\(F\)-polyhedra and a conjecture on disk replacement moves (Q1876457)

A simplification of special spines is a part of the (partial) algorithm that recognizes 3-manifolds. One of the ways for simplification is disc replacement moves. The well-known conjecture says that if a special spine is not minimal then the number of its vertices can be decreased by admissible disc replacement moves. In the article under review, the author describes the class of special spines which satisfy this conjecture and discusses some questions connected with moves of special spines. This is an English translation of the author's article published in the book [\textit{Yu. G. Reshetnyak} (ed.) et al., Proceedings of the conference `Geometry and applications' dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Prof. Victor Toponogov. Novosibirsk: Izdatel'stvo Instituta Matematiki (2001; Zbl 1004.57015)].