arXiv subjects

Fábio Protti

Publications and source records attributed to Fábio Protti.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Counting $P_3$-convex sets in graphs

We study the $P_3$-convexity, the path convexity generated by all three-vertex paths, and focus on the problem of counting the $P_3$-convex vertex sets of a graph $G$, denoted by $\noc(G)$. First, we settle the associated extremal question: we characterize the $n$-vertex graphs maximizing $\noc(G)$ among all graphs and determine the connected extremal graphs. Next, we investigate computational complexity and show that counting $P_3$-convex sets is $\#\mathsf{P}$-complete already on split graphs, even under additional structural restrictions. On the positive side, we identify two tractable subclasses, namely trees and threshold graphs, and obtain linear-time algorithms for both. Finally, we design nontrivial exact exponential-time algorithms for general graphs, combining structural decomposition, propagation rules capturing forced consequences of $P_3$-convexity, and fast counting of independent sets in auxiliary graphs. The resulting strategy becomes particularly effective on graph classes where large independent sets are guaranteed and can be found efficiently.

math.CO↗

arXiv2024

Characterizations of graph classes via convex geometries: a survey

Graph convexity has been used as an important tool to better understand the structure of classes of graphs. Many studies are devoted to determine if a graph equipped with a convexity is a {\em convex geometry}. In this work we survey results on characterizations of well-known classes of graphs via convex geometries. We also give some contributions to this subject.

cs.DM↗

arXiv2024

Weakly toll convexity and proper interval graphs

A walk $u_0u_1 \ldots u_{k-1}u_k$ is a \textit{weakly toll walk} if $u_0u_i \in E(G)$ implies $u_i = u_1$ and $u_ju_k\in E(G)$ implies $u_j=u_{k-1}$. A set $S$ of vertices of $G$ is {\it weakly toll convex} if for any two non-adjacent vertices $x,y \in S$ any vertex in a weakly toll walk between $x$ and $y$ is also in $S$. The {\em weakly toll convexity} is the graph convexity space defined over weakly toll convex sets. Many studies are devoted to determine if a graph equipped with a convexity space is a {\em convex geometry}. An \emph{extreme vertex} is an element $x$ of a convex set $S$ such that the set $S\backslash\{x\}$ is also convex. A graph convexity space is said to be a convex geometry if it satisfies the Minkowski-Krein-Milman property, which states that every convex set is the convex hull of its extreme vertices. It is known that chordal, Ptolemaic, weakly polarizable, and interval graphs can be characterized as convex geometries with respect to the monophonic, geodesic, $m^3$, and toll convexities, respectively. Other important classes of graphs can also be characterized in this way. In this paper, we prove that a graph is a convex geometry with respect to the weakly toll convexity if and only if it is a proper interval graph. Furthermore, some well-known graph invariants are studied with respect to the weakly toll convexity.

math.CO↗

arXiv2023

The iteration time and the general position number in graph convexities

In this paper, we study two graph convexity parameters: iteration time and general position number. The iteration time was defined in 1981 in the geodesic convexity, but its computational complexity was so far open. The general position number was defined in the geodesic convexity and proved NP-hard in 2018. We extend these parameters to any graph convexity and prove that the iteration number is NP-hard in the P3 convexity. We use this result to prove that the iteration time is also NP-hard in the geodesic convexity even in graphs with diameter two, a long standing open question. These results are also important since they are the last two missing NP-hardness results regarding the ten most studied graph convexity parameters in the geodesic and P3 convexities. We also prove that the general position number of the monophonic convexity is W[1]-hard (parameterized by the size of the solution) and $n^{1-\varepsilon}$-inapproximable in polynomial time for any $\varepsilon>0$ unless P=NP, even in graphs with diameter two. Finally, we also obtain FPT results on the general position number in the P3 convexity and we prove that it is W[1]-hard (parameterized by the size of the solution).

cs.CC↗

arXiv2023

All-path convexity: Combinatorial and complexity aspects

Let $¶$ be any collection of paths of a graph $G=(V,E)$. For $S\subseteq V$, define $I(S)=S\cup\{v\mid v \ \mbox{lies in a path of} \ ¶\ \mbox{with endpoints in} \ S\}$. Let $\C$ be the collection of fixed points of the function $I$, that is, $\C=\{S\subseteq V\mid I(S)=S\}$. It is well known that $(V,\C)$ is a finite convexity space, where the members of $\C$ are precisely the convex sets. If $¶$ is taken as the collection of all the paths of $G$, then $(V,\C)$ is the {\em all-path convexity} with respect to graph $G$. In this work we study how important parameters and problems in graph convexity are solved for the all-path convexity.

