-sort star graphs","authors":"Liying Zhao , Shumin Zhang , Bo Zhu , Jou-Ming Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.027","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.027","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In a spy network, when a particular spy is threatened, all associated partners in the surrounding vicinity may also be at risk. To better evaluate the reliability and security of the spy network, particularly in the context of the underground resistance movement, some early scholars introduced the concept of neighbor connectivity. This notion has recently been extended to assess the stability of interconnection networks, particularly in light of multi-processor or distributed computing systems. The topology of a network is typically modeled as a simple undirected graph. The neighbor connectivity of a graph <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span>, denoted as <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>κ</mi></mrow><mrow><mtext>NB</mtext></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> (resp. the edge neighbor connectivity, denoted as <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>λ</mi></mrow><mrow><mtext>NB</mtext></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>G</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>), is defined as the minimum number of vertices (resp. edges) whose removal, along with their closed neighborhood, results in <span><math><mi>G</mi></math></span> becoming disconnected, empty, or complete (resp. trivial). Bubble-sort star graphs possess several favorable properties, including bipartiteness, fault tolerance, and vertex transitivity, making them attractive as network structures. In this paper, we establish that <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>κ</mi></mrow><mrow><mtext>NB</mtext></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>B</mi><msub><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>=</mo><mrow><mo>⌊</mo><mfrac><mrow><mn>3</mn><mi>n</mi><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow><mrow><mn>4</mn></mrow></mfrac><mo>⌋</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> for <span><math><mrow><mi>n</mi><mo>≥</mo><mn>4</mn></mrow></math></span> and <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>λ</mi></mrow><mrow><mtext>NB</mtext></mrow></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>B</mi><msub><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow></msub><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>=</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>n</mi><mo>−</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></math></span> for <span><math><mrow><mi>n</mi><mo>≥</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50573,"journal":{"name":"Discrete Applied Mathematics","volume":"384 ","pages":"Pages 386-396"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.013
P. Leo Joshwa , R. Sundara Rajan , T.M. Rajalaxmi
The Sierpiński networks, , serves as an important model for multiprocessor interconnection systems due to its hierarchical and self-similar properties. Its extended variant, , further enhances these characteristics, making it highly relevant for applications in parallel computing and VLSI design. In this work, we address one of the open problems called the Maximum Subgraph Problem (MSP) for extended Sierpiński networks , , and posed by Joshwa et al. (2025). In addition, we use lexicographic ordering and propose a computational approach implemented in Sage to determine the maximum number of edges formed by vertices in where . Moreover, we investigate the minimum wirelength embedding of into structures such as paths, caterpillars, and 1-hierarchical caterpillars, contributing to the study of efficient graph embeddings in hierarchical systems.
{"title":"Maximum subgraph and wirelength analysis of extended Sierpiński networks in parallel computing","authors":"P. Leo Joshwa , R. Sundara Rajan , T.M. Rajalaxmi","doi":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Sierpiński networks, <span><math><mrow><mi>S</mi><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>p</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>q</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>, serves as an important model for multiprocessor interconnection systems due to its hierarchical and self-similar properties. Its extended variant, <span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>p</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>q</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>, further enhances these characteristics, making it highly relevant for applications in parallel computing and VLSI design. In this work, we address one of the open problems called the Maximum Subgraph Problem (MSP) for extended Sierpiński networks <span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>p</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>q</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>, <span><math><mrow><mi>p</mi><mo>≥</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span>, and <span><math><mrow><mi>q</mi><mo>≥</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></math></span> posed by Joshwa et al. (2025). In addition, we use lexicographic ordering and propose a computational approach implemented in Sage to determine the maximum number of edges formed by <span><math><mi>r</mi></math></span> vertices in <span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>p</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>q</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo>,</mo></mrow></math></span> where <span><math><mrow><mn>1</mn><mo>≤</mo><mi>r</mi><mo>≤</mo><msup><mrow><mi>q</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>p</mi></mrow></msup><mo>+</mo><msup><mrow><mi>q</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>p</mi><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span>. Moreover, we investigate the minimum wirelength embedding of <span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>S</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>p</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>q</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span> into structures such as paths, caterpillars, and 1-hierarchical caterpillars, contributing to the study of efficient graph embeddings in hierarchical systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50573,"journal":{"name":"Discrete Applied Mathematics","volume":"383 ","pages":"Pages 367-382"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146023129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.025
Wei Cao
Nica introduced the notion of nullity for finite sets and utilized it to refine the Combinatorial Nullstellensatz over structured grids. Inspired by Nica’s approach, we replace the concept of nullity with the support of polynomials, thereby obtaining further refinements of the Combinatorial Nullstellensatz.
{"title":"Refinements of Combinatorial Nullstellensatz via polynomial supports","authors":"Wei Cao","doi":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.025","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dam.2026.01.025","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nica introduced the notion of nullity for finite sets and utilized it to refine the Combinatorial Nullstellensatz over structured grids. Inspired by Nica’s approach, we replace the concept of nullity with the support of polynomials, thereby obtaining further refinements of the Combinatorial Nullstellensatz.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50573,"journal":{"name":"Discrete Applied Mathematics","volume":"385 ","pages":"Pages 62-64"},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146039496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"数学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}