25 research outputs found
Cycle factorizations of cycle products
AbstractLet n and k1,k2,…,kn be integers with n > 1 and ki ⩾ 2 for 1 ⩽ i ⩽ n. We show that there exists a Cs-factorization of Πi=1n C2ki if and only if s = 2t with 2 ⩽ t ⩽ k1 + ··· + kn. We also settle the problem of cycle factorizations of the d-cube
Open conversion in laparoscopic cholecystectomy and bile duct exploration: subspecialisation safely reduces the conversion rates
Background:
Open conversion rates during laparoscopic cholecystectomy vary depending on many factors. Surgeon experience and operative difficulty influence the decision to convert on the grounds of patient safety but occasionally due to technical factors. We aim to evaluate the difficulties leading to conversion, the strategies used to minimise this event and how subspecialisation influenced conversion rates over time.
Methods:
Prospectively collected data from 5738 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed by a single surgeon over 28 years was analysed. Routine intraoperative cholangiography and common bile duct exploration when indicated are utilised. Patients undergoing conversion, fundus first dissection or subtotal cholecystectomy were identified and the causes and outcomes compared to those in the literature.
Results:
28 patients underwent conversion to open cholecystectomy (0.49%). Morbidity was relatively high (33%). 16 of the 28 patients (57%) had undergone bile duct exploration. The most common causes of conversion in our series were dense adhesions (9/28, 32%) and impacted bile duct stones (7/28, 25%). 173 patients underwent fundus first cholecystectomy (FFC) (3%) and 6 subtotal cholecystectomy (0.1%). Morbidity was 17.3% for the FFC and no complications were encountered in the subtotal cholecystectomy patients. These salvage techniques have reduced our conversion rate from a potential 3.5% to 0.49%.
Conclusion:
Although open conversion should not be seen as a failure, it carries a high morbidity and should only be performed when other strategies have failed. Subspecialisation and a high emergency case volume together with FFC and subtotal cholecystectomy as salvage strategies can reduce conversion and its morbidity in difficult cholecystectomies
Asymptotic bounds for the sizes of constant dimension codes and an improved lower bound
We study asymptotic lower and upper bounds for the sizes of constant
dimension codes with respect to the subspace or injection distance, which is
used in random linear network coding. In this context we review known upper
bounds and show relations between them. A slightly improved version of the
so-called linkage construction is presented which is e.g. used to construct
constant dimension codes with subspace distance , dimension of the
codewords for all field sizes , and sufficiently large dimensions of the
ambient space, that exceed the MRD bound, for codes containing a lifted MRD
code, by Etzion and Silberstein.Comment: 30 pages, 3 table
Partial spreads and vector space partitions
Constant-dimension codes with the maximum possible minimum distance have been
studied under the name of partial spreads in Finite Geometry for several
decades. Not surprisingly, for this subclass typically the sharpest bounds on
the maximal code size are known. The seminal works of Beutelspacher and Drake
\& Freeman on partial spreads date back to 1975, and 1979, respectively. From
then until recently, there was almost no progress besides some computer-based
constructions and classifications. It turns out that vector space partitions
provide the appropriate theoretical framework and can be used to improve the
long-standing bounds in quite a few cases. Here, we provide a historic account
on partial spreads and an interpretation of the classical results from a modern
perspective. To this end, we introduce all required methods from the theory of
vector space partitions and Finite Geometry in a tutorial style. We guide the
reader to the current frontiers of research in that field, including a detailed
description of the recent improvements.Comment: 30 pages, 1 tabl
d-cube decompositions of K-n/K-m
Necessary conditions on n, m and d are given for the existence of an edge-disjoint decomposition of K-n\K-m into copies of the graph of a d-dimensional cube. Sufficiency is shown when d = 3 and, in some cases, when d = 2(t). We settle the problem of embedding 3-cube decompositions of K-m into 3-cube decompositions of K-n; where n greater than or equal to m
Packing and covering the complete graph with cubes
A decomposition of K \L, the complete graph of order n with a subgraph L (called the leave) removed, into edge disjoint copies of a graph G is called a maximum packing of K with G if L contains as few edges as possible. A decomposition of K ∪ P, the complete graph union a graph P (called the padding), into edge disjoint copies of a graph G is called a minimum covering of K with G if P contains as few edges as possible. We construct maximum packings and minimum coverings of K with the 3-cube for all n
Factorizations of and by powers of complete graphs
Let K-k(d) denote the Cartesian product of d copies of the complete graph K-k. We prove necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a K-k(r)-factorization of K-pn(s), where p is prime and k > 1, n, r and s are positive integers. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
Labelings of unions of up to four uniform cycles
We show that every 2-regular graph consisting of at most four uniform components has a ρ-labeling (or a more restricted labeling). This has an application in the cyclic decomposition of certain complete graphs into the disjoint unions of cycles