math.CO↗

arXiv2023

Computing the hull and interval numbers in the weakly toll convexity

A walk $u_0u_1 \ldots u_{k-1}u_k$ of a graph $G$ is a \textit{weakly toll walk} if $u_0u_k \not\in E(G)$, $u_0u_i \in E(G)$ implies $u_i = u_1$, and $u_ju_k\in E(G)$ implies $u_j=u_{k-1}$. The {\em weakly toll interval} of a set $S \subseteq V(G)$, denoted by $I(S)$, is formed by $S$ and the vertices belonging to some weakly toll walk between two vertices of $S$. Set $S$ is {\it weakly toll convex} if $I(S) = S$. The {\em weakly toll convex hull} of $S$, denote by $H(S)$, is the minimum weakly toll convex set containing $S$. The {\em weakly toll interval number} of $G$ is the minimum cardinality of a set $S \subseteq V(G)$ such that $I(S) = V(G)$; and the {\em weakly toll hull number} of $G$ is the minimum cardinality of a set $S \subseteq V(G)$ such that $H(S) = V(G)$. In this work, we show how to compute the weakly toll interval and the weakly toll hull numbers of a graph in polynomial time. In contrast, we show that determining the weakly toll convexity number of a graph $G$ (the size of a maximum weakly toll convex set distinct from $V(G)$) is \NP-hard.

math.CO↗

arXiv2022

Geodetic convexity and Kneser graphs

The {\em Kneser graph} $K(2n+k,n)$, for positive integers $n$ and $k$, is the graph $G=(V,E)$ such that $V=\{S\subseteq\{1,\ldots,2n+k\} : |S|=n\}$ and there is an edge $uv\in E$ whenever $u\cap v=\emptyset$. Kneser graphs have a nice combinatorial structure, and many parameters have been determined for them, such as the diameter, the chromatic number, the independence number, and, recently, the hull number (in the context of $P_3$-convexity). However, the determination of geodetic convexity parameters in Kneser graphs still remained open. In this work, we investigate both the geodetic number and the geodetic hull number of Kneser graphs. We give upper bounds and determine the exact value of these parameters for Kneser graphs of diameter two (which form a nontrivial subfamily). We prove that the geodetic hull number of a Kneser graph of diameter two is two, except for $K(5,2)$, $K(6,2)$, and $K(8,2)$, which have geodetic hull number three. We also contribute to the knowledge on Kneser graphs by presenting a characterization of endpoints of diametral paths in $K(2n+k,n)$, used as a tool for obtaining some of the main results in this work.

math.CO↗

arXiv2022

Convex geometries over induced paths with bounded length

Graph convexity spaces have been studied in many contexts. In particular, some studies are devoted to determine if a graph equipped with a convexity space is a {\em convex geometry}. It is well known that chordal and Ptolemaic graphs can be characterized as convex geometries with respect to the geodesic and monophonic convexities, respectively. Weak polarizable graphs, interval graphs, and proper interval graphs can also be characterized in this way. In this paper we introduce the notion of {\em $l^k$-convexity}, a natural restriction of the monophonic convexity. Let $G$ be a graph and $k\geq 2$ an integer. A subset $S\subseteq V(G)$ is \textit{$l^k$-convex} if and only if for any pair of vertices $x,y$ of $S$, each induced path of length {\em at most} $k$ connecting $x$ and $y$ is completely contained in the subgraph induced by $S$. The {\em $l^k$-convexity} consists of all $l^k$-convex subsets of $G$. In this work, we characterize {\em $l^k$-convex geometries} (graphs that are convex geometries with respect to the $l^k$-convexity) for $k\in\{2,3\}$. We show that a graph $G$ is an $l^2$-convex geometry if and only if $G$ is a chordal $P_4$-free graph, and an $l^3$-convex geometry if and only if $G$ is a chordal graph with diameter at most three such that its induced gems satisfy a special "solving" property. As far as the authors know, the class of $l^3$-convex geometries is the first example of a non-hereditary class of convex geometries.

math.CO↗

arXiv2019

Width Parameterizations for Knot-free Vertex Deletion on Digraphs

A knot in a directed graph $G$ is a strongly connected subgraph $Q$ of $G$ with at least two vertices, such that no vertex in $V(Q)$ is an in-neighbor of a vertex in $V(G)\setminus V(Q)$. Knots are important graph structures, because they characterize the existence of deadlocks in a classical distributed computation model, the so-called OR-model. Deadlock detection is correlated with the recognition of knot-free graphs as well as deadlock resolution is closely related to the {\sc Knot-Free Vertex Deletion (KFVD)} problem, which consists of determining whether an input graph $G$ has a subset $S \subseteq V(G)$ of size at most $k$ such that $G[V\setminus S]$ contains no knot. In this paper we focus on graph width measure parameterizations for {\sc KFVD}. First, we show that: (i) {\sc KFVD} parameterized by the size of the solution $k$ is W[1]-hard even when $p$, the length of a longest directed path of the input graph, as well as $κ$, its Kenny-width, are bounded by constants, and we remark that {\sc KFVD} is para-NP-hard even considering many directed width measures as parameters, but in FPT when parameterized by clique-width; (ii) {\sc KFVD} can be solved in time $2^{O(tw)}\times n$, but assuming ETH it cannot be solved in $2^{o(tw)}\times n^{O(1)}$, where $tw$ is the treewidth of the underlying undirected graph. Finally, since the size of a minimum directed feedback vertex set ($dfv$) is an upper bound for the size of a minimum knot-free vertex deletion set, we investigate parameterization by $dfv$ and we show that (iii) {\sc KFVD} can be solved in FPT-time parameterized by either $dfv+κ$ or $dfv+p$; and it admits a Turing kernel by the distance to a DAG having an Hamiltonian path.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2019

A general framework for path convexities

In this work we deal with the so-called path convexities, defined over special collections of paths. For example, the collection of the shortest paths in a graph is associated with the well-known geodesic convexity, while the collection of the induced paths is associated with the monophonic convexity; and there are many other examples. Besides reviewing the path convexities in the literature, we propose a general path convexity framework, of which most existing path convexities can be viewed as particular cases. Some benefits of the proposed framework are the systematization of the algorithmic study of related problems and the possibility of defining new convexities not yet investigated.

cs.DM↗

arXiv2018

Decycling a graph by the removal of a matching: new algorithmic and structural aspects in some classes of graphs

A graph $G$ is {\em matching-decyclable} if it has a matching $M$ such that $G-M$ is acyclic. Deciding whether $G$ is matching-decyclable is an NP-complete problem even if $G$ is 2-connected, planar, and subcubic. In this work we present results on matching-decyclability in the following classes: Hamiltonian subcubic graphs, chordal graphs, and distance-hereditary graphs. In Hamiltonian subcubic graphs we show that deciding matching-decyclability is NP-complete even if there are exactly two vertices of degree two. For chordal and distance-hereditary graphs, we present characterizations of matching-decyclability that lead to $O(n)$-time recognition algorithms.

cs.DM↗

arXiv2017

New algorithms for the Minimum Coloring Cut Problem

The Minimum Coloring Cut Problem is defined as follows: given a connected graph G with colored edges, find an edge cut E' of G (a minimal set of edges whose removal renders the graph disconnected) such that the number of colors used by the edges in E' is minimum. In this work, we present two approaches based on Variable Neighborhood Search to solve this problem. Our algorithms are able to find all the optimum solutions described in the literature.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2016

Cograph generation with linear delay

Cographs have always been a research target in areas such as coloring, graph decomposition, and spectral theory. In this work, we present an algorithm to generate all unlabeled cographs with $n$ vertices, based on the generation of cotrees. The delay of our algorithm (time spent between two consecutive outputs) is $O(n)$. The time needed to generate the first output is also $O(n)$, which gives an overall $O(n\,M_n)$ time complexity, where $M_n$ is the number of unlabeled cographs with $n$ vertices. The algorithm avoids the generation of duplicates (isomorphic outputs) and produces, as a by-product, a linear ordering of unlabeled cographs wih $n$ vertices.

cs.DM↗

arXiv2015

Adaptive event sensing in networks of autonomous mobile agents

Given a connected region in two-dimensional space where events of a certain kind occur according to a certain time-varying density, we consider the problem of setting up a network of autonomous mobile agents to detect the occurrence of those events and possibly record them in as effective a manner as possible. We assume that agents can communicate with one another wirelessly within a fixed communication radius, and moreover that initially no agent has any information regarding the event density. We introduce a new distributed algorithm for agent control based on the notion of an execution mode, which essentially lets each agent roam the target region either at random or following its local view of a density-dependent gradient. Agents can switch back and forth between the two modes, and the precise manner of such changes depends on the setting of various parameters that can be adjusted as a function of the application at hand. We provide simulation results on some synthetic applications especially designed to highlight the algorithm's behavior relative to the possible execution modes.

cs.MA↗

arXiv2015

Parameterized mixed cluster editing via modular decomposition

In this paper we introduce a natural generalization of the well-known problems Cluster Editing and Bicluster Editing, whose parameterized versions have been intensively investigated in the recent literature. The generalized problem, called Mixed Cluster Editing or ${\cal M}$-Cluster Editing, is formulated as follows. Let ${\cal M}$ be a family of graphs. Given a graph $G$ and a nonnegative integer $k$, transform $G$, through a sequence of at most $k$ edge editions, into a target graph $G'$ with the following property: $G'$ is a vertex-disjoint union of graphs $G_1, G_2, \ldots$ such that every $G_i$ is a member of ${\cal M}$. The graph $G'$ is called a mixed cluster graph or ${\cal M}$-cluster graph. Let ${\cal K}$ denote the family of complete graphs, ${\cal KL}$ the family of complete $l$-partite graphs ($l \geq 2$), and $Ł={\cal K} \cup {\cal KL}$. In this work we focus on the case ${\cal M} = {\cal L}$. Using modular decomposition techniques previously applied to Cluster/Bicluster Editing, we present a linear-time algorithm to construct a problem kernel for the parameterized version of ${\cal L}$-Cluster Editing. Keywords: bicluster graphs, cluster graphs, edge edition problems, edge modification problems, fixed-parameter tractability, NP-complete problems.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2013

On Solving Manufacturing Cell Formation via Bicluster Editing

This work investigates the Bicluster Graph Editing Problem (BGEP) and how it can be applied to solve the Manufacturing Cell Formation Problem (MCFP). We develop an exact method for the BGEP that consists of a Branch-and-Cut approach combined with a special separation algorithm based on dynamic programming. We also describe a new preprocessing procedure for the BGEP derived from theoretical results on vertex distances in the input graph. Computational experiments performed on randomly generated instances with various levels of difficulty show that our separation algorithm accelerates the convergence speed, and our preprocessing procedure is effective for low density instances. Other contribution of this work is to reveal the similarities between the BGEP and the MCFP. We show that the BGEP and the MCFP have the same solution space. This fact leads to the proposal of two new exact approaches for the MCFP based on mathematical formulations for the BGEP. Both approaches use the grouping efficacy measure as the objective function. Up to the authors' knowledge, these are the first exact methods that employ such a measure to optimally solve instances of the MCFP. The first approach consists of iteratively running several calls to a parameterized version of the BGEP, and the second is a linearization of a new fractional-linear model for the MCFP. Computational experiments performed on instances of the MCFP found in the literature show that our exact methods for the MCFP are able to prove several previously unknown optima.

math.OC↗

arXiv2013

An energy function and its application to the periodic behavior of k-reversible processes

We consider the graph dynamical systems known as k-reversible processes. In such processes, each vertex in the graph has one of two possible states at each discrete time step. Each vertex changes its state between the current time and the next if and only if it currently has at least k neighbors in a state different than its own. For such processes, we present a monotonic function similar to the decreasing energy functions used to study threshold networks. Using this new function, we show an alternative proof for the maximum period length in a k-reversible process and provide better upper bounds on the transient length in both the general case and the case of trees.

cs.DS↗

arXiv2013

The predecessor-existence problem for k-reversible processes

For k>=1, we consider the graph dynamical system known as a k-reversible process. In such process, each vertex in the graph has one of two possible states at each discrete time. Each vertex changes its state between the present time and the next if and only if it currently has at least k neighbors in a state different than its own. Given a k-reversible process and a configuration of states assigned to the vertices, the Predecessor Existence problem consists of determining whether this configuration can be generated by the process from another configuration within exactly one time step. We can also extend the problem by asking for the number of configurations from which a given configuration is reachable within one time step. Predecessor Existence can be solved in polynomial time for k=1, but for k>1 we show that it is NP-complete. When the graph in question is a tree we show how to solve it in O(n) time and how to count the number of predecessor configurations in O(n^2) time. We also solve Predecessor Existence efficiently for the specific case of 2-reversible processes when the maximum degree of a vertex in the graph is no greater than 3. For this case we present an algorithm that runs in O(n) time.

cs.DS↗